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Silas Weir Mitchell Collection, Accession 6337-b, Special Collections Department, University of Virginia Library
Deposit 1963 Dec 17
Funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities
[Early draft of the beginning of Westways , 1913.]
[Gives thanks for satisfactory closure on sale of land; asks for account of sale of 160 acres.]
[Encloses account for consultations.]
[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 . ]
[Responds to request for an autograph; says he is unable to write a selection.]
[Gives dates on which he could meet Howard Pyle in New York ; discusses a poem and illustration which will appear in a magazine.]
[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.]
[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."]
[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.]
[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.]
[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 . ]
[Discusses details of speaking engagement at Smith College . ]
[Responds to inquiry.]
[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.]
[Responds to request for and autograph.]
[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 . ]
[Expresses feelings on the death of her uncle; fears the slow decay of old age; talks affectionately about [ Oliver Wolcott Gibbs ], his old friend.]
[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.]
[Expresses thanks.]
[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.]
[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.]
[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.]
[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)
[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.]
[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.]
[Says he will send out invitations later than the correspondent will send his announcements; believes Professor Barker will be more helpful than Wood.]
[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 . ]
[Complains that he finds the commercial side of his life distasteful; insists that his own doctor take fees; sends him his consultant account.]
[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.]
[Expresses interest and comments on book Cholim sent to him on Cholim's "race."]
[Remarks that a book presented to Thomas Jefferson would be worth more if it has Jefferson's signature.]
[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.]
[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.]
[Sends regrets because he is unable to undertake "this pleasant and interesting matter."]
[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.]
[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.]
[Says number 5-c has been ready for her for awhile; fears that it will be part of a collection nobody will buy.]
[Signed by Silas Weir Mitchell and George William Jacobs & Co. and witnessed by Cosntance J. Greer and Pariau S. Parsons . ]
[Includes biographical sketch listing Mitchell's accomplishments as a physician and writer
[For medical attendance.]
[Includes 2 copies of a poem.]
[Poem, signed by Silas Weir Mitchell . ]
[Volume bound in dark blue leather with gilt ornamentation; includes following items.]
[Reflects on six weeks spent in Venice . ]
[Thanks him for the book which he is looking forward to reading.]
[Recommends his brother for the position of physician at Lazarette.]
[Regrets that he cannot help with the binding.]
[Declines invitation.]
[Inscribed to Silas Weir Mitchell . ]
[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.]
[Discusses his publishing projects.]
[Declines invitation.]
[Includes signed autograph dedication to Silas Weir Mitchell . ]
[Asks her to send copy of " Battle Hymn of the Republic . "]
[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.]
[Inscribed to Silas Weir Mitchell . ]
[Signed by author.]
[Laid in back of volume.]
[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 . ]