Nathaniel Hawthorne 
A Book of Autographs 

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s ’A Book of Autographs’ is a fascinating collection of letters from soldiers and statesmen of the American Revolution addressed to General Palmer, a respected military leader. The letters are imbued with the ominous sublimity of the circumstances of the time and give readers a glimpse into the minds of some of the era’s most illustrious figures. John Adams’s letters reveal his ardent temperament and his love for New England, while Washington’s letter showcases his calm accuracy and the elevation of his soul. Meanwhile, two letters from Benjamin Franklin demonstrate his homely simplicity and familiarity, conveying a sense of long and venerable matrimony.