Letter from Dimitri Ivanovich Dolgorouki (Dolgorukov), Madrid, to Washington Irving, 1829 March 7 : autograph manuscript.

Saying that the portrait of Christopher Columbus left Madrid by the last coach, and there could not be a more exact one, better executed or more like the original. It was done in pen and ink by a young engraver sent by the king of Saxony who came to Madrid for several weeks to work on it, and he's sure Irving will approve of it. The same portrait was just lithographed in Paris. It's up to Irving now to find a suitable engraver for this excellent likeness of Columbus. Dolgorouki plans to have a copy made for Irving of a letter from Columbus to his son Diego about Amerigo Vespucci dated February 5, 1505. He's having it copied by a young man who cannot only reproduce the handwriting precisely but also reproduce the age of the paper and any stains or spots on it. He's also sending Irving the signature of the Catholic kings of which there are fine examples in the archives of the Duke of Veraguas. Dolgorouki apologizes for not having been able to procure the third volume of Navarrete. Navarrete doesn't want anyone to see it before he presents it to the king. However, once that has been done, he promises to send Dolgorouki and Washington the first copies. Dolgorouki then outlines the contents. Navarrete is currently working on a preface for the book in which he mentions Irving's book as the best ever written on Columbus. Navarrete has praised Irving personally to Dolgorouki and thinks that his own work will be of great use to Irving. Dolgorouki says that he understands that Irving is writing a third work on Spain and that he is planning to take a trip along the coast of Africa.