, and will be acted on at the regular session of the court, which sits on Monday, April 6.
The will is written wholly by himself, in a handwriting at once bold, clear, and distinct.
Each page bears his signature, the name being written in the lower right-hand corner, after the manner of the old-style books, and evidently written as each page was finished.
The sheets are bound together at the top by a delicate purple ribbon.
Not a blot or erasure is discernible on the pages of the will; but the outside is much soiled, as if it had been used when partially folded to brush ink-stains from his desk.
It is in full as follows, says “The
1. I bequeath to
Henry W. Longfellow,
Francis V. Balch, and
Edward L. Pierce, as trustees, all my papers, manuscripts, and letter-books, to do with them what they think best, with power to destroy them, to distribute them in some public library, or to make extracts from them for publication.
2. I bequeath to the trustees above mentioned $3000, or so much as may be needed to complete the edition of my speeches and papers, should the same be unfinished at my death.
It is hoped that no part of this sum will be needed.
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3. I bequeath to the library of Harvard College my books and antographs, whether in
Washington or
Boston, with the understanding that duplicates of works already belonging to the college library may be sold or exchanged for its benefit.
4. I bequeath to the city of
Boston, for the Art Museum, my pictures and engravings, except the picture known as “The Miracle of the slave,” with the injunction that the trustees shall do with them what they think best, disposing of all for the benefit of the Museum.
5. I bequeath to my friends of many years,
Henry W. Longfellow and
Samuel G. Howe, my bronzes, to be divided between them; also to
Henry W. Longfellow the Psyche and the bust of the young
Augustus, in marble; to my friend
Joshua B. Smith the picture known as “The Miracle of the slave;” and to the city of
Boston, for the Art Museum, the bust of myself by
Crawford, taken during my visit to
Rome in 1839.
6. I bequeath to the daughters of
Henry W. Longfellow $2000; also to the daughters of
Samuel G. Howe $2000; and to the daughters of
James T. Furness of
Philadelphia $2000; which I ask them to accept in token of my gratitude for the friendship their parents have shown me.
7. I bequeath to
Hannah Richmond Jacobs, only surviving sister of my mother, an annuity of $500, to be paid by my executor for the remainder of her life.
8. I direct my executor to make all provision for perpetual care of my mother's lot at
Mount Auburn.
9. I bequeath to the president and fellows of Harvard College $1000, in trust, for an anunal prize for the best dissertation by any student of the college or any of its schools, undergraduate or graduate, on universal peace, and the methods by which war may be permanently suspended.
I do this in the hope of drawing the attention of students to the practicability of organizing peace among nations, which I sincerely believe may be done.
I cannot doubt that the same modes of decision which now prevail between individuals, between towns, and between smaller communities, may be extended to nations.
10. All the residue of my estate, real and personal, I bequeath
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and devise to my executor, in trust, to be sold at such time and in such way as he shall think best, the proceeds to be distributed in two equal moieties, as follows: One moiety to be paid my
sister Julia Hastings, wife of
John Hastings of
San Francisco, Cal., for her sole and exclusive use, or, should she die before me, then in equal portions to her three daughters or the survivor, each portion to be for the sold]e and exclusive use of such daughter.
The other moiety to be paid to the president and fellows of Harvard College, in trust, for the benefit of the college library, my desire being that the income should be applied to the purchasing of books relating to politics and fine arts.
This bequest is made in filial regard for the college.
In selecting especially the library, I am governed by the consideration that all my life I have been a user of books, and, having few of my own, I have relied on the libraries of friends and on public libraries; so that what I now do is only a return for what I have freely received.
11. I appoint
Francis V. Balch executor of this will, and desire that the trustees of my papers may be exempt from giving bonds.
In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand this second day of September, 1873, at
Boston.
Signed and published by the administrator as his last will and testament, before us, who, in his presence and in the presence of each other, have at his request set our names as witnesses.
