THE DANGERS OF AUTOGRAPH COLLECTORS KOSSUTH (Lajos, 1802-1894, Hungarian Patriot and Statesman)

Autograph Letter Signed, in English, to Captain Gossling at Menai Bridge, in his fine clear hand, saying that "in the heap of my letters of this day, was one insufficiently prepaid ... I did not refuse it but submitted to the penalty of twice 60 cents, as You will see by the address slip here enclosed [not present]", he continues "And when I opened the letter, what did I find? Your demand for my autograph charged with a heavy six pence coin, for the carriage of which I had to pay one shilling", stating the fact "without any comments. My signature will serve Your purpose", and returning the sixpence, 1 side 8vo black-edged and conjugate blank, Turin, 15th March

When revolution spread through Europe in 1848, 'Hungary's purest patriot and greatest orator' was chosen to be in the first government allowed by the Austrians, and was soon its effective head, but by August 1849 the Austrians had recovered complete power, and Kossuth spent the rest of his years in exile. In 1851 he was briefly in England and the USA, then in England till 1859, in close association with Mazzini, then in Italy where he died at Turin.

Item Date:  1874

Stock No:  56476