Description:

Samuel Morse ALS Apologizing to Anne L. Botta for Missing a Soirée 

2pp, measuring 5" x 8", from his home at No. 5, 22nd Street, [New York], dated February 26, 1870. Signed "Saml. F.B. Morse" and addressed to Mrs. [Vincenzo] Botta (nee Anne Charlotte Lynch). Morse offers a heartfelt apology for missing a party held by Mrs. Botta, claiming that he had mistakenly misinterpreted the date for the event. With flattened mail folds and a pencil notation at the lower right corner. Boldly signed, overall very fine.

The letter reads in full:
"Yesterday Mr. Field called and in the course of conversation said, 'Were you at Mrs. Botta's soirée last night'? Last night! I exclaimed; was it last night? Through a sad mistake in supposing that your courteous invitation for last Thursday was Thursday of next week, Mrs. Morse, my daughter and I have been deprived of the great pleasure we all anticipated; we fully intended to be present, to meet your distinguished guest. I feel truly mortified that we made such an untoward mistake. We had set our hearts on being present, for we have had such pleasant experience of your tasteful and highly intellectual gatherings that I cannot forgive myself for the neglect in being more precise in noting the date you had designated. Pray forgive us."

Samuel Finley Breese Morse (1791-1872) was an American painter and inventor who studied at Yale College before settling on an artistic career. He trained under American expatriate Benjamin West in Europe and worked as an itinerant artist along the Eastern seaboard. It was during one of these trips that his wife died in childbirth, and the personal tragedy spurred Morse to invent a faster way to send messages long distances. Over the next twenty years, Morse focused on researching and financing what would eventually become the single-wire telegraph and Morse code. Morse's first message, "What hath God wrought", was transmitted over 38 miles of experimental cable between Washington, DC and Baltimore, Maryland in May 1844.

Anne Lynch Botta (1815-1891) was an American poet, teacher, and socialite married to Vincenzo Botta, an Italian philosophy professor. She was extremely well connected and her home became a central gathering place for the literary elite of the time. For many years receptions were held every Saturday night and included such well-known guests as Edgar Allan Poe, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Louisa May Alcott, Andrew Carnegie, and many more.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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