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18.

but this conviction ought all the more to spur us on to make at least a beginning as soon as possible, more specifically as the pieces of prints are going up with unpleasant rapidity, and as a most favorable opportunity for such a beginning is just now offering. In saying this, I have in mind the Sewall Collection which is now for sale in New York, and which can be bought at a figure representing about one third of what would be its value, if the specimens composing it had to be bought in open market. The collection contains about 18,000 specimens, representing all periods and schools, and is the result of forty years collecting. I would respectfully recommend that a special appeal be made to Congress to secure this collection for the U.S. National Museum. I would furthermore suggest that what is left of the March Collection, bought by Congress in 1849, be definitely turned over to the Section of Graphic Arts. Unfortunately the largest and most desirable parts of this collection, including all the fine Durers, Rembrandts, etc. which the original inventory enumerates, have unaccountably disappeared, but there still ^[[remain]] several volumes of single prints, and 

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