CARNEGIE, ANDREW, financier, philanthropist. Autograph and typed manuscript signed of an essay "Genius Illustrated From Burns," written for the Liber Scriptorum of the Authors Club, dated at end New York, January 1892. 22 pages, 4to, pages 1 & 2 and page 22 entirely handwritten, pages 3-21 typed on rectos and versos, each leaf inlaid to a larger sheet, last handwritten line on page two cropped . Carnegie (1835-1919) emigrated from his native Scotland in 1848 and by 1865 had established himself in the steel business; in 1888, he owned the powerful Homestead Steel Works. A few years later, he consolidated his various steel interests into the Carnegie Steel Company, which in 1901 merged with the United States Steel Company. Carnegie retained a life-long interest in books and literature. His essay opens reflectively: "Days come to all in this life when the control of the mind is lost, the Brain refuses to be harnessed & do our bidding. The will is no longer master: it refuses to work, or even to be interested... It was my fate last winter to pass through weary months of agonizing fear, & it may be interesting, perhaps to others, to learn my experience... After many day & night walks about the Library, & the handling of book after book... & no rest found, it came upon me one day that a search through my favorite Burns... would be a delightful excursion... This idea was the first which interested me. It naturally led to speculations upon the nature of literary genius...." The remainder of Carnegie's long essay consists of selections chosen from Burns's works which illustrate particular strengths of the poet: "the brightest gems, rich in the divine sparks of genius," which Carnegie elucidates sympathetically and thoughtfully. Whether or not his essay is ever published, he concludes, its writing has served its purpose, bringing to him "something like calm, & once more 'the taste of elevated joys,' which comes to the tranquil mind." Carnegie's essay was published in the Liber Scriptorum , 1893, pp. 86-100. Although Carnegie wrote several books and a number of articles for magazines, his manuscripts are very rare on the market.
CARNEGIE, ANDREW, financier, philanthropist. Autograph and typed manuscript signed of an essay "Genius Illustrated From Burns," written for the Liber Scriptorum of the Authors Club, dated at end New York, January 1892. 22 pages, 4to, pages 1 & 2 and page 22 entirely handwritten, pages 3-21 typed on rectos and versos, each leaf inlaid to a larger sheet, last handwritten line on page two cropped . Carnegie (1835-1919) emigrated from his native Scotland in 1848 and by 1865 had established himself in the steel business; in 1888, he owned the powerful Homestead Steel Works. A few years later, he consolidated his various steel interests into the Carnegie Steel Company, which in 1901 merged with the United States Steel Company. Carnegie retained a life-long interest in books and literature. His essay opens reflectively: "Days come to all in this life when the control of the mind is lost, the Brain refuses to be harnessed & do our bidding. The will is no longer master: it refuses to work, or even to be interested... It was my fate last winter to pass through weary months of agonizing fear, & it may be interesting, perhaps to others, to learn my experience... After many day & night walks about the Library, & the handling of book after book... & no rest found, it came upon me one day that a search through my favorite Burns... would be a delightful excursion... This idea was the first which interested me. It naturally led to speculations upon the nature of literary genius...." The remainder of Carnegie's long essay consists of selections chosen from Burns's works which illustrate particular strengths of the poet: "the brightest gems, rich in the divine sparks of genius," which Carnegie elucidates sympathetically and thoughtfully. Whether or not his essay is ever published, he concludes, its writing has served its purpose, bringing to him "something like calm, & once more 'the taste of elevated joys,' which comes to the tranquil mind." Carnegie's essay was published in the Liber Scriptorum , 1893, pp. 86-100. Although Carnegie wrote several books and a number of articles for magazines, his manuscripts are very rare on the market.
Try LotSearch and its premium features for 7 days - without any costs!
Be notified automatically about new items in upcoming auctions.
Create an alert
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
