FRAZ/1-4 consists of four boxes containing just over 575 letters, most of them addressed to J. G. Frazer. The letters span 1888-1941, but the bulk date from the 1920s and 1930s, and primarily concern Frazer’s works and related personal business. An alphabetic sequence of letters spans the four boxes, preceded by a shorter one of 62 letters in FRAZ/1, and succeeded by a collection of 110 letters written to congratulate Frazer on the award of the Order of Merit in FRAZ/4. FRAZ/1 is unusual in that it includes the only original letters from J. G. Frazer in the papers (29 of them: Items 4-29, 39, 42-43); there are also thirteen typed copies of his letters in this box (Items 44-54, 82 and 84) dating from the 1930s, after Frazer's eyesight failed and a secretary was employed. There are 9 original letters from Lilly Frazer to William James Lewis (Items 30-38), and a copy of a letter from Lilly to Sir John Myres (Item 55). Three other copies of James's letters from the late 1930s appear in boxes 2-4 (Items 2/95, 3/43, 3/47), and there is also a draft of a letter to Lord Stamfordham in box 4 (Item 119). Two other copies of letters from Lilly appear in box 3: to R. R. Marett (Item 3) and Norman Parley (Item 44).
Hindhead. - Mrs Sickert and Oswald think she might be able to do the German translation of Trevelyan's play ["The Bride of Dionysus"] which [Donald] Tovey has set to music; she is doubtful, since the work would need to be done by someone who was an experienced writer as well as musician. Would be able to judge better if she could read the play. Mrs Sickert suggests they should meet at Pembroke Lodge; she could make next Tuesday, Thursday or Friday.
29 Beaufort Street, Chelsea SW. - He and Goldie [Dickinson] start tomorrow to bicycle to Failand: asks whether Trevelyan will be at Welcombe and able to put them up on Saturday night. If Trevelyan is not staying on at Welcombe, asks him to keep away from town for a day or two to give Mrs Smith a holiday, since they have 'played such a Box & Cox game that she hasn't had any as yet'
Chapter 14 - The News Chronicle; Chapter 15 - Newsprint; Chapter 16 - The Field Case.
Full Title, 'Changes in the Relative Wages of Miners, Textile Workers, Iron and Steel Workers, Agricultural Labourers etc., Domestic Servants, and the Extent to Which These Changes are due to Variations in the Quality of the Work and the Faculties Required in the Several Groups'.
The Economic Situation of Austria: report presented to the Council of the League of Nations by Walter Layton and Charles Rist.
(The note relates to the phrase ‘Let the galled jade wince’ (Hamlet, III. ii. 231-2). It was probably sent to Aldis Wright when he was working on the Clarendon Press edition of the play, published in 1872. The edition of Wyclif cited is that of 1871, and the note is written on part of a draft of Skeat’s edition of Joseph of Arimathie, published the same year (cf. p. 70).)
The properties referred to are ‘the Mannor of Swantons in Folsham [Foulsham] 2 Messauages 1 Toft 120 acres of land & severall other parcells in Folsham [Foulsham] Norwich Bintre [Bintree] Geyst [Guist] Geystweyt [Guestwick] Twiford [Twyford] billingford Sparham & the advowson of Twiford [Twyford] Church’.
Documentary about the history of Charles University prepared for the 650th anniversary of its foundation.
Sackville Street. Gives a defence of the Austrian loan
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.