| Letter from William Congreve to John
Paltock regarding a South Sea dividend Date: 1723 Shelfmark: MS. Eng. c. 7903, fol. 1 Extent: 1 leaf Scope and Content: There is a note on the verso on behalf of Mess. Snow and Paltock and signed by Nicholas Mottershead, 5 March 1722 [1723 N.S.]. The name Robt Cole is embossed on the upper right hand side of the page, apparently a collector's stamp. Biographical History: For further biographical details of William Congreve see the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Acquisition:Purchased from Christopher Edwards, Sept. 2007. Sponsored by The Polonsky Foundation, David Booth and John Blackett-Ord, Duke Humfrey's Night, 2 Oct. 2010. |
| Handwritten poem by T.W.H.
Crosland entitled 'Real Hate' Date: n.d [c. 1914-18] Shelfmark: MS. Eng. c. 7903, fols. 2-3 Extent: 2 leaves Scope and Content: The poem begins: "Let us all sit together / And concentrate / In solemn troops / ['And sweet societies' crossed out] / And bulge out our eyes / And hate"; and ends: "Say after me / 'Oh how I hate the Kaiser / Oh how I hate the Kaiser!' ". The subject matter probably dates the poem to the war years 1914-18. It appears to be unpublished, and the creasing suggests that it was screwed up at some point. The authorship was identified from an accompanying envelope (fol. 3) bearing the initials T. W. H. C. The handwriting matches that in a letter by Crosland in the Asquith papers (MS. Asquith 26, fol. 125). The poem includes deletions and insertions in the same hand. The style of wrting is similar to some of Crosland's published poems, and his wartime poetry was published in War poems, by 'X' (London, 1916). Biographical History: For further information see W. Sorley Brown, The Life and Genius of T.W.H. Crosland (London, 1928). Acquisition:Purchased via Ebay, June 2010. Sponsored by Mike Webb, Duke Humfrey's Night, 2 Oct. 2010. |
| Letter from Edward Luttrell to his kinsman Narcissus
Luttrell Date: 7 Feb. 1681 Shelfmark: MS. Eng. c. 7903, fol. 4 Extent: 1 leaf Scope and Content: Edward describes the difficulties of finding accommodation for Narcissus in Oxford a month before the elections to the third Exclusion Parliament held in the city. Biographical History: Edward Luttrell is possibly the crayon portrait painter and engraver (fl. 1680-1724) whose biographical details are in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, where his kinship with Narcissus Luttrell is noted. Acquisition:Purchased from Christopher Edwards, May 2009. Sponsored by Lady Bullard, Susan Jennison and The Honourable Christopher Lennox-Boyd, Duke Humfrey's Night, 2 Oct. 2010. |
| Letters from Samuel Palmer (1805-81), painter and etcher, and
George Richmond (1809-96), portrait
painter Date: 1870-3 Shelfmark: MS. Eng. c. 7903, fols. 5-21 Extent: 17 leaves Scope and Content: Comprises the following letters:
Purchased from Bonhams, 29 Mar. 2011, lots 308-310. Sponsored in part by Christopher Heywood, Jon Stallworthy and Gillian Cocksut, Duke Humfrey's Night, 15 Oct. 2011. Art, British -- 19th century Etching -- 19th century |
| Biographical notes by John Aubrey Date: 1689 Shelfmark: MS. Eng. c. 7903, fols. 22-3 Extent: 1 leaf on guard Scope and Content: Biographical notes by John Aubrey on several contemporaries, evidently prepared for Anthony Wood. It is possible that the remarks informed not only Wood's Athenae Oxoniensis, but also Aubrey's own Brief lives. The notes are written on part of a letter which bears John Aubrey's address in Wood's hand, and mention Fabian Philips, various members of the Wylde family, John Earle and others. On the verso is a note written by Thomas Napier about his father Sir Richard Napier. Biographical History: For further biographical information on John Aubrey and Anthony Wood see the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Acquisition:Purchased at Bonham's sale of Roy Davids' collection, Mar. 2011. Sponsored in part by Anne Abley, Duke Humfrey's Night, 15 Oct. 2011. |
| Portrait drawing of Thomas Hayward by William
Stukeley Date: 1724 Shelfmark: MS. Eng. c. 7903, fol. 24 Extent: 1 leaf Scope and Content: An ink-and-wash portrait by William Stukeley of the Reverend Thomas Hayward, owner of Stonehenge from 1678 until the Bruce family (Earls of Aylesbury) acquired it by marriage. The drawing includes two dates (4 July 1723 and 1724) and the Hayward family coat of arms. On the verso Stukeley notes the dimensions of stones at a prehistoric monument at Avebury. Biographical History: For further biographical details of William Stukeley see the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Acquisition:Purchased from Bernard Quaritch, May 2011. Originally bought by Nicholas Poole-Wilson from Paul Grinke and sold on to Bernard Quaritch. Sponsored by M.J. North in memory of Professor John David North, Duke Humfrey’s Night, 15 October 2011. |
| William Gilpin's letter to Mr
Kirkby Date: 2 Jan. 1777 Shelfmark: MS. Eng. c. 7903, fol. 25 Extent: 1 leaf Scope and Content: The letter mentions Lord Dartmouth, whose sons were at Gilpin’s school at Cheam, and who circulated the manuscript of Gilpin’s tour to Cumberland and Westmorland amongst prospective subscribers, bringing it to the notice of King George III. The ‘papers’ referred to in this letter may be the manuscript for Gilpin’s Scottish Tour, or they may be the alternatives that Gilpin offered to Dartmouth (Kent and Sussex or Norfolk). The antiquary Richard Gough mentioned here was also a member of the inner circle amongst whom Gilpin’s manuscripts circulated. Biographical History: For further biographical details of William Gilpin see the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Acquisition:Purchased from Ken Spelman, July 2010. Sponsored by Marian and Michael Elliott, Duke Humfrey’s Night, 15 October 2011. |