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Re memorial for Sir John Simeon.

With black mourning border [perhaps occasioned by the death of Milnes' mother on 1 May 1847?]. Address printed is 26, Pall Mall, but this has been crossed through and 'Membre du Parlament Brittanique' [sic] added in ink.

Magdalene College, (Cambridge).—Sends and discusses the results of his investigations into the phrase ‘cur of Iceland’ (Henry V, II. i. 40) (see 7/2).

(With an envelope.)

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Transcript

Magd. Coll.
20 March 1880.

My dear Wright,

I have been looking after the “cur of Iceland” {1} and here are some of the results {2}, which are heartily at your service, though I am afraid they are not of much use.

I have not got Wilkin’s big edition of Sir Thomas Browne, but only Bohn’s reprint, in which Theodore Jones’s letters (given in the former) are not included, but only Browne’s summary, which is not much to the purpose, as follows:—

“Besides shocks and little hairy dogs, they bring another sort over, headed like a fox, which they say are bred betwixt dogs and foxes [bosh!]; these are desired by the shepherds of this country” [i.e. England]. {3}

Of the extracts I send herewith that from Sir Wm Hooker’s book is perhaps the best—but the others being from books very little known in this country may have some interest—and Mohr was a very careful observer. Henderson I dare say knew more about Icelandic dogs than any other Englishman, but he does not seem to mention them in his book.

I have not looked at Hamilton’s book but I doubt his having access to any more original authorities than I have given you.

When I was in Iceland in 1858 I had a commission from a lady to bring back an Icelandic dog for her, & I dare say that had I gone more into the interior I could have found a pure-bred one, but I mistrusted the pedigree of the dogs in the Danish trading stations & their neighbourhood, and I cannot be sure that I ever saw a pure-bred example. I saw enough however to know what it would be like, & you can get a very fair notion of one by looking at a “Spitz” or “Pomeranian” without going to Iceland.

It is the fashion to liken (as Hooker does) the Iceland dog to the Esquimaux dog, but I take it there is no real affinity between them—& I should be inclined to suppose the Iceland breed is cognate with the “Spitz” & the real Lapland dog—which itself is a scarce animal, and only seen in its purity (or impurity considering its usual food, at which Thienemann, in the extract I send, hints) in the interior of that country.

Since communication with Iceland has become so easy & frequent of course the breed there has got much mixed. I therefore don’t think it worth looking through the works of recent travellers, especially as none who have been published on the matter have been much of naturalists. I think however that Faber (who was a good man) may have mentioned something about dogs in his many papers on Icelandic zoology, published in the ‘Isis’—but I have never had time to study then even for my own purposes.

Believe me, yours very truly
Alfred Newton.

[Direction on envelope:] W. Aldis Wright, Esq. | Trinity College.

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There are no marks of posting on the envelope.

{1} Cf. Henry V, II. i. 40.

{2} See Add. MS b. 74/7/2.

{3} The square brackets in this sentence are in the MS.

South Collingham, Newark.—Discusses the use of the word ‘shot’ to refer to a piece of land.

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Transcript

Inclosure

South Collingham, Newark
June 20th 1881.

My Dear Sir,

I do not know the book referred to in your letter of the 17th but will certainly make its acquaintance on the first opportunity.

“Shot” is not an uncommon name for plots of land in open i.e. uninclosed fields, but I cannot at present lay my hand on any instance from which the origin of the name could be inferred or illustrated except that inclosed. Two of the “Furlongs” in the open fields of Whitchurch near Stratford on Avon, which I enclosed some years since, were called respectively:—

“Furlong Shooting to Courthill Gate,”
“Furlong Shooting to Merrylands.”

but Shooting is I think only used as equivalent to “extending” and has no connection with the “Shot” in question, as both the Furlongs referred to are nearly rectangular.

The inclosed plan of part of a property which we manage at St Margar[e]ts, Stanstead, near Ware, is very interesting,—for I believe the part (A) shaded with pencil was before the Inclosure known as “Ashley Shot” and it is certainly “Nook Shotten” in the sense you suggest.

My reason for believing that it was called Ashley Shot are (a) that an inclosure now forming part of it is still known as “Ashley Shot Close” and (b) the piece of Common adjacent (B) was as you will observe called “Ashley Shot Common” but I have no doubt I can get oral or at least good traditional evidence of the fact.

I had a notion which I now renounce, that “Shot” as the name of a field or Land meant like “Scot” a proportion of a Tavern Bill; “Scot” the quota of a tax levied on certain Lands. The Lands liable to Drainage tax in the levels of Hatfield Chase are still called “Scotted Lands” and the rates they pay “Scots”—(Scot free—Tax free.) One sense of “Shotten” is certainly “emp-tied.” e.g. a “Shotten Herring” is one that has spawned.

The whole subject of field names is very interesting.—The Field in front of my House which is as flat as a Billiard Table is called the Dale Close, from, I believe, the AS. for a portion,—I have seen a terrier of the time of the Commonwealth describing two “Selions of land in the Dale Close at South Collingham”

I remain, My dear Sir,
Yours very faithfully
J Smith Woolley

W. Aldis Wright Esq,

[Docketed:]
20 June 1881.
Mr Woolley’s letter on ‘Shot’—‘nook shotten’.

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Written by an amanuensis in a legal hand, except for the signature and a correction. The plan which accompanied this letter is missing.

Public Record Office, Rolls House, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.—Sends official papers authorising Aldis Wright to prepare an edition of Robert of Gloucester’s Chronicle.

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Public Record Office, Rolls House,
Chancery Lane, London, W.C
5th Feby 1868 {1}.

My dear Mr Aldis Wright

Herewith you will receive the official announcement that the Master of the Rolls {2} has proposed that you should edit Robert of Gloucester’s Chronicle, and the approval of the Treasury of his Lordships† recommendation. The papers sent with this will give you all the information you will require; if it be not sufficient Luard will, I am sure, tell you all he knows, and if that will not do, you must call on me the first time you come to London, & here learn all I can communicate on the subject.

Ever faithfully yours
T. Duffus Hardy

[Direction on envelope:] W. Aldis Wright Esq. | Trinity College | Cambridge.

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Sent with Add. MS b. 74/11/2–4. The envelope was postmarked at South Kensington Museum; London, W. (‘Official Paid’); and Cambridge, all on 5 February 1868. Printed on the envelope are the words ‘On Her Majesty’s Service’ and ‘Science and Art Department, South Kensington.’

{1} The first two figures of the year are printed.

{2} Lord Romilly.

107 Hill Street, Walworth.—Asks for help in obtaining copying work at the British Museum, and draws attention to his work on Shakespeare’s sonnets.

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Transcript

107 Hill Street | Walworth
March 6./71

Sir

Is it in your power to give or obtain for me any copying at the British Museum. for any such employment I should be exceedingly glad.

Hoping that you have taken some interest in my work upon the Sonnets of Shakspere {1},

I remain
Yours obediently
Henry Brown.

W. A. Wright Esqr MA.

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{1} The previous year Brown had published a book entitled The Sonnets of Shakespeare Solved and the Mystery of his Friendship, Love, and Rivalry Revealed.

(Addressed on the back to T. R. A. Briggs, Portland Villas. Annotated in an unidentified hand.)

"N" 1828 on cover. Includes sketches of geological features.

(London, Derby, Scarborough, Durham, Newcastle, Carlisle, Lakeland, Liverpool, Much Hadham).

Written to Milnes in Italy. Enclosing verse in imitation of Tennyson [no longer present].

Embossed notepaper, Reform Club, Pall Mall. - Encloses invitation to Conversazione of the London of the London and Scottsh Literary Institute, to be held at its rooms, 11 Chandos Street, Cavendish Square. on 23 Jun. 1874. Asks whether Milnes wll consent to be one of the Institute's Vice-Presidents. Printed list of Directors also enclosed.

Barr Cottage, Bishop's Hull, Taunton, Somersetshire. - Was granted £20 by the Royal Literary Fund four years ago; now approaching 77 and less able to support herself though still writing; lost £3000 fortune long ago through deaths of five brothers; brought up her orphaned nephew Joseph Hawkey who has just died in India; seeks Royal Literary Society support.

Grateful for Milnes' part in securing him a Literary Fund grant; would like vacant Assistant-Librarian's post at the British Museum; plans to move to London; cannot do literary work for a living.

Library, British Museum. - Requests loan of £12 as he has taken a house for his growing family; has lived hitherto on two thirds of his income.

With news agency label addressed to A. E. Scanes.

Newport, Rhode Island. - Success of The Scarlet Letter etc in England; Hawthorne has enhanced unpoetic life of New England with a romance of its past; Hawthorne's reclusive habits; encloses an autograph [no longer present]; is sending Hawthorne's last volume, and a pamphlet of his own, via Chapman in the Strand. Report of poor American display at the Great Exhibition will be a timely blow to national vanity, but it does demonstrate America's lack of an underclass 'to produce luxuries for others, while they starve themselves'; hopes the same can be said in 1951 or 2051. Would like to revisit London. Has read Mrs Browning's noble new poem [Casa Guidi Windows] and Companions of My Solitude [by Arthur Helps]. Postscript: letters should always be addressed to Cambridge, Mass.

Includes:
CB/172/1/19/2-3: Notes by John Fryer Thomas on education system at Madras University, [Jan./Feb. 1845?]
CB/172/1/21/3: Letter from Arthur Joseph Street to John Griffiths, 23 Mar. 1845
CB/172/1/30/2-4: Letter from Ann Elizabeth Philips to Caroline Griffiths, 2 Sept. [1869]
CB/172/1/33/3: Letter from Ann Elizabeth Philips to her brother-in-law John Griffiths, 9 Dec. [1870]

Includes:
CB/173/1/43/2: Letter from Alexander William Phillips to his nephew Talbot M. M. Griffiths, 20 Jan. 1881.
CB/173/1/43/3: Letter from Ann Elizabeth Phillips to Talbot M. M. Griffiths, 20 Jan. [1881]

and letter from Rev. E. T. Mortlock

Letters to: Emma Blackburne, née Hesketh; his sister Amelia Jane Milnes; his wife Hon. Henrietta Maria Milnes; his mother Rachael Milnes; his brother Richard Rodes Milnes; his sister-in-law Hon. Frances Jane Monckton; his nephew and son-in-law George Edward Arundell Monckton-Arundell, 6th Viscount Galway; his daughter Henrietta Eliza Monckton-Arundell; John [Thornton, his cousin?]; Mary [Anne Waddington, his sister?].

With additional note from A. Borghi.