A Guide to the Silas Weir Mitchell Collection
A Collection in the
Clifton Waller Barrett Library of American Literature
Accession number 6337-b
University of Virginia Library
Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections LibraryUniversity of Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia 22904-4110
USA
Phone: (434) 243-1776
Fax: (434) 924-4968
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© 1997 By the Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia. All rights reserved.
Funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Processed by: Special Collections Department Staff
Administrative Information
Access Restrictions
Collection is open to research.
Use Restrictions
See the University of Virginia Library’s use policy.
Preferred Citation
Silas Weir Mitchell Collection, Accession 6337-b, Special Collections Department, University of Virginia Library
Acquisition Information
Deposit 1963 Dec 17
Funding Note
Funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities
Significant Persons Associated With the Collection
- Andrew D. White
- Arthur Hale
- Beatrice Tollemache
- Beatrix Tollemache
- Carl Benson
- Charles Astor Bristed
- Charles Strong
- Cosntance J. Greer
- Dante Gabriel Rossetti
- E. R. Robinson
- Emily Tuckerman
- Florence Marion Howe Hall
- Francis F. Browne
- Francis Scott Key
- Frank B. Reazer
- George E. B. Saintsbury
- George Sechel Pepper
- George Trevelyan
- H. B. Fuller
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
- Howard Pyle
- J. F. Davies
- James MacAlister
- James Whitcomb Riley
- John Cadwalader
- John Kearsley Mitchell
- John W. [Karlson]
- Joseph A. Stetson
- Julia Ward Howe
- Lewis Carroll
- Lionel A. Tollemache
- Moncure Daniel Conway
- Oliver Wendell Holmes
- Oliver Wendell Holmes
- Oliver Wolcott Gibbs
- Pariau S. Parsons
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
- Richard Watson Gilder
- Robert Browning
- Robert Underwood Johnson
- Rofe Cholim
- Rudyard Kipling
- Sidney Lanier
- Silas Weir Mitchell
- Stanley Matthews
- Thomas Bailey Aldrich
- Thomas Jefferson
- Virginia Moore
- Walter George Smith
- Weir Mitchell
- William B. Dayton
- William Morton Payne
- William Pepper
- William Vaughn Moody
- Wolcott Gibbs
- [Fitz-Greene] Halleck
- [Helen] Grace Smith
- [James] Bayard Taylor
- [Richard Watson] Gilder
- [Silas Weir] Mitchell
- [Thomas Bailey?] Aldrich
- [Walter George] Smith
- [William Cullen] Bryant
Significant Places Associated With the Collection
- Africa
- America
- Buffalo
- Chicago
- England
- Maine
- New York
- Philadelphia
- Venice
Item Listing
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Poem, " Friendship "n. d.TMs, 1 p.
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Westwaysn. d.AMs, 15 p.
[Early draft of the beginning of Westways , 1913.]
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Silas Weir Mitchell to Mr. Barney1870 Jan 26ALS, 2 p.
[Gives thanks for satisfactory closure on sale of land; asks for account of sale of 160 acres.]
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Silas Weir Mitchell to William B. Dayton1870 Mar 3ALS, 1 p.
[Encloses account for consultations.]
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Silas Weir Mitchell to John Cadwalader1877 Feb 24ALS, 3 p.
[Says he has letter from Cadwalader's grandfather and will keep it for him or send it to him; offers him and his wife money if they need it; offers hospitality in Philadelphia . ]
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Silas Weir Mitchell to "Dear Madam"1887 JulALS, 1 p.
[Responds to request for an autograph; says he is unable to write a selection.]
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Silas Weir Mitchell to "My Dear Sir"1890 Jan 23ALS, 2 p.
[Gives dates on which he could meet Howard Pyle in New York ; discusses a poem and illustration which will appear in a magazine.]
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Representative of Houghton, Mifflin Co. to H. O. H. and Co.1892 Oct 25ANS, 2 p.
[Informs company that Silas Weir Mitchell approved the page proof; wants manuscript of his preface returned so he may make corrections; encloses a copy of page proof, 3 pages of Francis Drake: A Tragedy of the Sea ; includes AN by Silas Weir Mitchell approving the page and requesting the manuscript of the preface for corrections.]
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Silas Weir Mitchell to Robert Underwood Johnson1893 Jan 4ALS, 4 p.
[Says he read the book sent to him when he was ill; discusses the merits of poetry and Johnson's, Richard Watson Gilder 's , and his own work; promises to send his new book "for revenge."]
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Silas Weir Mitchell to "Dear Sir"1897 Nov 20ALS, 2 p.
[Says he is willing to read for 20 minutes later on in the program when the audience has quieted down; thinks that too many readers are on the program for the time available; suggests that program be altered because, in its present form, it appears to be a commercial affair.]
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Lionel A. Tollemache to Silas Weir Mitchell1899 Aug 14ALS, 4 p.
[Replies to his letter to Beatrice Tollemache ; discusses his own writings, especially the character sketches, "talks with Mr. Gladstone," and a small volume sent to Mitchell containing reminiscences of Lewis Carroll ; talks at length about poetry, Mitchell's " When all the Woods are Green "; believes Mitchell's verses are reminiscent of Rudyard Kipling 's " Recessional Hymn "; mentions his schoolfellow, George Trevelyan ; refers to a friendly review of Characteristics in The Spectator of August 12.]
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Beatrix Tollemache to Silas Weir Mitchell1899 Aug 15ALS, 4 p.
[Thanks him for books; mentions Characteristics , " When all the Woods are Green , " and her own attempt to write character sketches; discusses an old saying from Cheshire; relates stories about her nephew's exploits in the Rockies and in Africa ; tells a story about a Benedictine monk who was sent from England to America . ]
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Silas Weir Mitchell to Virginia Moore1900 Nov 23ALS, 3 p. w/env
[Discusses details of speaking engagement at Smith College . ]
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Silas Weir Mitchell to Centurion1906 Oct 27ALS, 1 p. initialed
[Responds to inquiry.]
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Silas Weir Mitchell to Wolcott Gibbs1906 Nov 26TLS, 2 p.
[Speaks with affection about Gibbs' deceased sister and her hospitality to him; sends him some theses that give evidence of the activity in Smith's department.]
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Silas Weir Mitchell to [Walter George] Smith1908 Jun 4ALS, 1 p.
[Responds to request for and autograph.]
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Silas Weir Mitchell to Miss Belton1908 Dec 10TLS, 2 p. w/env
[Regrets that he is unable to attend the funeral of his old friend; promises to write again in a few days; sends regards to Emily Tuckerman . ]
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Silas Weir Mitchell to Miss Belton1908 Dec 15ALS, 3 p. w/env
[Expresses feelings on the death of her uncle; fears the slow decay of old age; talks affectionately about [ Oliver Wolcott Gibbs ], his old friend.]
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Silas Weir Mitchell to Joseph A. Stetson1909 Feb 11TLS, 1 p.
[Praises Arthur Hale as a proper member of the Players; says he cannot promise to autograph book because he may not be in New York for months.]
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Silas Weir Mitchell to Walter George Smith1909 Feb 18AN, 1 p. w/env
[Expresses thanks.]
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Silas Weir Mitchell to Walter George Smith1909 Mar 3TLS, 1 p.
[Remarks on the sonnets of the "Wingless Hours" by an unnamed author he sent to him; believes the author to be an invalid lacking in self-criticism; comments that he himself does not know how to use the "terrible" sonnet form.]
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Silas Weir Mitchell to William Morton Payne1911 Apr 15TLS, 2 p.
[Gives him the times he can see him in Chicago ; asks to see some people while there as well as Payne's museum in the Park; requests hotel arrangements for himself and his valet; declines a fee; AN accepts cost of travel and hotel only.]
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Silas Weir Mitchell to Rev. Frank B. Reazer1912 Mar 25TLS, 1 p.
[Thanks him for an encouraging letter concerning "his best work"; believes that although the book did not sell as well as others, there were rewards of another nature; mentions the many letters from people with similar histories who came to him; singles out letter of woman who told about the influence of drink on her husband.]
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Silas Weir Mitchell to Francis F. Browne[ca. 1890] Dec 24ALS, 3 p. w/env
[Says he is glad to receive The Dial ; wishes that magazine luck, larger space, and competent length of reviews; believes that reviews ought to be signed by the reviewers; speculates that George E. B. Saintsbury wrote an article on "Chicago Fair"; calls S[aintsbury] "really a pestilent fellow"; recommends that Browne reprint Saintsbury's article on Lowell and the Civil War which Saintsbury called "a parochial disturbance"; praises H. B. Fuller 's The Cliff Dwellers . ] (Includes 2 typed carbon copies)
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Silas Weir Mitchell to William Morton Payne[ca 1911] MayALS, 3 p.
[Wonders about the rooms that were engaged for them in Chicago ; sends a list of people he wants to see, especially Dr. Billings and [Patriott]; hopes a lot of doctors will attend his lecture; promises it will be brilliant and original; asks for travel expenses only because he never takes a fee for lectures.]
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Silas Weir Mitchell to Countess IddesleighJul 5ALS, 2 p.
[Sends her one of his books, which was very successful in America ; speaks about a young man he felt sorry for but was unable to help.]
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Silas Weir Mitchell to "Dear Sir"Oct 4ALS, 3 p.
[Says he will send out invitations later than the correspondent will send his announcements; believes Professor Barker will be more helpful than Wood.]
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Silas Weir Mitchell to "Dear Sir"Oct 5ALS, 2 p.
[Requests 2 copies of Hephzibah Guiness for minor corrections; says no corrections are needed for Wear and Tear ; asks that he find the number of editors and the publisher of the first edition of Wear and Tear . ]
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Silas Weir Mitchell to NewboldNovALS, 2 p.
[Complains that he finds the commercial side of his life distasteful; insists that his own doctor take fees; sends him his consultant account.]
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Silas Weir Mitchell to [Thomas Bailey?] Aldrichn. d.ALS, 4 p.
[States that Aldrich has recovered from illness and has returned to making verse about Longfellow; says he is working on the third copy of his new novel which will appear next November in The Century ; mentions that [Richard Watson] Gilder is excited about the novel; believes it to be a good sign in an editor; refers to his son's new play.]
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Silas Weir Mitchell to Rofe Cholimn. d.ALS, 2 p.
[Expresses interest and comments on book Cholim sent to him on Cholim's "race."]
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Silas Weir Mitchell to "Dear Sir"n. d.ALS, 1 p.
[Remarks that a book presented to Thomas Jefferson would be worth more if it has Jefferson's signature.]
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Silas Weir Mitchell to Miss Forbesn. d.ALS, 2 p.
[Advises her to go without Bismuth for some time; recommends four books to be read to her father; mentions a nice note he received from Mrs. Forbes.]
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Silas Weir Mitchell to Wolcott Gibbsn. d.ALS, 4 p.
[Speaks about telepathic sympathies between them; admires Gibbs' handwriting which belies his age; describes his visits to his patients; notes that he works as a doctor only in the winter and spends summers fishing for salmon and writing fiction in Maine ; believes some essential difference exists between scientific work and creative fiction.]
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Silas Weir Mitchell to Miss Harrisn. d.ALS, 1 p.
[Sends regrets because he is unable to undertake "this pleasant and interesting matter."]
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Silas Weir Mitchell to Mrs. Russelln. d.ALS, 4 p.
[Turns down trip to Buffalo to see a mental patient; discusses the problems of diagnosing and treating mental patients; asks for contribution to enlarge his nervous hospital; reports that Mr. Robb is very well, but unaware of the peril he was in.]
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Silas Weir Mitchell to Charles Strongn. d.ALS, 1 p.
[Feels that members of the W. Island Club that are not present should be able to vote on new members; thinks it should use the same procedure as in the Round Table Club ; suggests that Strong make some change in the laws.]
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Silas Weir Mitchell to "Dear Ann"n. d.AN, 2 p. initialed
[Says number 5-c has been ready for her for awhile; fears that it will be part of a collection nobody will buy.]
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Legal agreement for publication of A Christmas Venture1908 Jan 29TDS, 2 p.
[Signed by Silas Weir Mitchell and George William Jacobs & Co. and witnessed by Cosntance J. Greer and Pariau S. Parsons . ]
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Magazine reproduction of Silas Weir Mitchell in profile1914 [Jan]Photograph
[Includes biographical sketch listing Mitchell's accomplishments as a physician and writer
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Silas Weir Mitchell to Mr. [Dutihl]1874 Jan 1Receipt
[For medical attendance.]
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" >A Prayer " by Silas Weir Mitchelln. d.Broadside
[Includes 2 copies of a poem.]
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" Ave Pennsylvania "n. d.Leaflet, 3 p.
[Poem, signed by Silas Weir Mitchell . ]
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"Autographs of Poets"n. d.AMsS, 45 p.
[Volume bound in dark blue leather with gilt ornamentation; includes following items.]
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Robert Browning to Mr. Field1883 Feb 8ALS, 4 p.
[Reflects on six weeks spent in Venice . ]
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Henry Wadsworth Longfellow to [ Silas Weir Mitchell ]1866 Dec 13ALS, 3 p.
[Thanks him for the book which he is looking forward to reading.]
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"I see the immediation sweet . . " by Ralph Waldo Emersonn. d.AMsS, 1 p.
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[James] Bayard Taylor to [ John Kearsley Mitchell ]1854 Nov 4ALS, 4 p.
[Recommends his brother for the position of physician at Lazarette.]
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Dante Gabriel Rossetti to "My dear sir"n. d.ALS, 1 p.
[Regrets that he cannot help with the binding.]
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[Fitz-Greene] Halleck to John Kearsley Mitchell1840 Feb 26ALS, 1 p.
[Declines invitation.]
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Poem, " Identity " by Thomas Bailey Aldrich1905 Mar 19AMsS, 1 p.
[Inscribed to Silas Weir Mitchell . ]
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Oliver Wendell Holmes to [ John Kearsley Mitchell ]1846 Dec 14ALS, 2 p.
[Says he is pleased by comment about poem; includes AN on verso, initialed W. M., 1892, describes when Holmes gave Mitchell the poem and letter.]
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Poem, " Old Ironsides " by Oliver Wendell Holmesn. d.AMsS, 2 p.
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Francis Scott Key to John Kearsley Mitchell1841 Sep 25ALS, 2 p.
[Discusses his publishing projects.]
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[William Cullen] Bryant to John Kearsley Mitchell1840 Feb 26ALS, 1 p.
[Declines invitation.]
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Poem, " Lincoln " by James Whitcomb Riley1905 Feb 12Broadside
[Includes signed autograph dedication to Silas Weir Mitchell . ]
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Florence Marion Howe Hall to Mrs. MitchellJul 11ALS, 2 p.
[Asks her to send copy of " Battle Hymn of the Republic . "]
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Florence Marion Howe Hall to [Silas Weir] MitchellJul 16ALS, 4 p.
[Encloses autograph copy of " Battle Hymn of the Republic "; claims share of credit for writing it since her mother wrote while staying with her; compliments his book.]
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Poem, " Battle Hymn of the Republic " by Julia Ward Howen. d.AMsS, 3 p.
[Inscribed to Silas Weir Mitchell . ]
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Poems, " Hymn of the Marches " and " Individuality " by Sidney Laniern. d.AMsS, 7 p.
[Signed by author.]
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Poem, " Chopion " by [Helen] Grace Smithn. d.AMsS, 1 p.
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Printed poem, " On a soldier fallen in the Phillippines " by William Vaughn Moodyn. d.Clipping
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Fragment of poem, "From the forest down to the river were ten broad ditches or more, . . ." by Carl Benson ( Charles Astor Bristed )Aug 7AMsS, 3 p
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List of words or terms regarding Morris-dancingn. d.AMs
[Laid in back of volume.]
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Printed card for Social Art Club DinnerSep 16Printed Card
[Includes 17 autographs, 10 identifiable as Moncure Daniel Conway , John W. [Karlson] , Stanley Matthews , Andrew D. White , Weir Mitchell , E. R. Robinson , [ J. F. Davies ], James MacAlister , George Sechel Pepper , William Pepper . ]