Series III: Foreign Figures, 1549 - 1949
Series
Dates
- 1549 - 1949
Access:
All series and subseries within this collection are open for research, with the exception of a few files within the Academia series that are restricted. The Academia series contains financial and sensitive institutional records from Wilkes College, and financial report records from Princeton University that will remain restricted for 80 years upon creation.
Extent
From the Collection: 17 Cubic Feet
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Subseries I: Foreign Rulers, 1549-1906
Subseries I: Foreign Rulers, 1549-1906, is arranged by country/region of origin alphabetically and spans the 16th to 20th century. Countries/regions that are represented include Austria, France, Germany, the Holy Roman Empire, Italy, the Netherlands, Russia, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Within each country/region, documents are arranged chronologically by creation date. This subseries contains documents from foreign rulers with significant influence such as kings, queens, emperors, empresses, princes, princesses, dukes, duchesses, and prime ministers. These individuals were selected for this subsubseries based on the significant extent of influence that they had in their country/region. Documents represented within this subseries include royal writs, royal decrees, royal warrants, payment orders, military promotion decrees, letters, envelopes, autographs, signatures, a printed summons, a parliamentary notice, a telegraph, and a dinner program. Figures within this subseries include the following rulers: Prince Klemens von Metternich (Klemens Wenzel Nepomuk Lothar, Prince of Metternich-Winneburg zu Beilstein) (1773-1859) of the Austrian Empire Alexandre Édouard, Duke of Anjou and future King Henry III (1551-1589) of France King Henry IV (The Good King Henry [le Bon Roi Henri]; Henry the Great [Henri le Grand]) (1553-1610) of France and Navarre King Louis XIII (The Just) (1601-1643) of France and Navarre King Louis XIV (Louis the Great [Louis le Grand]; the Sun King [le roi soleil]) (1638-1715) of France King Louis XV (Louis the Beloved [Louis le Bien-Aimé]) (1710-1774) of France Louis Stanislas Xavier, Count of Provence and future King Louis XVIII (the Desired [le Désiré]) (1755-1824) of France King Louis XVI (1754-1793) of France François Alexandre Frédéric, Duke of La Rochefoucauld-Liancourt (1747-1827) of France Napoleon Bonaparte (Napoleone Buonaparte) (1769-1821), First Consul of the French Republic and future Emperor of the French (Napoleon I) Napoleon III (Charles-Louis Napoléon Bonaparte) (1808-1873), Emperor of the French Henriette Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (Henriette Christine of Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel) (1669-1753), Duchess of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel) and Abbess of Gandersheim of Germany Princess Charlotte [Christine Magdalene Johanna] (1672-1741), Countess of Hanau-Lichtenberg of Germany Karl August Christian (1782-1833), Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin of Germany Prince Carl Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (Karl Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach) (1792-1862) of Germany Ferdinand I (1503-1564) King of the Romans in Germany; King of Hungary, Croatia, and Bohemia; Archduke of Austria; and future Holy Roman Emperor Anna Maria Franziska (1672-1741), Duchess of Saxe-Lauenburg and future Grand Duchess Consort of Tuscany Lucien Charles Joseph Napoléon Murat (1803-1878), former Prince of Pontecorvo, Prince of Naples, and Prince Murat General William Frederick George Louis (Willem Frederik George Lodewijk) (1792-1849), future King William II (Willem II) of the Netherlands Catherine II (Catherine the Great; Catherine Alexeievna Romanova; Екатерина Алексеевна Романова; Sophia Augusta Frederica/Sophie Auguste Friederike) (1729-1796), Empress of Russia Joseph Bonaparte (Giuseppe di Buonaparte; José Bonaparte), “Comte de Survilliers” (1768-844), former King of Spain King Charles I (1600-1649) of England, Scotland, and Ireland James, Duke of York and future King James II (1633-1701) of England, Scotland and Ireland King Charles II (1630-1685) of England, Scotland, and Ireland King William III (William Henry; William of Orange) (1650-1702) of England, Scotland, and Ireland Queen Anne (1665-1714) of England, Scotland, and Ireland King George I (George Louis; Georg Ludwig) (1660-1727) of Great Britain and Ireland King George II (George Augustus; Georg August) (1683-1760) of Great Britain and Ireland Sir Robert Walpole (1676-1745), First Prime Minister of Great Britain King George III (George William Frederick) (1738-1820), of Great Britain and Ireland Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne (1780-1863), Leader of the House of Lords and Lord President of the Council of Great Britain Prince Regent George Augustus Frederick and future King George IV (1762-1830) of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland King William IV (William Henry) (1765-1837) of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Arthur Wellesley (Arthur Wesley), 1st Duke of Wellington (1769-1852), Commander-in-Chief of the British Army and former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom William Eward Gladstone (1809-1898), Chancellor of the Exchequer and future Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Albert Edward (Edward VII) (1841-1910), future King of the United Kingdom Queen Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria) (1819-1901) of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland John Campbell (Marquess of Lorne) (1845-1914), 9th Duke of Argyll of Great Britain
Noteworthy recipients including the following individuals: Denis-Pierre-Jean Papillon de la Ferté (1727-1794), Intendant of the Menus-Plaisirs du Roi of France Jean-Baptiste Tourteau, Baron of Septeuil (1754-1812), first valet of King Louis XVI and treasurer general of the civil list of France Pieter Johan van Berckel (1725-1800), politician and ambassador of the Netherlands Louise Charlotte (1779-1801), Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg of Germany Dr. Franz Tideman (1752-1836), lawyer and politician from Bremen, Germany Thomas Mayne Willing (1767-1822), son of Thomas Willing [a former mayor of Philadelphia and one of the richest men in America] and founder of Willing, Morris, and Company from the United States Richard Willing (1775-1858), son of Thomas Willing [a former mayor of Philadelphia and one of the richest men in America] possible successor of the family firm from the United States Peter Stephen] Du Ponceau [Pierre-Étienne du Ponceau] (1760-1844), linguist, philosopher, and jurist of French descent living in the United States Monsieur Philippe I, Duke of Orléans (1640-1701) of France Mr. [Thaddeus] Duckett (1776-1851), a newspaper editor and writer from London, England J[ohn]. H[enry]. Parker (1806-1884), an archaeologist, writer, and publisher and possible publisher of Prime Minister William Evart Gladstone from London, England
Themes and subjects represented within the subseries include official documents from foreign rulers conducting official political, military, and/or financial business. Examples include prisoner releases, payments of wages, debt repayments, military promotions, approvals of military leaves of absences, and ambassador appointments. These official royal documents appear to generally be written by royal secretaries or ministers and simply signed by the authorizing nobles. Some examples of countersignatures include those of Hugues de Lionne (French Minister of Foreign Affairs), Marc Pierre de Voyer de Paulmy Count of Argenson (French Secretary of State for War), Arnaud II de la Porte (French Intendant of the King’s Civil List), Granville George Leveson-Gower (British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs), among others. This subseries contains several personal letters between royals that mention the births and deaths of members of the families as the line of succession was a very large concern for ruling families. Several documents within the subseries are related to the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte [Napoleon I] and the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Some documents are written by members of the Bonaparte family (such Prince Lucien Murat and Joseph Bonaparte, “Comte de Survilliers”) while living in exile in the United States. According to one document, the creator believes that many Europeans would be happy to live in the United States in French Azilum. Documents within this subseries highlight shifting powers within the represented countries such as the unification of the United Kingdom, the emergence of a Prime Minister in the United Kingdom, and the abolition of a monarchy in France.
Noteworthy recipients including the following individuals: Denis-Pierre-Jean Papillon de la Ferté (1727-1794), Intendant of the Menus-Plaisirs du Roi of France Jean-Baptiste Tourteau, Baron of Septeuil (1754-1812), first valet of King Louis XVI and treasurer general of the civil list of France Pieter Johan van Berckel (1725-1800), politician and ambassador of the Netherlands Louise Charlotte (1779-1801), Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg of Germany Dr. Franz Tideman (1752-1836), lawyer and politician from Bremen, Germany Thomas Mayne Willing (1767-1822), son of Thomas Willing [a former mayor of Philadelphia and one of the richest men in America] and founder of Willing, Morris, and Company from the United States Richard Willing (1775-1858), son of Thomas Willing [a former mayor of Philadelphia and one of the richest men in America] possible successor of the family firm from the United States Peter Stephen] Du Ponceau [Pierre-Étienne du Ponceau] (1760-1844), linguist, philosopher, and jurist of French descent living in the United States Monsieur Philippe I, Duke of Orléans (1640-1701) of France Mr. [Thaddeus] Duckett (1776-1851), a newspaper editor and writer from London, England J[ohn]. H[enry]. Parker (1806-1884), an archaeologist, writer, and publisher and possible publisher of Prime Minister William Evart Gladstone from London, England
Themes and subjects represented within the subseries include official documents from foreign rulers conducting official political, military, and/or financial business. Examples include prisoner releases, payments of wages, debt repayments, military promotions, approvals of military leaves of absences, and ambassador appointments. These official royal documents appear to generally be written by royal secretaries or ministers and simply signed by the authorizing nobles. Some examples of countersignatures include those of Hugues de Lionne (French Minister of Foreign Affairs), Marc Pierre de Voyer de Paulmy Count of Argenson (French Secretary of State for War), Arnaud II de la Porte (French Intendant of the King’s Civil List), Granville George Leveson-Gower (British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs), among others. This subseries contains several personal letters between royals that mention the births and deaths of members of the families as the line of succession was a very large concern for ruling families. Several documents within the subseries are related to the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte [Napoleon I] and the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Some documents are written by members of the Bonaparte family (such Prince Lucien Murat and Joseph Bonaparte, “Comte de Survilliers”) while living in exile in the United States. According to one document, the creator believes that many Europeans would be happy to live in the United States in French Azilum. Documents within this subseries highlight shifting powers within the represented countries such as the unification of the United Kingdom, the emergence of a Prime Minister in the United Kingdom, and the abolition of a monarchy in France.
Subseries II: Titled Figures, 1720-1949
Subseries II: Titled Figures, 1720-1949, is arranged by country of origin alphabetically and spans the 18th to 20th century. Countries that are represented include France, Italy, Russia, and the United Kingdom. Within each country, documents are arranged chronologically by creation date. This subseries contains documents from foreign individuals with official titles that represented and/or worked on behalf of foreign rulers. These individuals were selected for this subseries based on the limited extent of influence that they had in their country such as chevaliers, earls, barons, counts, ambassadors, high ranking military officers, exchequer/finance representatives, and other noblemen. Documents represented within this subseries include personal letters, signatures, autographs, exchequer/financial receipts, a biography, and heraldry. This collection contains correspondence in English, French, Italian, and Latin. Each item within the collection has the language marked in its header. Titled figures within this subseries include the following individuals: Chevalier Anne-César de la Luzerne (1741-1791), soldier and diplomatic minister to the United States from France Jean-Baptiste Kléber (1753-1800), General of the French Army from France Jacques Necker (1732-1804), banker, Chief Minister of the French Monarch, and Controller-General of Finances of France Count Vitaliano Dal Verme (active early-mid 19th century), a scientist and aristocrat from Italy Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807-1882), Member of the Chamber of Deputies, Dictator of Sicily, and general and revolutionary war hero of Italy C[onstantin] [Konstantin Karlovich]. Fehleisen (1804-1870), Baron of Russia George Montagu [George Montague] (1684-1739), 1st Earl of Halifax and Auditor of the Exchequer of England Thomas Onslow (1679-1740), Baron and Teller of the Receipt of the Exchequer of England Isaac Barré (1726-1802), Lieutenant-Colonel of the British Army, Clerk of the Pells, Paymaster of the Forces, and Treasurer of the Navy of England Thomas Gage (1719-1787), British military officer, Governor of Quebec, Governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, and Commander-in-Chief of North America from England Possibly Philip Yorke [“Viscount Royson”] (1720-1790), 2nd Earl of Hardwicke and Teller of the Receipt of the Exchequer of England Possibly Henry [Fiennes] Pelham-Clinton (1720-1794), 2nd Duke of Newcastle and Auditor of the Exchequer of England Lord Fred[erick Cavendish-]Bentinck (1781-1828), Lieutenant-Colonel of the British Army and Member of Parliament of England Sir Henry Wentworth Dyke Acland (1815-1900), Companion of the Order of the Bath, Knight Commander and Baron of England
Some noteworthy recipients including the following individuals: Anne Paul Emmanuel Sigismond de Montmorency-Luxembourg (1742-1789), Chevalier and commander of military ships from France; fought in the American War of Independence John Hancock (1737-1793), American founding father, Governor of Massachusetts, and President of the Continental Congress from the American colonies “Count d’Hector” [Jean Baptiste Charles Henri Hector, Count of Estaing] (1729-1794), Admiral of the French military; fought in the American War of Independence William Petty Fitzmaurice (1737-1805), Marquess of Lansdowne, Earl of Shelburne, and Prime Minister of Great Britain James Monroe Sanderson (1817-1871), Chairman of the Committee of the Arts & Sciences, author, and active proponent of sanitary practices from the United States
Themes and subjects represented within the subseries include late 18th century foreign affairs (particularly between France and the United States), events leading up to the American Revolutionary War, France’s support for the American Colonies in the Revolutionary War, subsequent American Independence, events leading up to the French Revolution, and the foreign purchase of large tracts of land in the United States (particularly in Pennsylvania and New York) following the American Revolution. This subseries contains documents with mention of or direct ties to several monumental conflicts such as the Seven Years War (1756-1763), the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783), the Spanish-Portuguese War (1776-1777) the French Revolution (1789-1799), the First Italian War of Independence (1848-1849), the Second Italian War of Independence (1859), and the American Civil War (1861-1865). Shifting democratic ideals are apparent in several documents within this subseries.
Some noteworthy recipients including the following individuals: Anne Paul Emmanuel Sigismond de Montmorency-Luxembourg (1742-1789), Chevalier and commander of military ships from France; fought in the American War of Independence John Hancock (1737-1793), American founding father, Governor of Massachusetts, and President of the Continental Congress from the American colonies “Count d’Hector” [Jean Baptiste Charles Henri Hector, Count of Estaing] (1729-1794), Admiral of the French military; fought in the American War of Independence William Petty Fitzmaurice (1737-1805), Marquess of Lansdowne, Earl of Shelburne, and Prime Minister of Great Britain James Monroe Sanderson (1817-1871), Chairman of the Committee of the Arts & Sciences, author, and active proponent of sanitary practices from the United States
Themes and subjects represented within the subseries include late 18th century foreign affairs (particularly between France and the United States), events leading up to the American Revolutionary War, France’s support for the American Colonies in the Revolutionary War, subsequent American Independence, events leading up to the French Revolution, and the foreign purchase of large tracts of land in the United States (particularly in Pennsylvania and New York) following the American Revolution. This subseries contains documents with mention of or direct ties to several monumental conflicts such as the Seven Years War (1756-1763), the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783), the Spanish-Portuguese War (1776-1777) the French Revolution (1789-1799), the First Italian War of Independence (1848-1849), the Second Italian War of Independence (1859), and the American Civil War (1861-1865). Shifting democratic ideals are apparent in several documents within this subseries.
Subseries III:
Subseries III: Foreign Figures, General, 1600-1895, is arranged by country of origin alphabetically and spans the 17th to 19th century. Countries that are represented include France, Germany, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. Within each country, documents are arranged chronologically by creation date. This series contains documents from foreign individuals with no official titles. These individuals were selected for this subseries based on their lack of official political influence in their country such as lawyers, doctors, scholars, priests, philosophers, etc. Documents represented within this subseries include personal letters, notes, signatures, and autographs. This collection contains correspondence in English and German. Each item within the collection has the language marked in its header. Foreign figures within this subseries include the following individuals: Michel Hyppolite Durand du Repaire (1797-1872), lawyer from France Jean Armand Grant [de Luxolière] de Bellussière (1799-1872), possibly a lieutenant of the cavalry from France A[lexandre] Vattemare (1796-1864), failed surgeon, ventriloquist, and philanthropist who promoted international library loans from France Georgius Volradus, possibly a scholar of civil and church law and influential figure during the Reformation from Germany Ludwig Erdinger (active mid-17th century), possibly an iron merchant and a councillor for the city of Regensburg, Germany, Johann Franz Encke (1791-1865), astronomer famous for discovering Encke’s Comet from Germany Theobald Mathew [“Father Mathew”] (1790-1856), priest and orator from Ireland A unknown J[ohn] Marshman, not believed to be Joshua Marshman (1768-1837) [a British missionary in India], John Clark Marshman (1794-1877) [a British missionary and journalist in India], nor John Parker Marshman (1823-1913) [a New Zealander surveyor, manager of railways, and commissioner] due to handwriting/signature analysis George Chalmers (1742-1825), antiquarian, political writer, and chief clerk of trade from Scotland J[ames]. Mackintosh (1765-1832), historian, jurist, politician, doctor, judge, professor, and philosopher from Scotland W[illiam] C[harles] Macready (1793-1873), stage actor from England Anne Scott Duff (1796-1865), wife of Scottish missionary Dr. Alexander Duff (1806-1878) John Stuart Mill (1806-1873), philosopher, political economist, politician, and civil servant from England John Sartain (1808-1897), an artist that pioneered mezzotint engraving from England
Some noteworthy recipients including the following individuals: Harrison Wright (1815-1858), a lawyer from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, United States Charles E[dmund] Dana (1843-1924), a trustee at the Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Art from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, United States “Lord Dunmore” [John Murrary] (1730-1809), a British Governor of New York, Virginia, and the Bahamas born in Scotland
Themes and subjects represented within the subseries include the settlement of outstanding debts, the sharing of books between the sender and recipient, and notes of names of books, prayers, inspirational quotes, and quotes from scripture. This subseries spans the 17th to 19th centuries and documents and/or creators have ties to the British colonies in America; French Azilum; the American Revolutionary War; missionary work in British India; discoveries related to botany and astronomy; and social reforms such as abolitionism, women’s suffrage, and teetotalism.
Some noteworthy recipients including the following individuals: Harrison Wright (1815-1858), a lawyer from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, United States Charles E[dmund] Dana (1843-1924), a trustee at the Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Art from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, United States “Lord Dunmore” [John Murrary] (1730-1809), a British Governor of New York, Virginia, and the Bahamas born in Scotland
Themes and subjects represented within the subseries include the settlement of outstanding debts, the sharing of books between the sender and recipient, and notes of names of books, prayers, inspirational quotes, and quotes from scripture. This subseries spans the 17th to 19th centuries and documents and/or creators have ties to the British colonies in America; French Azilum; the American Revolutionary War; missionary work in British India; discoveries related to botany and astronomy; and social reforms such as abolitionism, women’s suffrage, and teetotalism.
Subseries IV: Foreign Literary Authors, 1777-1915
Subseries IV: Foreign Literary Authors, 1777-1915, is arranged alphabetically by author/creator’s last name and features a broad range of international literary authors’ correspondence from the late 18th to early 20th century. Many letters within the subseries highlight the daily personal lives of these literary figures but also emphasize different political movements and motivations occurring during their time periods, such as the French Revolution, the Impeachment of Warren Hastings, and developing tensions in Parliament. This collection does include multilingual authors, and contains correspondence in English, French, and German. Each item within the collection has the language marked in its header.
Male Authors of interest in the subseries span prominent English, French, and German voices.
The English authorial voices include:
Robert Browning, an English poet and playwright, husband of another highly popular poet of the period, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, whom’s regard he mentions within his letter to his uncle. He popularized the dramatic monologue, a form he wielded to advocate for women’s rights through the stark, unnerving frame of their experience.
William Wordsworth, a prominent romantic poet who is heralded as launching the Romantic Era through the elevation of nature and the sublime. In his letter, he mentions another pioneer of the time, Samuel Coleridge, who likewise carved the creative form of Romantic poetry as we know it today.
Wilkie Collins, an English novelist during the Victorian period who was an early pioneer of the detective fiction and mystery genres. He wrote many serialized sensation novels which gripped viewers into the collaborative, weekly investigation of his unfolding mystery.
George Cruikshank rose to prominence as a well admired book illustrator and caricature artist, eventually bringing to life many beloved texts such as the Grimm’s Fairy Tales.
George Borrow imbued his voice into the many places he traveled throughout his life, contributing to burgeoning travel literature which connected his audience with the truths of the places he inhabited for a time. His work often focuses on his portrayal of Romany–Romanichal travelers—people and their culture, offering a counter frame of reality during a long history of their culture’s persecution in England. His work within the collection, a piece of the Lavengro manuscript, presents a positive portrayal of the Romany culture, as his traveling protagonist, as they share memorable moments of help and guidance.
Additionally contained within the subseries is a letter from Charles Dickens, an English novelist and social critic of his time. He is most known for his widely popular, nearly timeless fiction, such as Great Expectations or A Christmas Carol, whose fictionalized plots interrogated the realities of the rapid industrialization occurring during the Victorian period. His letter is addressed to a prominent artist of the period, Daniel Maclise, an Irish historical painter and illustrator who is heralded as possessing power, imaginative and intellectual qualities of the period.
G[eorge]. A[lfred]. Henty is a dynamic voice, possessing the profession of both novelist and war correspondent. His work is said to subsume the audience’s awareness in order to connect them to the front lines. He is most known for his adventure fiction, which brought the realities of the war to the public in a manner that stoked awareness within the safety of the literary landscape.
W[illiam]. H[enry]. Hudson was an Anglo-Argentine writer who spent most of his professional life, and career, within England. He was an avid study of ornithology and comprehended the world, and his writing, through the frame of a naturalist. Hudson is best known for his works of exotic romance, which blends the sphere of travel literature with the romantic elements in order to connect the reader with the setting. His works were highly engaging for audiences due to the realism and familiar tones within the stories that built a bridge of empathic sympathy, such as the book named within his letter, Fran: The Story of a Young Girl’s Life.
Other interesting British voices include Charles Kingsley, a broad church priest of the Church of England, whose voice also advocated many social issues and reform through his professional frame of historian. He later became the personal clergyman of Queen Victoria in 1859, the invitation of that first sermon plausibly within the lines of his letter, and authored his most famous piece–Water Babies—while living as rector of Eversley Rectory.
A[ndrew]. Lang, a well known Scottish novelist, also is prominently recognized as an important authorial voice within the field of Sociology. His name is best known for his collection of folk stories, such as Myth, Ritual and Religion, where he studies the way that human behavior mimics or has evolved from that of ancestral cultures. John Masefield is a well admired English poet and children’s author. He was later appointed the title of Poet Laureate from 1930 until 1967, for his writing on the experience he had during World War I within the British hospital for French soldiers.
Charles Reade was a British novelist and playwright who is most recognized for his powerful, political voice, His works addressed many social issues, such as the corruption of prison systems or the ill-treatment of people suffering with mental illness.
John Ruskin is considered a polymath of the Victorian period, having been an influential voice in topics ranging from geology and architecture to botany and political economy, as well as his prominent literary and critic voice. He is also seen as an early champion of the Pre-Raphealite artistic movement, praising their ideology of art as a form of the natural world.
Albert [Léon] Guérard was a prominent scholar, professor, and journalist in comparative literature. Guérard published a great deal of cultural literature, spanning the development and history of French and European civilizations, the evolution of world literature, as well as his study within international languages. His newspaper article is a scholarly review of Henry Saint-Simon’s reasoning through Saint-Simonianism as a philosophical compass in a culture recovering from the influence of the Restoration.
Lastly, within the English novel scope of literary voices included in the collection, Anthony Trollope is a well-known novelist of the Victorian period, as well as an active civil servant. He is most recognized for his weighted criticism of popular social issues occurring within the period, such as constraining gender roles or commentary on the realities and experience of Ireland’s Great Potatoe Famine.
The subseries also contains a great deal of prominent English political and scientific voices, of whom included are Warren Hastings, a British colonial administrator, who served as the first Governor of the Presidency of Fort William, and as head of the Supreme Council of Bengal. In his letter, Warren speaks about the creation of a Committee of Revenue to be formed within Calcutta, which he is appointing his good friend, Scottish diplomat, George Bogle. This letter is a note of interest, as Hastings was later impeached on the suspicion of misconduct in Calcutta including embezzlement and extortion among other crimes of cruelty.
Thomas Hughes was a well recognized English lawyer, politician, and author whose most known work is a semi-autobiographical work named Tom Brown’s School Days, which explored the young schoolboy’s experience. His political life was largely led by his involvement in the burgeoning ideals of the Christian socialism movement of the period, and his interest in education access. He later became one of the founders of the first Working Men's Colleges in London. He became a largely influential, professional voice, which we can see by his letter in the collection as he builds upon his network of clients.
Thomas Babington Macaulay was a British historian and well recognized political figure of the Whig party, who served as the Secretary at War later in his career. His voice was acknowledged as a leading figure of liberty, having spoken to the freedom and autonomy of multiple communities in his career. In his opening address as a member of Parliament, he fought to abolish the civil disabilities of the Jews in the UK, as well as the abolishment of slavery. During his time within the War office, he examined the issues present within copyright law. His position and voice laid a substantial foundation for the copyright law recognized for decades within English speaking countries. His letter within the collection mentions another prominent scholarly figure:
Dr. Thomas Arnold, who revolutionized the public education system. Dr. Arnold is a complex figure during the period, for, while he expanded access to studies of history, mathematics, and foreign languages, he also upheld a firm ideology of what was considered masculine behaviors or values as formed by his spiritual beliefs within the Broad Church Anglican movement. Dr. Arnold was appointed headship of Rugby school, the very institution that Thomas Hughes attended and based his novel after. In the title, Dr. Arnold is portrayed as commanding a fearful respect of the boys. In his letter, Macaulay asks George Villiers, Lord Claredon if a voyage requested by Dr. Arnold would be feasible and safe. The letter discusses Dr. Arnold’s research into the life and experience of Julius Caesar and his campaign against Pompey.
Another prolific political and authorial voice of the late 18th century is H[enry] Mackenzie, a Scottish lawyer, novelist and writer. His strong political voice was aimed at the fair taxation of the Scottish people. While his political writing was largely what supported him financially, Mackenzie is most widely known for his novel, The Man of Feeling, a sentimental novel which posed a series of social commentary on varying moral quandaries. In his letter, Mackenzie notes several important historical moments occurring within the early 19th century. He first comments on the public impeachment of Lord Henry Dundas, a Scottish political figure who was influential in the Scottish Enlightenment, and loud condemning voice against the war against France. Lord Dundas’ impeachment was the last to occur within Parliament to date, as they instituted other forms of democratic scrutiny largely favored within Parliament. The letter also notes the public nature of the impeachment through a negative lens, hinting at possible motives of restraint on the proceedings. The letter also mentions the impeachment of Warren Hastings by minimal comparative language when discussing Lord Dundas’ trial. Mackenzie also notes Lord William Grenville's plan of splitting the current courts within Parliament in the effort of making them more efficient. The letter underscores the political tensions brewing internally, as Mackenzie notes those changes with a tone of rejection. Lastly, this letter is dated mere days before Grenville introduces the Foreign Slave Trade Abolition Bill once more before Parliament, which later succeeds in abolishing slavery within England.
A well-known scientific voice within the collection is that of Charles Darwin, an English naturalist, geologist, and biologist who is most known for his work in theorizing and observing natural selection. His contributions to evolutionary biology through texts such as On the Origin of Species, posited the consideration that all living species descended from a common ancestor. His work proposed that, through survival and reproduction, these common descendants evolved in order to meet the requirements of their environments and survive. Darwin’s letter is addressed to another prominent scientific voice of the period, Charles Napier Ottley Groom, an English natural historian and collector. Darwin is thanking Groom for his contributions to the “Blue Book,” which referred to the recorded minutes and actions of Parliamentary Committees and Royal Commissions.
French male authors of interest in the subseries include:
Voltaire, a multi-talented writer, philosopher, and historian in the French Enlightenment. He spoke for civil liberties, against the restrictive and oppressive nature of Catholicism and slavery. He wrote everything from plays, essays and scientific expositions to 20,000 letters in his time where he advocated for freedoms of speech, religion, and separation of the church and state. In his letter, Voltaire discusses matters of investments with the recipient, who appears to handle Voltaire’s financial interests. He then goes on to share personal information concerning the health of his aunt, and his budding admiration for a doctor he recently met.
Victor Hugo was a French romantic writer and politician. He is renowned for his works touching upon the social and economic issues the country faced at the time. He also ran and served publicly as a politician in the face of these issues. Hugo addresses
French authors of note within the subseries that discuss the French Revolution include Henri Saint Simon, a French political, economic and socialist theorist. He formed Saint Simonianism, the theological belief that through the growth of industrialization and scientific discovery, society could see vast economic improvement for the working class. He was also the cousin of Claude Anne Saint Simon, a French soldier who also fought in the American Revolutionary War, and was instrumental in the victory of the final battle. The letter written by Saint Simon speaks of Claude-Anne’s valor in combat, and his fight for the inherent rights of man and citizen.
Alphonse Daudet was a French novelist and poet who was heralded for his poetic form and voice. His writing is said to contain many of the Romantic attributes of the movement, developing upon the reader’s sentimentality by immersing them within the divinity of the natural world. In the letter, Daudet is speaking of an article responding to his novel, The Evangelist, which is thought to be a solitary title in France that is devoted to the Protestant religion in over a century during the period. While positive voices are quick to privilege the stylistic tones within Daudet’s literature, the Evangelist underscores the bigoted and antisemitic views. The protagonist of the novel, Mrs. Hautmann, possesses the domineering, hateful, and bigoted perspective and voice that Daudet himself wielded during his life.
Francois Guizot was a French statesman and historian, who advocated for a moderate liberalism within the country’s cognizance. His perspective still upheld the notion of a monarch, but one that would solely exercise an authority that aligned with the constitution. Guizot was influential in the establishment of public schooling systems within the French communes, yet his frame was limited in the conservation comprehensions he was addressing. His success later made him the object of rebuke by the more liberal-minded of his party, as he restricted that education accessibility to landed men alone. In his letter within the collection, Guizot is speaking of his plans to visit Douver with a Colonel Frapalli.
Francois-Rene de Chateaubriand was a French politician, diplomat and historian whose writing held a significant influence on nineteenth century French literature. A major defining characteristic within his writing was his support and perspective on the catholic faith during a period rife with intellectual critique on institutions of faith. Chateaubriand was awarded the medal of the saint Louis Order during his life, which he speaks to in his letter within the collection. He is addressing the Order of Saint Louis’ upcoming general assembly where the members gather to celebrate the liturgical calendar’s feast day of Saint Louis.
Another prominent political voice within the subseries is Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette who was a French aristocrat and military officer who fought in the American Revolutionary War. His command held an influential sway across many battlefields, including the siege of Yorktown. He then wielded his battle experience to fight for the French Revolution of 1789 and the July Revolution of 1830 upon his return to France. His actions are heralded in both countries for his contributions and advocacy for individual liberty.
F[rederic] Mistral is an author of intrigue, as his focus was particularly on the study of language itself. His writings were in Occitan literature and lexicographer of the Provençal form of the language. His writing was so renowned that he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1904 in the “recognition of the fresh originality” of his writing and his ability to capture the spirit of the places and people his wrote to. In his letter, Mistral is inviting friends to his residence in the hopes of spending time together in the good weather. In the letter, Mistral mentions another liturgical feast day, Michaelmas, which he says he hopes will grant them fine weather for their visit. The feast is a nod to the end of the summer season.
Another well known name is Jules Verne, a French playwright, novelist, and poet. His most regarded works are in the adventure genres, such as Journey to the Center of the Earth and Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas. In his letter, Verne is writing to someone who has written a kind regard of his work, as their words have moved him deeply. Verne also mentions Stanislas Rzewuski, a French playwright, philosopher, and literary critic. Verne mentioned Rzewuski’s article of 1900 named, Le Génie de Jules Verne, in which Rzewuski highly praised and lauded the work of Verne.
Alfred de Vigny is another name of note within the subseries, as a French poet who is thought to be of the earliest French Romantics during the period. He also wrote translations of Shakespeare’s work, as well as plays of his own. De Vigny’s family had a longstanding military influence, with the Seven Years' War and the French Revolution pressing significant restraints on the family’s circumstances in society. However, in 1814, following the defeat of Napoleon, de Vigny enrolled as a second lieutenant of a privileged aristocratic company of the Maison du Roi. While he was very successful within the military profession, he became easily bored by the work early on. He left the position behind and began to cultivate his poetry, having already published his first poem in 1820 called Le Bal. In his letter, de Vigny discusses the death of a mutual friend Lord Durham, a prominent British Whig statesman and high commissioner of British North America. Durham’s voice played a pivotal role in the Reform Bill of 1832 coming to pass. His letter also notes a prominent female authorial voice of the period, Lady Marguerite Gardiner, Countess of Blessington. Lady Blessington was an Irish novelist, journalist, and literary hostess who became an intimate friend of Lord Byron, an English romantic poet and peer. She ended up writing a chronicle of their conversations called, Conversations of Lord Byron with the Countess of Blessington in 1834. The letter shares both de Vigny and Lady Blessington’s pain at losing a dear friend, and his desire for her to visit him on her future travels.
Lastly in the collection of French male authorial voices is Alphonse de Lamartine, a French poet, author and statesman. His political voice was pivotal in the foundation of the Second Republic, as well as the perpetuation of the French flag’s Tricolore. Lamartine who began his life as a monarch came to embrace the democratic ideology, founding his own party later in life on the structure of Saint-Simonian ideology. His efforts ultimately supported the abolition of slavery and the death penalty. However, his lenient and moderate stance on caused many of his supporters to critique him later in his campaigns. Though he ran for presidential election in December 1848, he lost to Louis Napoléon Bonaparte after receiving less than 19,000 votes. While he continued a literary career to sustain himself financially, publishing installments of Cours familier de littérature, he lived out the remainder of his life in poverty. In the letter, Lamartine is sending thanks to those who expressed interest in his platform while running for president, and is sending his thanks. We can, also, potentially see some of his struggle with money, as Lamartine speaks to the recipient about borrowing and owing money that he intends to pay when he receives money from a journal coming in during the month of October.
This subseries also includes a number of male German authorial voices of note:
Ferdinand Freiligrath was a German poet, translator and liberal agitator. His influence is considered large within the Young Germany movement. The values of the movement were built upon a rejection of "absolutism" in political agendas and "obscurantism" in religious conversations. His early work was said to be imbued with vividly imaginative and evocative exotic scenes, notes of which gained him royal recognition from Prussian king, Frederick William IV. His name is most known for his 1838 book of poems, which found immediate success and favor amongst readers of the period. In his letter, Freiligrath speaks of his stay in Gibraltar, and mentions his hope that his friend will remain local for some time to visit him.
Another author is Johann Gottfried von Herder who was a German philosopher, theologian, and poet. His influence is associated with movements such as Enlightenment, Sturm und Drang, and Weimar Classicism. Herder supported the French Revolution later in his life, which engendered a great conflict within his professional relationships. Herder was ennobled in 1802 by the Elector-Prince of Bavaria, whereupon added the prefix of von to Herder’s name. In his letter, von Herder speaks to the professional success and interests of his son as an economic advisor of the municipality Colmberg. It continues on to discuss expanding upon business ideas, and von Herder is asking for best practice advice from the recipient, Gentleman Rath.
Lastly, August von Kotzebue, was a German dramatist and writer who also worked as a consul in Russia and Germany. While his early works held a favorable review from readership, it was his dramatic satire, Doktor Bahrdt mit der eisernen Stirn (Doctor Bahrdt with the Iron Brow) that has left his legacy with such a tainted view. For the first printing in 1790 possessed the name of, Knigge within its title page. This inclusion connected von Kotzebue to a contentious figure moving against Berlin's party of the Enlightenment, J.G. Zimmermann. Kotzebue denied the printing and the connection, which alienated his former allies in the two men while the conspiracy of his connection tarnished his reputation, as he became thought to possess a penchant for dishonesty and lasciviousness. He spent many years in constant motion, being appointed dramatist to the court theatre in Vienna in 1798 only to attempt his return to Saint Petersburg in 1800. However, he was arrested nearly on his crossing of the border on suspicion of being a Jacobin. Kotzebue authored many contentious writings, one of which featured in the Literarisches Wochenblatt , where he critiqued Germans’ seeking free institutions. He was critiqued and detested by many nationalist liberals of the period. He was murdered by Karl Ludwig Sand in 1819, a student of theology. Prince Metternich capitalized on the fear stoked by Kotzebue’s murder to position the Decrees as a measure of safety against what he characterized as a pervasive nature of liberalist thought, such as German unification. The Decrees enacted pervasive restrictions on press publications and universities. In his letter, von Kotzebue addresses the recipient’s defamation of von Kotzebue’s character and posits his intention of pursuing an injury process against the recipient
This subseries also contains many French and British female authors of interest including:
Maria Rundell, an English writer whose cookbook, A New System of Domestic Cookery was first published in 1806. Rundell had not intentionally sought to publish her work, but had been persuaded after sending her recipes to friend, and English publisher, John Murray. She had agreed upon its publication with no intention of accepting payment or royalties. The novel became an admired title, aimed toward the clientele of middle class housewives. Upon selling nearly a half million copies in its first edition, Murray published several editions following the success. However, Rundell critiqued the lessening quality of the following editions, as he had removed Rundell’s advice to readers on being economical with their food. A heated debate ensued, landing the case before a court with a great deal of back and forth from both sides. Rundell ultimately accepted an offer of £2,100 from Murray for the rights to her work in 1832. Rundell’s work is an early domestic female voice that proffers a word that her meals may appear simple or minute due to the original intention of the work. The intention provided a guide for her own daughters initially.
Sarianna Browning, the sister of English writer Robert Browning. In her letter attached to Robert Browning’s letter, it appears that Sarianna worked as courier between Robert’s business dealings with their uncle, Reuben. The letter, while brief, gives an intimate insight into the family dynamics of the Browning household.
French female authors of note include Germaine de Staël, a French woman of letters. ‘Women of letters’ were known to have earned their money through their writing and literature. Staël was also a prominent political theorist and wielded her letters for Revolutionary action. She lived in exile for many years, first in large by the Reign of Terror and then by the personal exile of Napoleon. In her letter, de Stael speaks to her burgeoning acquaintance with Mr. Becker while on her travels in Switzerland.
Another female authorial voice of interest, as well as political figure is George Sand, a French novelist, memoirist and journalist. Sand’s writing became so renowned in her time that she was elevated above the works of male contemporaries, such as Victor Hugo. She wrote over fifty volumes of work spanning form and genre: tales, plays, and novels. She later began to write political texts amid her work in fiction. Sand’s political voice became emboldened over time, and she became widely heralded for her activism for women’s rights in a conservative society. She is recognized by her critique of the confining structures of femininity and masculinity, materializing her critique through her decision to dawn men's clothing without a permit, and justifying her actions against critique by addressing the financial benefits of the clothing when compared to women’s attire during the period. Sand’s political voice became active in 1848, where she advocated for and wrote under a similar republican framework. She founded her own newspaper, whereby she could publish her revolutionary works. By 1848, she had secured a seat of power in the provisional government, and published important manifestos. Her letter within the collection contains more of her political vein of writing, as she speaks of Giuseppe Garibaldi, an Italian general and revolutionary figure who was exiled from France. In her letter, Sand is concerned for the safety of the recipient and sends a warning through the letter. She also notes the spirit of Garibaldi, noting that it is a fight that is needed desperately within France.
The Duchess Louise de Broglie was a French essayist and biographer. She is a member of the distinguished French family, the House of Broglie, and is the granddaughter of Germaine de Stael, another author within the collection. De Broglie possessed an independent and progressive voice, and was considered outspoken for a woman of her time. She published several biographies during her life, such as the two-volume biography of Lord Byron in 1872 and 1874. She also authored an autobiography that spoke to her experience within a highly cultured education and childhood, but it was never published. In her letter, the author is speaking on behalf of de Broglie, affirming the requested visit of an unknown party. There is additional commentary on the letter which speaks to her publication of different biographies and admired spirit.
The collection also includes a number of artistic works of note, including Item 4.3, Hablot Knight Browne’s engraving from a scene from Nicholas Nickleby, a Charles Dickens novel. The novel was serially published, which during the period, could contain illustrations or engravings to accompany the weekly installments. Item 4.12 is a portrait of Warren Hastings as recorded from a sculpture bust of his likeness. Lastly, Item 4.14 depicts a physical ticket to the trial of Warren Hastings.
Male Authors of interest in the subseries span prominent English, French, and German voices.
The English authorial voices include:
Robert Browning, an English poet and playwright, husband of another highly popular poet of the period, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, whom’s regard he mentions within his letter to his uncle. He popularized the dramatic monologue, a form he wielded to advocate for women’s rights through the stark, unnerving frame of their experience.
William Wordsworth, a prominent romantic poet who is heralded as launching the Romantic Era through the elevation of nature and the sublime. In his letter, he mentions another pioneer of the time, Samuel Coleridge, who likewise carved the creative form of Romantic poetry as we know it today.
Wilkie Collins, an English novelist during the Victorian period who was an early pioneer of the detective fiction and mystery genres. He wrote many serialized sensation novels which gripped viewers into the collaborative, weekly investigation of his unfolding mystery.
George Cruikshank rose to prominence as a well admired book illustrator and caricature artist, eventually bringing to life many beloved texts such as the Grimm’s Fairy Tales.
George Borrow imbued his voice into the many places he traveled throughout his life, contributing to burgeoning travel literature which connected his audience with the truths of the places he inhabited for a time. His work often focuses on his portrayal of Romany–Romanichal travelers—people and their culture, offering a counter frame of reality during a long history of their culture’s persecution in England. His work within the collection, a piece of the Lavengro manuscript, presents a positive portrayal of the Romany culture, as his traveling protagonist, as they share memorable moments of help and guidance.
Additionally contained within the subseries is a letter from Charles Dickens, an English novelist and social critic of his time. He is most known for his widely popular, nearly timeless fiction, such as Great Expectations or A Christmas Carol, whose fictionalized plots interrogated the realities of the rapid industrialization occurring during the Victorian period. His letter is addressed to a prominent artist of the period, Daniel Maclise, an Irish historical painter and illustrator who is heralded as possessing power, imaginative and intellectual qualities of the period.
G[eorge]. A[lfred]. Henty is a dynamic voice, possessing the profession of both novelist and war correspondent. His work is said to subsume the audience’s awareness in order to connect them to the front lines. He is most known for his adventure fiction, which brought the realities of the war to the public in a manner that stoked awareness within the safety of the literary landscape.
W[illiam]. H[enry]. Hudson was an Anglo-Argentine writer who spent most of his professional life, and career, within England. He was an avid study of ornithology and comprehended the world, and his writing, through the frame of a naturalist. Hudson is best known for his works of exotic romance, which blends the sphere of travel literature with the romantic elements in order to connect the reader with the setting. His works were highly engaging for audiences due to the realism and familiar tones within the stories that built a bridge of empathic sympathy, such as the book named within his letter, Fran: The Story of a Young Girl’s Life.
Other interesting British voices include Charles Kingsley, a broad church priest of the Church of England, whose voice also advocated many social issues and reform through his professional frame of historian. He later became the personal clergyman of Queen Victoria in 1859, the invitation of that first sermon plausibly within the lines of his letter, and authored his most famous piece–Water Babies—while living as rector of Eversley Rectory.
A[ndrew]. Lang, a well known Scottish novelist, also is prominently recognized as an important authorial voice within the field of Sociology. His name is best known for his collection of folk stories, such as Myth, Ritual and Religion, where he studies the way that human behavior mimics or has evolved from that of ancestral cultures. John Masefield is a well admired English poet and children’s author. He was later appointed the title of Poet Laureate from 1930 until 1967, for his writing on the experience he had during World War I within the British hospital for French soldiers.
Charles Reade was a British novelist and playwright who is most recognized for his powerful, political voice, His works addressed many social issues, such as the corruption of prison systems or the ill-treatment of people suffering with mental illness.
John Ruskin is considered a polymath of the Victorian period, having been an influential voice in topics ranging from geology and architecture to botany and political economy, as well as his prominent literary and critic voice. He is also seen as an early champion of the Pre-Raphealite artistic movement, praising their ideology of art as a form of the natural world.
Albert [Léon] Guérard was a prominent scholar, professor, and journalist in comparative literature. Guérard published a great deal of cultural literature, spanning the development and history of French and European civilizations, the evolution of world literature, as well as his study within international languages. His newspaper article is a scholarly review of Henry Saint-Simon’s reasoning through Saint-Simonianism as a philosophical compass in a culture recovering from the influence of the Restoration.
Lastly, within the English novel scope of literary voices included in the collection, Anthony Trollope is a well-known novelist of the Victorian period, as well as an active civil servant. He is most recognized for his weighted criticism of popular social issues occurring within the period, such as constraining gender roles or commentary on the realities and experience of Ireland’s Great Potatoe Famine.
The subseries also contains a great deal of prominent English political and scientific voices, of whom included are Warren Hastings, a British colonial administrator, who served as the first Governor of the Presidency of Fort William, and as head of the Supreme Council of Bengal. In his letter, Warren speaks about the creation of a Committee of Revenue to be formed within Calcutta, which he is appointing his good friend, Scottish diplomat, George Bogle. This letter is a note of interest, as Hastings was later impeached on the suspicion of misconduct in Calcutta including embezzlement and extortion among other crimes of cruelty.
Thomas Hughes was a well recognized English lawyer, politician, and author whose most known work is a semi-autobiographical work named Tom Brown’s School Days, which explored the young schoolboy’s experience. His political life was largely led by his involvement in the burgeoning ideals of the Christian socialism movement of the period, and his interest in education access. He later became one of the founders of the first Working Men's Colleges in London. He became a largely influential, professional voice, which we can see by his letter in the collection as he builds upon his network of clients.
Thomas Babington Macaulay was a British historian and well recognized political figure of the Whig party, who served as the Secretary at War later in his career. His voice was acknowledged as a leading figure of liberty, having spoken to the freedom and autonomy of multiple communities in his career. In his opening address as a member of Parliament, he fought to abolish the civil disabilities of the Jews in the UK, as well as the abolishment of slavery. During his time within the War office, he examined the issues present within copyright law. His position and voice laid a substantial foundation for the copyright law recognized for decades within English speaking countries. His letter within the collection mentions another prominent scholarly figure:
Dr. Thomas Arnold, who revolutionized the public education system. Dr. Arnold is a complex figure during the period, for, while he expanded access to studies of history, mathematics, and foreign languages, he also upheld a firm ideology of what was considered masculine behaviors or values as formed by his spiritual beliefs within the Broad Church Anglican movement. Dr. Arnold was appointed headship of Rugby school, the very institution that Thomas Hughes attended and based his novel after. In the title, Dr. Arnold is portrayed as commanding a fearful respect of the boys. In his letter, Macaulay asks George Villiers, Lord Claredon if a voyage requested by Dr. Arnold would be feasible and safe. The letter discusses Dr. Arnold’s research into the life and experience of Julius Caesar and his campaign against Pompey.
Another prolific political and authorial voice of the late 18th century is H[enry] Mackenzie, a Scottish lawyer, novelist and writer. His strong political voice was aimed at the fair taxation of the Scottish people. While his political writing was largely what supported him financially, Mackenzie is most widely known for his novel, The Man of Feeling, a sentimental novel which posed a series of social commentary on varying moral quandaries. In his letter, Mackenzie notes several important historical moments occurring within the early 19th century. He first comments on the public impeachment of Lord Henry Dundas, a Scottish political figure who was influential in the Scottish Enlightenment, and loud condemning voice against the war against France. Lord Dundas’ impeachment was the last to occur within Parliament to date, as they instituted other forms of democratic scrutiny largely favored within Parliament. The letter also notes the public nature of the impeachment through a negative lens, hinting at possible motives of restraint on the proceedings. The letter also mentions the impeachment of Warren Hastings by minimal comparative language when discussing Lord Dundas’ trial. Mackenzie also notes Lord William Grenville's plan of splitting the current courts within Parliament in the effort of making them more efficient. The letter underscores the political tensions brewing internally, as Mackenzie notes those changes with a tone of rejection. Lastly, this letter is dated mere days before Grenville introduces the Foreign Slave Trade Abolition Bill once more before Parliament, which later succeeds in abolishing slavery within England.
A well-known scientific voice within the collection is that of Charles Darwin, an English naturalist, geologist, and biologist who is most known for his work in theorizing and observing natural selection. His contributions to evolutionary biology through texts such as On the Origin of Species, posited the consideration that all living species descended from a common ancestor. His work proposed that, through survival and reproduction, these common descendants evolved in order to meet the requirements of their environments and survive. Darwin’s letter is addressed to another prominent scientific voice of the period, Charles Napier Ottley Groom, an English natural historian and collector. Darwin is thanking Groom for his contributions to the “Blue Book,” which referred to the recorded minutes and actions of Parliamentary Committees and Royal Commissions.
French male authors of interest in the subseries include:
Voltaire, a multi-talented writer, philosopher, and historian in the French Enlightenment. He spoke for civil liberties, against the restrictive and oppressive nature of Catholicism and slavery. He wrote everything from plays, essays and scientific expositions to 20,000 letters in his time where he advocated for freedoms of speech, religion, and separation of the church and state. In his letter, Voltaire discusses matters of investments with the recipient, who appears to handle Voltaire’s financial interests. He then goes on to share personal information concerning the health of his aunt, and his budding admiration for a doctor he recently met.
Victor Hugo was a French romantic writer and politician. He is renowned for his works touching upon the social and economic issues the country faced at the time. He also ran and served publicly as a politician in the face of these issues. Hugo addresses
French authors of note within the subseries that discuss the French Revolution include Henri Saint Simon, a French political, economic and socialist theorist. He formed Saint Simonianism, the theological belief that through the growth of industrialization and scientific discovery, society could see vast economic improvement for the working class. He was also the cousin of Claude Anne Saint Simon, a French soldier who also fought in the American Revolutionary War, and was instrumental in the victory of the final battle. The letter written by Saint Simon speaks of Claude-Anne’s valor in combat, and his fight for the inherent rights of man and citizen.
Alphonse Daudet was a French novelist and poet who was heralded for his poetic form and voice. His writing is said to contain many of the Romantic attributes of the movement, developing upon the reader’s sentimentality by immersing them within the divinity of the natural world. In the letter, Daudet is speaking of an article responding to his novel, The Evangelist, which is thought to be a solitary title in France that is devoted to the Protestant religion in over a century during the period. While positive voices are quick to privilege the stylistic tones within Daudet’s literature, the Evangelist underscores the bigoted and antisemitic views. The protagonist of the novel, Mrs. Hautmann, possesses the domineering, hateful, and bigoted perspective and voice that Daudet himself wielded during his life.
Francois Guizot was a French statesman and historian, who advocated for a moderate liberalism within the country’s cognizance. His perspective still upheld the notion of a monarch, but one that would solely exercise an authority that aligned with the constitution. Guizot was influential in the establishment of public schooling systems within the French communes, yet his frame was limited in the conservation comprehensions he was addressing. His success later made him the object of rebuke by the more liberal-minded of his party, as he restricted that education accessibility to landed men alone. In his letter within the collection, Guizot is speaking of his plans to visit Douver with a Colonel Frapalli.
Francois-Rene de Chateaubriand was a French politician, diplomat and historian whose writing held a significant influence on nineteenth century French literature. A major defining characteristic within his writing was his support and perspective on the catholic faith during a period rife with intellectual critique on institutions of faith. Chateaubriand was awarded the medal of the saint Louis Order during his life, which he speaks to in his letter within the collection. He is addressing the Order of Saint Louis’ upcoming general assembly where the members gather to celebrate the liturgical calendar’s feast day of Saint Louis.
Another prominent political voice within the subseries is Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette who was a French aristocrat and military officer who fought in the American Revolutionary War. His command held an influential sway across many battlefields, including the siege of Yorktown. He then wielded his battle experience to fight for the French Revolution of 1789 and the July Revolution of 1830 upon his return to France. His actions are heralded in both countries for his contributions and advocacy for individual liberty.
F[rederic] Mistral is an author of intrigue, as his focus was particularly on the study of language itself. His writings were in Occitan literature and lexicographer of the Provençal form of the language. His writing was so renowned that he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1904 in the “recognition of the fresh originality” of his writing and his ability to capture the spirit of the places and people his wrote to. In his letter, Mistral is inviting friends to his residence in the hopes of spending time together in the good weather. In the letter, Mistral mentions another liturgical feast day, Michaelmas, which he says he hopes will grant them fine weather for their visit. The feast is a nod to the end of the summer season.
Another well known name is Jules Verne, a French playwright, novelist, and poet. His most regarded works are in the adventure genres, such as Journey to the Center of the Earth and Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas. In his letter, Verne is writing to someone who has written a kind regard of his work, as their words have moved him deeply. Verne also mentions Stanislas Rzewuski, a French playwright, philosopher, and literary critic. Verne mentioned Rzewuski’s article of 1900 named, Le Génie de Jules Verne, in which Rzewuski highly praised and lauded the work of Verne.
Alfred de Vigny is another name of note within the subseries, as a French poet who is thought to be of the earliest French Romantics during the period. He also wrote translations of Shakespeare’s work, as well as plays of his own. De Vigny’s family had a longstanding military influence, with the Seven Years' War and the French Revolution pressing significant restraints on the family’s circumstances in society. However, in 1814, following the defeat of Napoleon, de Vigny enrolled as a second lieutenant of a privileged aristocratic company of the Maison du Roi. While he was very successful within the military profession, he became easily bored by the work early on. He left the position behind and began to cultivate his poetry, having already published his first poem in 1820 called Le Bal. In his letter, de Vigny discusses the death of a mutual friend Lord Durham, a prominent British Whig statesman and high commissioner of British North America. Durham’s voice played a pivotal role in the Reform Bill of 1832 coming to pass. His letter also notes a prominent female authorial voice of the period, Lady Marguerite Gardiner, Countess of Blessington. Lady Blessington was an Irish novelist, journalist, and literary hostess who became an intimate friend of Lord Byron, an English romantic poet and peer. She ended up writing a chronicle of their conversations called, Conversations of Lord Byron with the Countess of Blessington in 1834. The letter shares both de Vigny and Lady Blessington’s pain at losing a dear friend, and his desire for her to visit him on her future travels.
Lastly in the collection of French male authorial voices is Alphonse de Lamartine, a French poet, author and statesman. His political voice was pivotal in the foundation of the Second Republic, as well as the perpetuation of the French flag’s Tricolore. Lamartine who began his life as a monarch came to embrace the democratic ideology, founding his own party later in life on the structure of Saint-Simonian ideology. His efforts ultimately supported the abolition of slavery and the death penalty. However, his lenient and moderate stance on caused many of his supporters to critique him later in his campaigns. Though he ran for presidential election in December 1848, he lost to Louis Napoléon Bonaparte after receiving less than 19,000 votes. While he continued a literary career to sustain himself financially, publishing installments of Cours familier de littérature, he lived out the remainder of his life in poverty. In the letter, Lamartine is sending thanks to those who expressed interest in his platform while running for president, and is sending his thanks. We can, also, potentially see some of his struggle with money, as Lamartine speaks to the recipient about borrowing and owing money that he intends to pay when he receives money from a journal coming in during the month of October.
This subseries also includes a number of male German authorial voices of note:
Ferdinand Freiligrath was a German poet, translator and liberal agitator. His influence is considered large within the Young Germany movement. The values of the movement were built upon a rejection of "absolutism" in political agendas and "obscurantism" in religious conversations. His early work was said to be imbued with vividly imaginative and evocative exotic scenes, notes of which gained him royal recognition from Prussian king, Frederick William IV. His name is most known for his 1838 book of poems, which found immediate success and favor amongst readers of the period. In his letter, Freiligrath speaks of his stay in Gibraltar, and mentions his hope that his friend will remain local for some time to visit him.
Another author is Johann Gottfried von Herder who was a German philosopher, theologian, and poet. His influence is associated with movements such as Enlightenment, Sturm und Drang, and Weimar Classicism. Herder supported the French Revolution later in his life, which engendered a great conflict within his professional relationships. Herder was ennobled in 1802 by the Elector-Prince of Bavaria, whereupon added the prefix of von to Herder’s name. In his letter, von Herder speaks to the professional success and interests of his son as an economic advisor of the municipality Colmberg. It continues on to discuss expanding upon business ideas, and von Herder is asking for best practice advice from the recipient, Gentleman Rath.
Lastly, August von Kotzebue, was a German dramatist and writer who also worked as a consul in Russia and Germany. While his early works held a favorable review from readership, it was his dramatic satire, Doktor Bahrdt mit der eisernen Stirn (Doctor Bahrdt with the Iron Brow) that has left his legacy with such a tainted view. For the first printing in 1790 possessed the name of, Knigge within its title page. This inclusion connected von Kotzebue to a contentious figure moving against Berlin's party of the Enlightenment, J.G. Zimmermann. Kotzebue denied the printing and the connection, which alienated his former allies in the two men while the conspiracy of his connection tarnished his reputation, as he became thought to possess a penchant for dishonesty and lasciviousness. He spent many years in constant motion, being appointed dramatist to the court theatre in Vienna in 1798 only to attempt his return to Saint Petersburg in 1800. However, he was arrested nearly on his crossing of the border on suspicion of being a Jacobin. Kotzebue authored many contentious writings, one of which featured in the Literarisches Wochenblatt , where he critiqued Germans’ seeking free institutions. He was critiqued and detested by many nationalist liberals of the period. He was murdered by Karl Ludwig Sand in 1819, a student of theology. Prince Metternich capitalized on the fear stoked by Kotzebue’s murder to position the Decrees as a measure of safety against what he characterized as a pervasive nature of liberalist thought, such as German unification. The Decrees enacted pervasive restrictions on press publications and universities. In his letter, von Kotzebue addresses the recipient’s defamation of von Kotzebue’s character and posits his intention of pursuing an injury process against the recipient
This subseries also contains many French and British female authors of interest including:
Maria Rundell, an English writer whose cookbook, A New System of Domestic Cookery was first published in 1806. Rundell had not intentionally sought to publish her work, but had been persuaded after sending her recipes to friend, and English publisher, John Murray. She had agreed upon its publication with no intention of accepting payment or royalties. The novel became an admired title, aimed toward the clientele of middle class housewives. Upon selling nearly a half million copies in its first edition, Murray published several editions following the success. However, Rundell critiqued the lessening quality of the following editions, as he had removed Rundell’s advice to readers on being economical with their food. A heated debate ensued, landing the case before a court with a great deal of back and forth from both sides. Rundell ultimately accepted an offer of £2,100 from Murray for the rights to her work in 1832. Rundell’s work is an early domestic female voice that proffers a word that her meals may appear simple or minute due to the original intention of the work. The intention provided a guide for her own daughters initially.
Sarianna Browning, the sister of English writer Robert Browning. In her letter attached to Robert Browning’s letter, it appears that Sarianna worked as courier between Robert’s business dealings with their uncle, Reuben. The letter, while brief, gives an intimate insight into the family dynamics of the Browning household.
French female authors of note include Germaine de Staël, a French woman of letters. ‘Women of letters’ were known to have earned their money through their writing and literature. Staël was also a prominent political theorist and wielded her letters for Revolutionary action. She lived in exile for many years, first in large by the Reign of Terror and then by the personal exile of Napoleon. In her letter, de Stael speaks to her burgeoning acquaintance with Mr. Becker while on her travels in Switzerland.
Another female authorial voice of interest, as well as political figure is George Sand, a French novelist, memoirist and journalist. Sand’s writing became so renowned in her time that she was elevated above the works of male contemporaries, such as Victor Hugo. She wrote over fifty volumes of work spanning form and genre: tales, plays, and novels. She later began to write political texts amid her work in fiction. Sand’s political voice became emboldened over time, and she became widely heralded for her activism for women’s rights in a conservative society. She is recognized by her critique of the confining structures of femininity and masculinity, materializing her critique through her decision to dawn men's clothing without a permit, and justifying her actions against critique by addressing the financial benefits of the clothing when compared to women’s attire during the period. Sand’s political voice became active in 1848, where she advocated for and wrote under a similar republican framework. She founded her own newspaper, whereby she could publish her revolutionary works. By 1848, she had secured a seat of power in the provisional government, and published important manifestos. Her letter within the collection contains more of her political vein of writing, as she speaks of Giuseppe Garibaldi, an Italian general and revolutionary figure who was exiled from France. In her letter, Sand is concerned for the safety of the recipient and sends a warning through the letter. She also notes the spirit of Garibaldi, noting that it is a fight that is needed desperately within France.
The Duchess Louise de Broglie was a French essayist and biographer. She is a member of the distinguished French family, the House of Broglie, and is the granddaughter of Germaine de Stael, another author within the collection. De Broglie possessed an independent and progressive voice, and was considered outspoken for a woman of her time. She published several biographies during her life, such as the two-volume biography of Lord Byron in 1872 and 1874. She also authored an autobiography that spoke to her experience within a highly cultured education and childhood, but it was never published. In her letter, the author is speaking on behalf of de Broglie, affirming the requested visit of an unknown party. There is additional commentary on the letter which speaks to her publication of different biographies and admired spirit.
The collection also includes a number of artistic works of note, including Item 4.3, Hablot Knight Browne’s engraving from a scene from Nicholas Nickleby, a Charles Dickens novel. The novel was serially published, which during the period, could contain illustrations or engravings to accompany the weekly installments. Item 4.12 is a portrait of Warren Hastings as recorded from a sculpture bust of his likeness. Lastly, Item 4.14 depicts a physical ticket to the trial of Warren Hastings.
Condition Note: A majority of the works in this collection are in good quality, although all should still be handled with care. Some items in the collection such as 4.2, 4.17 are more delicate as the paper is worn and the handwritten text on them is slightly faded. Particular letters whose quality was poor have had covers placed over them, the paper inside is fragile but the handwriting is preserved, such as 4.4, or 4.30. One item in particular, 4.31a, has preserved text, but the paper and spine are very fragile. It has been placed in a cover to protect it and should be handled carefully.
Processed by: Jessica Van Orden, Archives Work-Study student, Spring 2023, supervised and edited by Suzanna Calev, Archivist, Spring 2023.
Subseries V: John Wilkes manuscripts, prints, and newspaper clippings, 1763-1976, bulk 1763-1805
Subseries V: John Wilkes manuscripts, prints, and newspaper clippings, 1763-1976, bulk 1763-1805, is arranged chronologically and contains artwork including prints and engravings, heraldry, correspondence, and newspaper clippings concerning John Wilkes, 18th century British essayist, journalist, and politician.
John Wilkes was born on the 17th of October 1725. After a youth that consisted of scholarly pursuits which included an education from the University of Leiden, Wilkes began his campaign towards political advancement. Wilkes first entered Parliament from Aylesbury on July 6th, 1757, beginning his long relationship with serving in the House of Commons. No stranger to controversy, Wilkes was in hot water for a large portion of his career with various scandals including a duel with William Talbot as well as with secretary of treasury Samuel Martyn on a separate occasion, being expelled from Parliament on several occasions, and being imprisoned in King's Bench Prison in late 1768. Wilkes is well known for his many controversial works of literature including publications from his periodical, North Briton, such as North Briton No. 45, as well as his infamous satire of Alexander Pope’s Essay on Man, titled “Essay on Woman.” Throughout his career, he held many different political positions including the aforementioned seats in Parliament, however he was also elected as an alderman in 1869, as well as becoming the mayor of London in 1774. Wilkes was also well known for his support of America during the Revolutionary Period, even going as far as presenting a petition to King George III in protest to the king’s policy in America in 1775. After living a life of controversy and debt, Wilkes passed away insolvent on December 26, 1797 at St. Grosvernor’s Square in London.
This series covers various different subjects regarding the life of John Wilkes, with Subseries I covering forms of art related to Wilkes including a coat of arms granted to him, several different types of portraits, including historical portraits and political caricatures, engravings of the figure, as well as one picture of a painting. This subseries is arranged in chronological order, spanning from the 1763 until after his death in the first few years of the nineteenth century, and also contains other figures of the time alongside Wilkes such as, Serjeant Glynn, Mr. John Horne, Samuel Gillam, Sir Fletcher Norton, the Duke of Grafton, the Lord of Holland, the Duke of Bedford, and Lord Mansfield.
Subseries II consists of various newspaper clippings that relate to Wilkes and are organized chronologically by date. This newspaper subseries is primarily centered around events that occurred around 1768, however many of the clippings are undated. Some of the events that are referenced within this subseries include the Middlesex controversy, the reversal of his outlawry by Lord Mansfield, as well as his trial and imprisonment.
Subseries III consists of various manuscripts and printed materials written about and by Wilkes himself, and is organized in chronological order. The dates of this subseries range from 1763-1788, and cover areas of his life such as his infamous piece titled “Essay on Woman,” his duel against Samuel Martyn, parliamentary proceedings against Wilkes, as well as his imprisonment in 1768. Several historical figures are mentioned throughout this subseries including Lord Sandwich, Samuel Martyn, William Hogarth, Lord Vere, Jean-Baptiste-Antoine Suard, and Archibald Stewart.
The final subseries, Subseries V, is arranged chronologically and contains exhibit captions used in the June 19, 1988 Wilkes College Sordoni Art Gallery exhibition, titled, John Wilkes and Isaac Barre: Politics and Controversy in 18th century Graphics.
John Wilkes was born on the 17th of October 1725. After a youth that consisted of scholarly pursuits which included an education from the University of Leiden, Wilkes began his campaign towards political advancement. Wilkes first entered Parliament from Aylesbury on July 6th, 1757, beginning his long relationship with serving in the House of Commons. No stranger to controversy, Wilkes was in hot water for a large portion of his career with various scandals including a duel with William Talbot as well as with secretary of treasury Samuel Martyn on a separate occasion, being expelled from Parliament on several occasions, and being imprisoned in King's Bench Prison in late 1768. Wilkes is well known for his many controversial works of literature including publications from his periodical, North Briton, such as North Briton No. 45, as well as his infamous satire of Alexander Pope’s Essay on Man, titled “Essay on Woman.” Throughout his career, he held many different political positions including the aforementioned seats in Parliament, however he was also elected as an alderman in 1869, as well as becoming the mayor of London in 1774. Wilkes was also well known for his support of America during the Revolutionary Period, even going as far as presenting a petition to King George III in protest to the king’s policy in America in 1775. After living a life of controversy and debt, Wilkes passed away insolvent on December 26, 1797 at St. Grosvernor’s Square in London.
This series covers various different subjects regarding the life of John Wilkes, with Subseries I covering forms of art related to Wilkes including a coat of arms granted to him, several different types of portraits, including historical portraits and political caricatures, engravings of the figure, as well as one picture of a painting. This subseries is arranged in chronological order, spanning from the 1763 until after his death in the first few years of the nineteenth century, and also contains other figures of the time alongside Wilkes such as, Serjeant Glynn, Mr. John Horne, Samuel Gillam, Sir Fletcher Norton, the Duke of Grafton, the Lord of Holland, the Duke of Bedford, and Lord Mansfield.
Subseries II consists of various newspaper clippings that relate to Wilkes and are organized chronologically by date. This newspaper subseries is primarily centered around events that occurred around 1768, however many of the clippings are undated. Some of the events that are referenced within this subseries include the Middlesex controversy, the reversal of his outlawry by Lord Mansfield, as well as his trial and imprisonment.
Subseries III consists of various manuscripts and printed materials written about and by Wilkes himself, and is organized in chronological order. The dates of this subseries range from 1763-1788, and cover areas of his life such as his infamous piece titled “Essay on Woman,” his duel against Samuel Martyn, parliamentary proceedings against Wilkes, as well as his imprisonment in 1768. Several historical figures are mentioned throughout this subseries including Lord Sandwich, Samuel Martyn, William Hogarth, Lord Vere, Jean-Baptiste-Antoine Suard, and Archibald Stewart.
The final subseries, Subseries V, is arranged chronologically and contains exhibit captions used in the June 19, 1988 Wilkes College Sordoni Art Gallery exhibition, titled, John Wilkes and Isaac Barre: Politics and Controversy in 18th century Graphics.
Subseries VI:Thomas Campbell manuscripts and prints, 1796 - 1848
Subseries VI: Thomas Campbell manuscripts and prints, 1796-1848, is arranged chronologically and contains prints, engravings, lithographs, and portraits by various artists of Thomas Campbell, 19th century Scottish poet as well as manuscripts written by and to the figure. Subseries V is arranged into two further subseries: Subseries I: Art, 1815-1848 and Subseries II: Manuscripts: 1796-1838.
Subseries I: Art, 1815-1848, is arranged chronologically and contains engravings, lithographs, and other portraiture of Thomas Campbell from various artists such as A. Collas, B. Holl, D.M. Nee, Henry Richard Cook, H. Meger, William Hopwood, and Sir Thomas Lawrence. Lawrence’s work is featured significantly in this subseries as a majority of other engravers and printmakers would work off of his original paintings of Campbell. The manuscript subseries within Subseries V is arranged chronologically spanning from 1796 to 1838 and includes poems and correspondence written by and to Thomas Campbell. Correspondents within this subseries include individuals such as William Withering, John Richardson, W.Y. Ottley, and Mrs Marryatt. Many of these letters to these recipients concern personal matters such as loneliness, missing his companions, and difficulties with work and personal affairs. This series includes around nine primary sources relating to Thomas Campbell that span across various types of written media including poems, biographical sketches, and letters. Major themes for his poetry in the series fit in with his larger career of poetic works as they cover war related violence, tragedy, and heartache. Oconnor’s child Or Love lies bleeding and the section from Hallowed Ground may not have been his most influential or well known pieces but even still they help to preserve and shape the complex overarching narrative of his writing. The biographical sketch and the letters help to create a more well-rounded description of who Campbell actually was by showing how others viewed him, his values in daily life, and how he honestly interacted with the people in his life. The sketch is wholly unfinished but does show a fascination with his early life as it covers his beginnings and primary education. His prowess in Greek in these early stages seemed to help shape his career as a high achieving student that later lended him many educational opportunities and connections later in his life.
These connections became very important to Campbell later in his life not only for social interaction and comfort but they also illustrate his impact on the greater educated and literary communities. Subseries I: Art, 1815-1848 Subseries I: Art, 1815-1848 is arranged chronologically and contains various mediums of art which depict Thomas Campbell including engravings, lithographs, and even a drawing. Some notable artists contained within the subseries include A. Collas, B. Holl, D.M. Nee, Henry Richard Cook, H. Meger, William Hopwood, Sir Thomas Lawrence, Sir Thomas. Lawrence, Edward Francis Finden, and even Thomas Campbell himself. The vast majority of the pieces contained within the subseries are no more than portraits of the figure, however some reference Pleasures of Hope; one of, if not, the most famous works produced by Thomas Campbell. Subseries II: Manuscripts, 1796-1838 Subseries II: Manuscripts, 1796-1838, is arranged chronologically by date and contains poems and correspondence written by Thomas Campbell, Scottish poet. The various types of manuscripts include correspondence with individuals such as William Withering, John Richardson, W.Y. Ottley, and Mrs Marryatt. This series includes around nine primary sources relating to Thomas Campbell that span across various types of written media including poems, biographical sketches, and letters.
Major themes for his poetry in the series fit in with his larger career of poetic works as they cover war related violence, tragedy, and heartache. Oconnor’s child Or Love lies bleeding and the section from Hallowed Ground may not have been his most influential or well known pieces but even still they help to preserve and shape the complex overarching narrative of his writing.
The biographical sketch and the letters help to create a more well-rounded description of who Campbell actually was by showing how others viewed him, his values in daily life, and how he honestly interacted with the people in his life. The sketch is wholly unfinished but does show a fascination with his early life as it covers his beginnings and primary education. His prowess in Greek in these early stages seemed to help shape his career as a high achieving student that later lended him many educational opportunities and connections later in his life.
These connections became very important to Campbell later in his life not only for social interaction and comfort but they also illustrate his impact on the greater educated and literary communities.
Subseries I: Art, 1815-1848, is arranged chronologically and contains engravings, lithographs, and other portraiture of Thomas Campbell from various artists such as A. Collas, B. Holl, D.M. Nee, Henry Richard Cook, H. Meger, William Hopwood, and Sir Thomas Lawrence. Lawrence’s work is featured significantly in this subseries as a majority of other engravers and printmakers would work off of his original paintings of Campbell. The manuscript subseries within Subseries V is arranged chronologically spanning from 1796 to 1838 and includes poems and correspondence written by and to Thomas Campbell. Correspondents within this subseries include individuals such as William Withering, John Richardson, W.Y. Ottley, and Mrs Marryatt. Many of these letters to these recipients concern personal matters such as loneliness, missing his companions, and difficulties with work and personal affairs. This series includes around nine primary sources relating to Thomas Campbell that span across various types of written media including poems, biographical sketches, and letters. Major themes for his poetry in the series fit in with his larger career of poetic works as they cover war related violence, tragedy, and heartache. Oconnor’s child Or Love lies bleeding and the section from Hallowed Ground may not have been his most influential or well known pieces but even still they help to preserve and shape the complex overarching narrative of his writing. The biographical sketch and the letters help to create a more well-rounded description of who Campbell actually was by showing how others viewed him, his values in daily life, and how he honestly interacted with the people in his life. The sketch is wholly unfinished but does show a fascination with his early life as it covers his beginnings and primary education. His prowess in Greek in these early stages seemed to help shape his career as a high achieving student that later lended him many educational opportunities and connections later in his life.
These connections became very important to Campbell later in his life not only for social interaction and comfort but they also illustrate his impact on the greater educated and literary communities. Subseries I: Art, 1815-1848 Subseries I: Art, 1815-1848 is arranged chronologically and contains various mediums of art which depict Thomas Campbell including engravings, lithographs, and even a drawing. Some notable artists contained within the subseries include A. Collas, B. Holl, D.M. Nee, Henry Richard Cook, H. Meger, William Hopwood, Sir Thomas Lawrence, Sir Thomas. Lawrence, Edward Francis Finden, and even Thomas Campbell himself. The vast majority of the pieces contained within the subseries are no more than portraits of the figure, however some reference Pleasures of Hope; one of, if not, the most famous works produced by Thomas Campbell. Subseries II: Manuscripts, 1796-1838 Subseries II: Manuscripts, 1796-1838, is arranged chronologically by date and contains poems and correspondence written by Thomas Campbell, Scottish poet. The various types of manuscripts include correspondence with individuals such as William Withering, John Richardson, W.Y. Ottley, and Mrs Marryatt. This series includes around nine primary sources relating to Thomas Campbell that span across various types of written media including poems, biographical sketches, and letters.
Major themes for his poetry in the series fit in with his larger career of poetic works as they cover war related violence, tragedy, and heartache. Oconnor’s child Or Love lies bleeding and the section from Hallowed Ground may not have been his most influential or well known pieces but even still they help to preserve and shape the complex overarching narrative of his writing.
The biographical sketch and the letters help to create a more well-rounded description of who Campbell actually was by showing how others viewed him, his values in daily life, and how he honestly interacted with the people in his life. The sketch is wholly unfinished but does show a fascination with his early life as it covers his beginnings and primary education. His prowess in Greek in these early stages seemed to help shape his career as a high achieving student that later lended him many educational opportunities and connections later in his life.
These connections became very important to Campbell later in his life not only for social interaction and comfort but they also illustrate his impact on the greater educated and literary communities.
Repository Details
Part of the Wilkes University Archives Repository
Contact:
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu