Our Collection

At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Webster, Noah to Benjamin Silliman

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02513 Author/Creator: Webster, Noah Place Written: New Haven, Connecticut Type: Autograph letter signed Date: May 13, 1805 Pagination: 1 p. + addr 25 x 21 cm + 2 engravings ; b&w ; 20.6 x 13.2 cm Order a Copy

Webster mentions books he has received from Messrs. Bull & Co., and so no longer requires from Silliman. Asks Silliman to look for other specific books. Webster also mentions the majority by which Jonathan Trumbull had won the recent Connecticut gubernatorial election. Addressed to Silliman in England. Address leaf contains the note that this is a duplicate letter sent by the ship Polly. These books helped Webster in compiling his 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language. Two black and white bust engravings of Webster included.

Webster, Noah, 1758-1843

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