ALS, one page, 8 x 10, August 11, 1828. Madison writes to Reverend William Buell Sprague, one of the first collectors of American manuscripts, enclosing writing samples and reflecting on the effects of age. In full: “I received your letter of July 5 when absent from my papers; and since I had opportunities of looking into them, other circumstances have thus long delayed an answer. I now enclose a few autograph specimens which are within the scope of your request, not doubting that you will be able to obtain most of the others I could not furnish from other & perhaps more convenient sources. It may be not amiss to remark that the dates of the letters & extracts, will suggest the time of life at which they were written. Age often produces as great, and sometimes greater change in the hand writing, than in the features of the countenance. Another cause of diversity is in the greater or less haste with which the writing happens to executed. I thank you for the pamphlets accompanying your letter. The Discourse on Intemperance, the only one of which I have yet to be able to peruse, claims from all, the deepest attention, as well from the intent of the will which it portrays, as from the force of the monetary & persuasive appeals which the subject inspired.” The integral leaf bears an address panel in Madison’s hand to “The Reverend Mr. Sprague.” William Buell Sprague (1795–1836) was one of the most widely known American clergymen of his day. An able sermonizer, he was constantly called upon for addresses on special occasions, and was an enthusiastic collector of autograph manuscripts. At his death he is said to have had the largest and most valuable collection of autographs in the United States numbering some 40,000 examples. Sprague was the first to complete a set of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence, and later completed two more sets. His own opinion of collectors was evidently not so high: “I would advise you to have as little to do with an autograph collector as possible, for though there are some honorable exceptions yet, as a class, I think they rank A No. 1 in point of meanness.” In fine condition, with intersecting mailing folds (one through last letter of signature), some light wrinkles, and two paperclip impressions to top edge. Auction LOA John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and R&R COA.
