[ Joseph Freiherr von Hammer-Purgstall, Austrian orientalist. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('Joseph von Hammer'), in English,

4pp., 4to. Bifolium. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper, with creases unobtrusively repaired with archival tape. A long letter, addressed to an unnamed English recipient (perhaps the editor of an literary journal) interested in news of Austrian literary culture. The letter contains references to: 'the polyglott Georgian', 'the new litterary [sic] gazette', 'Mr. Mitchel member of the asiatic society', 'the new pocketbook intitled [sic] Vista', the second edition of Baron Zedlitz's 'Todtenkranze', the 'Annals of litterature [sic] of Vienna', new plays, and meetings of Viennese learned societies. He concludes by stating that he has aimed to 'comply with Your wishes of litterary [sic] correspondency, as far as he good opportunity of a traveller allows: I answer for this all being written in the sense of my desire mit Wahrheit und Liebe if not with love for

, whom no good Austrian, no man of letters has reason to love, but with love for litterature [sic] and my country. Refrain in Your answer from all reflections on the content of this letter, and acknowledge only the letter received by Mr Mitchel from Yours | most truly | Joseph von Hammer'.