Autograph Letter signed, to his wife from Egypt.

Bookseller Notes

Phelps writes to his 'Most Precious Wife' she born Sophia Emilia Linsley (called 'Milly' by Phelps at the close) from Alexandria, en route to the Holy Land, having lately been in Cairo ('a very unique & attractive city'). The voyage would form the basis of his book 'The Holy Land, with Glimpses of Europe and Egypt', published in 1862 he mentions that after four weeks in Palestine, they will then go 'to Athens, Paris, London' and then, finally, 'home!' He conveys in lyrical terms his wonder at some of the scenery ('a unique & intensely interesting landscape'), including reading aloud the 'Song of Moses' whilst 'perhaps I stood on the very spot where that song was sung the morning after the passage'. Phelps mentions collecting leaves and flowers as 'mementoes of the place', and 'will try to bring a quart of earth from Calvary, & a little bottle of water from the Jordan'; another thing returning with him from the trip will be the 'now immense' beard which 'I mean to wear home'.Phelps was a Baptist preacher from Connecticut: he was born and partly educated there (at the Connecticut Literary Institute and Yale Divinity School, with a spell at Brown University between), and preached in the state for the majority of his career. He was the author of a number of hymns, as well as other religious works including a volume of poetry.