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The Clements Library's collection of individual friendship and autograph albums (the ones that are not part of larger bodies of family papers) dates primarily from the second half of the 19th century. The creators of these albums sought out friends, family, schoolmates, public persons, and others to write signatures, sentiments, poetry, extracts from books and serials, personal sentiments, and more. Contributions often emphasize ties of friendship, exhortations to seek love, happiness, or Christian religious salvation. Most of the volumes in this collection were compiled in the Northeast United States and areas in the Midwest, with urban and rural areas represented. The greater number of the albums were kept by young women and the bulk of the signers were also female. Contributors occasionally illustrated pages with calligraphic designs, trompe l'oeil visiting cards, animals, flowers, and themes that had particular significance to their relationship with the keeper of the album. The volumes in this collection are largely decorative blank books adorned with tooled covers, sometimes containing interspersed engravings of religious, literary, historical, and landscape themes. Some include pasted-in photographs, die-cuts, or stickers.

The Clements Library's collection of individual friendship and autograph albums (the ones that are not part of larger bodies of family papers) dates primarily from the second half of the 19th century. The creators of these albums sought out friends, family, schoolmates, public persons, and others to write signatures, sentiments, poetry, extracts from books and serials, personal sentiments, and more. Contributions often emphasize ties of friendship, exhortations to seek love, happiness, or Christian religious salvation. Most of the volumes in this collection were compiled in the Northeast United States and areas in the Midwest, with urban and rural areas represented. The greater number of the albums were kept by young women and the bulk of the signers were also female. At least one volume was kept by an African American man, Lewis G. Mosebay. Contributors occasionally illustrated pages with calligraphic designs, trompe l'oeil visiting cards, animals, flowers, and themes that had particular significance to their relationship with the keeper of the album. The volumes in this collection are largely decorative blank books adorned with tooled covers, sometimes containing interspersed engravings of religious, literary, historical, and landscape themes. Some include pasted-in photographs, die-cuts, or stickers.

This collection contains 37 letters that Virgil Cornish received during his time as a steward at the Hartford Retreat for the Insane in the mid-1800s. Many of the letters concern payments for the care of, requests for news of, or favors for the institution's patients.

This collection contains 37 business and personal letters that Virgil Cornish received during his time as a steward at the Hartford Retreat for the Insane in the mid-1800s. Family members and other concerned parties contacted the institution from towns in Connecticut and from cities such as Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York. The majority of the letters concern payments for the treatment and housing of individuals. Many writers noted dollar amounts (for payments originally enclosed with the letters), reflecting the cost of mental health care at the Retreat between 1846 and 1857.

Correspondents often requested news of and favors for patients, and sometimes requested that Cornish forward clothing and other gifts. On one occasion, Hugh Robinson informed Cornish of the death of Gertrude Hudson, the sister of a Hartford Retreat patient (September 2, 1851). A few letters reflect the institution's daily work, including an W. W. Anderson's apology for declining a job at the retreat's dining hall (October 16, 1852). The collection also includes a small number of personal letters (or business letters with personal content), including one by Cornish's friend Henry R. Angus, who offered to deliver letters to Cornish's son in California during a journey to San Francisco (October 29, 1852).