To Fannie Dennis
17 February 1871 • Buffalo, N.Y.
(MS: Axelrod, UCCL 00578)

c

Buffalo, Feb. 17/71.

Miss Fannie Dennis:
Brooklyn:

To write an autograph is no trouble at all, when a body is used to it, but I never have tried to add a “sentiment” in my life, & so I assure you it comes awkward enough.1 Therefore, let us judge just dodge the difficulty entirely & make use of somebody else’s sentiment. Now I always admired that neat & snappy thing which good old John Bunyan said to the Duke of Wellington: “Give me liberty, or give me death!” [ It Isn’t ]it pretty?

Very [Truly ]Yrs

Explanatory Notes | Textual Commentary

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1 Dennis’s autograph request is not known to survive. She has not been further identified.

Description of Texts and Provenance

Source text(s):

MS, collection of Todd M. Axelrod.

Previous publication: L4, 334.

Provenance:The current location of the MS, owned in 1980 by James Pepper and in 1983 by Axelrod, is not known.

Emendations and textual notes:

It Isn’t • Itsn’t

Truly • [possibly ‘Y Truly’; ‘Y’ partly formed]