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Offered here is an original three-page autograph letter signed by Horatio Potter (1802–1887), Bishop of New York, dated Feb. 15, 1858. Addressed to the publishers D. Appleton & Co., Potter thanks them for sending the first number of their monumental New American Cyclopaedia (edited by George Ripley & Charles Dana).
Potter praises the work as “so important & valuable” and expresses his hope that the vast undertaking “may be duly sustained & crowned with ultimate success.” He notes its utility as a “vast storehouse of important information… such a work as almost every intelligent person will be glad to have always near him for reference.”
The letter runs three full pages, with Potter’s bold signature at the close. At the top margin, Potter has also penned a curious personal instruction: “Cut out after my death” — an intriguing archival note in his own hand.
Date: Feb. 15, 1858
Recipient: D. Appleton & Co.
Format: Autograph Letter Signed (ALS), 3pp
Condition: Light toning, minor smudges, overall very good; strong signature.
An exceptional piece linking a leading Episcopal bishop with one of the most important American publishing projects of the 19th century.
First time offered in over 70 years.
