075. "I Saw Your Morgan Library; It is a Peach"

In the summer of 1905, as McKim rushed to finish the Library by the agreed-upon date of 1 October, the architect had a breakdown. His good friend Augustus Saint-Gaudens, a prominent sculptor, sent this letter of encouragement. How should McKim respond to Morgan’s incessant demands? “I think if you were to sass him back he would respect you more,” Saint-Gaudens advised.

McKim had been juggling multiple demanding projects (including New York’s massive new Pennsylvania Station) and took some time to rest. A few months later, Saint-Gaudens told a friend, “We were nervous about him, but are now glad to see he is in harness again.”