Manuscript, in a single hand with numerous corrections, of a collection of 15 letters describing life in England, translated into French, possibly from German. The letters discuss English lotteries; the proliferation of newspapers; the constitution and the difficulty of reconciling ideology with practice; Parliamentary elections; literary societies; and the nobility. One letter describes and deplores the cruelty of amusements such as hunting, cock-fighting, and "combats des gladiateurs"; another letter mocks an English law against the illegal wearing of buttons. A letter dated December 14, 1790 discusses the possibility of the abolition of the slave trade; the author declares it is the most talked-of subject of conversation and expresses his astonishment that the trade still exists and The letters are followed by a lengthy essay explaining the Women's March on Versailles on October 5-6, 1789. The volume is prefaced by a note by the translator, who criticizes the motives of many travel writers; says that he was drawn to this letter-writer for his curiosity and interest in humanity; and explains that the writer published two volumes, the first of letters written in Paris and Versailles during the revolution in 1789, and the second of letters in England
Description:
In French., Binding: full calf., and For further information, consult library staff.
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain, Great Britain., England, France, and Versailles (France)
Subject (Name):
Lafayette, Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert Du Motier, marquis de, 1757-1834., Louis XVI, King of France, 1754-1793., and Necker, Jacques, 1732-1804.
Subject (Topic):
Cockfighting, Elections, Hunting, Lotteries, Slave trade, Newspapers, Nobility, Travelers' writings, French, Description and travel, History, Women, Intellectual life, Politics and government, and Social life and customs
Manuscript on paper, in a single hand, of copies of 20 letters from Alured Clarke to Charlotte, Lady Sundon, followed by copies of 4 letters to her from Lord John Hervey and one letter from an unsigned hand. Many of the letters from Clarke concern his patronage of the poet Stephen Duck, in which he discusses his anxiety about exposing Duck to the cruelty of Alexander Pope and "the Dunciad Club," his negotiations with various booksellers and publishers on Duck's behalf, and his high hopes for Duck's poetry after the death of Duck's wife. He also describes books on religion, history, and moral philosophy that he has read; witnesses a presentation of "Indians" to the Queen; and imparts various religious and political news, including Quaker activities. The letters from Hervey consist primarily of descriptions of his own routine social activities as well as those of such notables as the King, Queen, and Duke of Grafton, though he also writes with surprise that Stanislaus has been chosen King of Poland and reports that Benjamin Hoadly, Bishop of Salisbury, is on the brink of being promoted to the bishopric of Winchester, despite his disagreements with Sir Robert Walpole. An unsigned letter dated 1734, sent "by a private hand," discusses the controversial nomination of Thomas Rundle to the see of Gloucester
Description:
Charlotte Clayton, Lady Sundon (c.1679-1742), courtier, married William Clayton (baptised. 1671, died 1752) of Sundon Hall in Bedfordshire before 1714. With the help of the Duchess of Marlborough, Charlotte Clayton was appointed a woman of the bedchamber to Caroline, princess of Wales in 1714. Her considerable influence over Caroline was distressing to Robert Walpole, who accused Clayton of procuring various political favors for her friends., Alured Clarke (1696-1742), was a Church of England clergyman. Ordained by his uncle Bishop Trimnell in 1720, in 1723 he became rector of Chilbolton in Hampshire and a prebendary of Winchester. He was a chaplain-in-ordinary to both George I and George II; in 1731, he became a prebendary of Westminster. Later he became deputy clerk of the closet to George II. Clarke was also a patron; he founded a county hospital at Winchester in 1736 and was a champion of the poet Stephen Duck., John Hervey, second Baron Hervey of Ickworth (1696-1743), was a courtier and writer. On 2 April 1725 he was elected MP for Bury St Edmunds, and entered the Commons as a supporter of Sir Robert Walpole. In 1730, he became vice-chamberlain to the king's household and, consequently, a member of the privy council; and, in 1740, lord privy seal. However, in 1742 Walpole resigned, and that same year Hervey also left public office. He wrote numerous tracts, including Ancient and Modern Liberty Stated and Compared (1734); The Conduct of the Opposition and the Tendency of Modern Patriotism (1734); and Miscellaneous Thoughts (1742). Hervey's Memoirs were published, with some material suppressed, in 1848, and a more complete version was published in 1931., In English., Pasted onto back pastedown: dealer's description of manuscript., Phillipps 18548., Binding: full calf. In gilt on spine: Clarke Sundon Letters., and For further information, consult library staff.
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain. and Great Britain
Subject (Name):
Clarke, Alured, 1696-1742., Duck, Stephen, 1705-1756., Bristol, John Hervey, Earl of, 1665-1751., Hervey, John Hervey, Baron, 1696-1743., Hoadly, Benjamin, 1676-1761., Rundle, Thomas, 1688?-1743., Stanisław I Leszczyński, King of Poland, 1677-1766., Sundon, Charlotte Clayton, Baroness, d. 1742, Walpole, Robert, Earl of Orford, 1676-1745., and Church of England
Subject (Topic):
Bishops, Clergy, Appointment, call, and election, Authors and patrons, Nobility, Social life and customs, and Politics and government
Scrapbook kept by Anne Scafe, containing clippings from London newspapers and magazines, with some clippings from regional and Scottish publications as well as manuscripts and letters from the Spencer and Devonshire family members, including a letter from Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire; from Lady Sarah Lyttelton announcing her marriage; a manuscript poem written by "Caroline Lamb's page" with a watercolor portrait, dated 1807 at Holywell House; a letter recounting the visit of the Grand Duke Nicholas to Chatsworth in December 1816; an account of the death of Lady Charlotte Finch. Many of the clippings center around the announcements of births, marriages, deaths, and the settlement of the estates of these two families and their circle as well as announcements of their social engagements, political activities, scandals, etc. The clippings include references to Horace Walpole; the theatrical world; new inventions; style; foreign travel; domestic and foreign politics, especially the revolution in France and reports on the French royal family and later the Bonaparte family. Also included are autographs of prominent British nobility, including the King, and foreign dignitaries and royalty, In addition to the clippings, the scrapbook includes a variety of ephermal items given to Scafe by members of the extended family such as as well as ephemeral items from their travels, political, and social activities; calling cards and letters of introduction given to Sir William Ponsonby by members of the Russian aristocracy in 1805 and similar items from his trip to Spain in 1809; autographs of foreign royalty; invitations to the funeral of William Pitt a memorial to Lord Nelson, and the trial of Lord Viscount Melville (1805)., Scafe also includes clippings and ephemera of a more general nature: humorous anecdotes, reports on curious events, jokes, odd behaviors; epitaphs, poems, epigrams; advertisements for employment as well advertisements by tradespeople; announcements and broadsides of events such as lottery drawings; several promissary notes; and etchings, Scafe includes two lengthy test: one from The Morning Post's account of the writing of "Modern characters by Shakespear" (published later the same year); and, a transcription of "The butterfy's ball and The grasshopper's feast"., and An engraving entitled "Sunday's amusement" is mounted on a leaf tipped in opposite the front paste-down, a note in pencil indicating that it was formerly pasted over the material on the lining of the front cover (but moved by bookbinder G. Bissell in 1966). Depicted in this satirical print is a family (man, woman, and boy) riding to the left in a carriage in the countryside, a mile marker seen in the lower right; verses are etched on either side of title, beginning "The wealthy cit grown rich by trade ...". Pasted on the following leaf, which is tipped in before the front free endpaper, are trimmed portions of various plates, including plate III (page 805) from Gentleman's magazine, v. 59 (September 1789), which depicts coins and other antiquarian items. Several additional prints are pasted on the verso of the front free endpaper, including four plates (plates 1, 3, 6, and 16) from "The talking bird: or, Dame Trudge and her parrot" which show an old woman's pet parrot being mischievous in various situations; the first plate has the title "The talking bird" at top and the imprint "Publish'd August 20, 1806, by J. Harris, corner of St. Pauls Church Yard, London" at bottom
Description:
Anne Scafe, maidservant of Georgiana Spencer Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire (1757-1806)., Signed by "A. Scafe" on last leaf with a note stating that the volume had been given to her by "the Marquis of Hartingdon", i.e., William George Spencer Cavendish (1790-1858), 6th duke of Devonshire, who also signed and dated the first leaf: "Hartington 1803.", and For further information, consult library staff.
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain and France
Subject (Name):
George III, King of Great Britain, 1738-1820., Bessborough, Henrietta Frances Spencer Ponsonby, Countess of, 1761-1821., Lamb, Caroline, Lady, 1785-1828., Finch, Charlotte, Lady, 1725-1813., Cavendish, Georgiana Spencer, Duchess of Devonshire, 1757-1806., Devonshire, Margaret Georgiana Poyntz, Duchess of, 1736-1814., Devonshire, William Spencer Cavendish, Duke of, 1790-1858., Lyttelton, William Henry Lyttelton, Baron, 1782-1837., Lyttelton, Sarah Spencer, Lady, 1787-1870., Melville, Robert Saunders Dundas, Viscount, 1771-1851., Nelson, Horatio Nelson, Viscount, 1758-1805., Ponsonby, Frederick Cavendish, 1783-1838., Ponsonby, William, Sir, 1772-1815., Scafe, Anne., Bonaparte family., and Roscoe, William, 1753-1831.
Subject (Topic):
Nobility, Social life and customs, and Politics and government