Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) - photo 1
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) - photo 2

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882)

Lot 132
15.12.2023 11:00UTC +00:00
Classic
Starting price
£ 100
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
Buyer Premiumsee on Website%
Archive
The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
Archive
ID 1108931
Lot 132 | Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882)
Estimate value
£ 4 000 – 6 000
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882)
Autograph manuscript signed ('Henry W. Longfellow') of his poem, 'A Psalm of Life', 25 October 1864
Fair copy of the complete poem on 3½ pages, 224 x 177mm, bifolium; tipped on to an album leaf; [with] Harriet Martineau (1802-1876). Autograph letter signed to Mr [C.A.] Murray, indistinctly dated, arranging various visits, 2 pages, tipped onto verso of the same leaf. Provenance: A note above the Longfellow manuscript describes it as 'sent by him to Lady Murray' (presumably Edith, Lady Murray, 2nd wife of the diplomat and author Sir Charles Augustus Murray); Sotheby's, 20 & 21 July 1981, lot 539.

Autograph manuscript of 'the most popular poem ever written in English'.

Tell me not, in mournful numbers,
Life is but an empty dream!
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.

The poem, often as here subtitled 'What the Heart of the Young Man Said to the Psalmist', was written in response to the death of Longfellow's first wife, Mary Storer Potter and was first published anonymously in the October 1838 issue of The Knickerbocker. It has been described by the Longfellow scholar Robert L. Gale as 'the most popular poem ever written in English', and lines such as 'footprints on the sands of time' have entered the lexicon.

Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
8 King Street, St. James's
SW1Y 6QT London
United Kingdom
Preview
09.12.2023 12:00 – 17:00
10.12.2023 12:00 – 17:00
11.12.2023 09:00 – 20:00
12.12.2023 09:00 – 17:00
13.12.2023 09:00 – 17:00
Phone +44 (0)20 7839 9060
Email
4FQ.AYGKAGLUQ@FO3G@
Buyer Premium see on Website
Conditions of purchaseConditions of purchase

More from Creator

The original manuscript for "On the Avon"
The original manuscript for "On the Avon"
$5 000
The Courtship of Miles Standish, presentation copy
The Courtship of Miles Standish, presentation copy
$3 000
From my Arm-chair, signed
From my Arm-chair, signed
$1 000
The Hanging of the Crane
The Hanging of the Crane
$1 000
Hiawatha and The Courtship of Miles Standish, first English editions
Hiawatha and The Courtship of Miles Standish, first English editions
$1 000
A full transcript of "A Psalm of Life"
A full transcript of "A Psalm of Life"
$1 000
Evangeline: A Tale of Acadie
Evangeline: A Tale of Acadie
$4 000
To his friend and confidant, Charles Sumner
To his friend and confidant, Charles Sumner
$5 000

Related terms

Frequently asked questions

First of all, you should register to be able to purchase at auction. After confirming your email address, enter your personal information in your user profile, such as your first name, last name, and mail address. Choose a lot from the upcoming auction and the maximum amount you want to place on it. After confirmation of your choice, we will send your application by e-mail to the appropriate auction house. If the auction house accepts a request, it will participate in the auction. You can view the current status of a bid at any time in your personal account in the "Bids" section.
Auctions are performed by auction houses and each of the auction houses describes their terms of auction. You can see the texts in the section "Auction information".
The results of the auction are published within a few days after the end of the auction. In the top menu of the site, find the tab "Auctions". Click on it and you will be on the auction catalog page, where you can easily find the category "Results". After opening it, select the desired auction from the list, enter and view the current status of the interested lot.
The information about the auction winners is confidential. The auction winner will receive a direct notification from the auction house responsible with instructions for further action: an invoice for payment and the manner in which the goods will be received.
Each of the auction houses has its own payment policy for the won lots. All auction houses accept bank transfers, most of them accept credit card payments. In the near future you will find detailed information for each case in the section "Auction information" on the page of the auction catalog and the lot.
Shipment of the won lot depends on its size. Small items can be delivered by post. Larger lots are sent by courier. Employees of the auction houses will offer you a wide range to choose from.
No. The archive serves as a reference for the study of auction prices, photographs and descriptions of works of art.
?>