Reading 18th-century handwriting will serve researchers well in Special Collections, as well as out in the broader word. Iconic American documents such as the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution often appear handwritten in archival collections. By the 18th century, clean, legible hands were all the rage, particularly for secretaries and clerks.

Originally engraved by George Bickham in London, England in 1743, this 1941 reprint contains not only handwriting lessons, but moral lessons. In order for clerks and secretaries to practice their writing, Bickham included a number of aphorisms and quotations to be copied down.

Tench Tilghman (1744-1786) was a member of George Washington's personal staff during the American Revolution. This letter to Jeremiah Wadsworth, the Commissary General of the Continental Army, details news and troop movements in the South and requests that the letter not fall into the wrong hands.