"A Public Benefactor" manuscript essay

[New England, ca. 1880s-90s]. 9 x 7 inches. Fourteen leaves, 13 pages manuscript text expounding on the virtues of public service and philanthropy, using the examples of Thomas Edison and George Peabody alongside recognition of Dickens' contributions to social reform and the remarkable work of Florence Nightingale. The essay goes on to describe an idealized benefactor and ends with the big reveal: “Viva Saint Nicholas!”