Showing 81331 results

Oak Lodge, Exmouth. - Notes Gow's 'kind gift of the bound volume of your Sketch [a memoir of her brother A. E. Housman'; encloses postcard of painting of Humphrey Holden, which 'hung in the Trinity College room of A. E. Housman' and is now owned by Mrs Symons.

Pencil caption "Kempson" below photograph of a boy.

Commercial print, number 26471 at bottom left.

On headed notepaper for the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway, Manchester. - Is grateful to Houghton for his 'generous offer to have given me your support at Pontefract in the event of my having consented to stand for the Borough'; was 'very greatly pleased' with Milnes' friend Peel and 'shall do all I possibly can to secure his return'; has recently spoken in his favour at a meeting of the '"advanced" liberals', and a report subsequently appeared in the Examiner & Times.

Glad that Houghton has made up his stock sufficiently to qualify as a director of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway; there is no vacancy at present but will propose his name as soon as one appears.

Concerning Milnes' Observations on the History of Thomas Earl of Lancaster.

E. I. Coll. - Thanks WW for sending him a copy of his paper on the application of mathematics to political economy ['Mathematical Exposition of Some Doctrines of Political Economy', 1829]: 'I have looked over it with great interest; but I am ashamed to say that, never having been very familiar with the present algebraic notation, and for a great many years having been quite unaccustomed to it, I cannot follow you as I could wish, without more attention and application than I can give to the subject in the midst of our College examinations'. Nevertheless TRM thinks WW's conclusions are fairly just, and believes in certain cases mathematical calculations could be applied with advantage to Political Economy - 'particularly with a view to determine the different degrees in which certain objects are affected, under different hypotheses. The grand difficulty however, with a view to practicability, is the getting data to work upon, sufficiently near the truth; and such as can be stated distinctly in mathematical language. In many cases where one should wish to come to definite conclusions I should fear this was quite impracticable. I have long thought that these are many of the results in political economy which have some resemblance to the problems de maximes et minimes, such as the most favourable division of landed property, neither too great nor too small; and the most advantageous proportions, (with a view to the permanent increase of wealth) in which the whole produce of capital should be divided between the capitalists and labourers. But I do not see how such propositions could be put into proper language for a fluxional solution, varying as the result must do with the fertility of soils and the productiveness of capitals'. TRM thinks that the points WW discusses in his paper are more manageable - 'though perhaps all your axioms may not be sufficiently general. Does your third include cases of the saving of labour, where new land may be cultivated without an increase in the value of the produce? And does your fourth include the case of an increased demand with the same supply? I think it might have been difficult to proceed without the supposition of a limiting soil on which the cost of production is determined. And yet this, and all the conclusions in the latter part of Mr P. Thompson's essay belong entirely to the New theory of Rent ['An Exposition of Fallacies on Rent, Tithes,etc...Being in the Form of a Review of the Third Edition of Mr Mill's Elements of Political Economy', 1826], and not to what he calls the True Theory which he at first proposes to substitute for it, namely the kind of monopoly from which the price of Tokay arises. This had indeed been the usual view of the subject; and the particular object of my original pamphlet on R[ent] to which Mr Ricardo refers, was to shew the doctrine [of] ordinary rent, and the rent arising from a common street monopoly, such as a Tokay vineyard. I quite agree with Mr P. Thompson that the productions of soil are not necessary to the exactness of rent, as I repeatedly expressed in print long before he wrote. But as productions of soil do actually take place in all countries, all the practical questions relating to places and tithes must be essentially modified by them. Mr Thompson states most correctly, as I have often stated to Mr Ricardo that taxes on raw produce, or tithes, throw lands of a certain quality out of cultivation, or prevent their being cultivated, and in this way fall on rent, on the other hand if the supply were unaffected by the tax it would, as you partly observe fall on the consumer. But these questions do not apply at all to a Tokay vineyard: The actual value of corn is necessary to its actual supply in the exacting quantity (newly), but the same quantity of Tokay would continue to be supplied at a much lower value. The permanent rise in the value of corn is strictly limited by the circumstance of its being the necessary food of the demanders. The rise in the value of Tokay has no limit but the wealth and caprice of a few consumers. I cannot but think therefore that it was an unfortunate comparison and the essay would have been totally inapplicable to real state of things if he had adhered to it. Can we suppose that the capital employed on good land is 2[,] 3 or 4 times that which is employed on the same quantity of any poor land? Sometimes the revenue is the fact. By the bye, you have inadvertently said that Mr Ricardo maintains that a tax on wages must fall on the labourers. He says it must full on profits. But the error does not affect your illustration of the use of mathematics in Pol. Economy which is a very good one'.

58 Montagu Square, London, W.—His health did not suffer by the journey. He got to the ‘diagram man’ just in time to prevent him spoiling them. The experiment will not ‘come off’, but he will repeat the lecture elsewhere in order to do it. ‘Miladi’ (Lady Pollock) has written to her.

(Dated Thursday. The reference to ‘Miladi’ (Lady Pollock) suggests that the letter was written after 23 August 1870, when her husband succeeded to the baronetcy. A reference to Cambridge suggests a date before September 1871, when Clifford moved to London.)

—————

Transcript

59 Montagu Square, London, W. {1}

Dearest Mama

I am very much better and did not take any cold on the journey. Mitchell was a great brick and took all possible care of me, and I kept wrapped up all the way. Walter met me on the station and carried me off in a cab. I have been lying down a good deal, and only appeared for a short time last night. This morning I breakfasted in bed, but got to the diagram man only just in time; for he is very stupid and would have spoilt all the diagrams {2} in another day. The experiment I am afraid won’t come off; but I can’t be beaten in that way, and shall repeat the lecture somewhere else on purpose to do it—perhaps make a Sunday lecture of it at Cambridge. This afternoon I have been consulting authorities at the Royal institution, and am rather tired; but now I shall take a long rest. Miladi says she wrote to you this morning but is not sure that Walter has not made a mistake about posting it. I have got some more poppy-heads. How are Edie’s throat and Kitty’s tooth and your indigestion? Now I must stop and have some tea, and send the letter to post; so good-bye.

Your most loving son.
Willie.

Thursday afternoon.

—————

Black-edged paper.

{1} The home of (William) Frederick Pollock.

{2} Probably diagrams for a lecture. As the next sentence indicates, the lecture had originally been intended to include an experiment.

The numbered papers are a.34, a.16-a.19, a.22.

Includes 2 letters from the British Photographic Research Association (F.C. Toy), July 1924, re calibrated wedges.

Small black notebook inscribed 'Gekauft 2.9.1936', includes diary entries November 1936-August 1938, with visits to Copenhagen, Sweden, Norway, addresses, notes on correspondents, drawings, calculations on 'Badewanne', etc. Both ends of book used.

[Sent from Cambridge]:- Regrets that he cannot accept his Aunt [Henrietta?] Croft's invitation as he is engaged every morning from 8 to 2. Hopes to be able to go over to Bedford sometime, but it must be in vacation time. Talks of arrangements for meeting in winter, but announces that he wishes to spend the last month of the vacation in Cambridge learning Hebrew. Reports on Arthur's health and states that he is very cheerful and jolly. Hopes that William is coming to stay with him at the end of term. Comments on the weather, which had turned that day into 'what foreigners call "English weather".' Remarks that he was often taken for a Londoner in Germany. Reports that he is engaged now six hours a day 'in pure talking', and teaches for two hours a week at the Working Men's College; amongst others there, he instructs 'a converted Jew in the rudiments of Latin', who was 'brought by a queer enthusiastic Syrian traveller' whom they have among their fellows. Sends his love to his aunt and uncle [William and Stephana], and sends Arthur's love to his mother.

Florence. 6 Lungarno Torrigiani. 1ᵒ pᵒ [primo piano]. Envelope addressed to Browning at 19 Warwick Crescent, Upper Westbourne Terrace, London. - Death of Miss Isabella Blagden; attended her funeral yesterday; she had been slightly unwell since her return from England this winter. She 'has not ceased to live, as Bibi [his daughter Imogen] and I know, for we have had tidings of her through Regina, whom you remember' [Kirkup was a spiritualist and believed that he remained in communication with his first wife Regina, who died in 1856].

Isabella Blagden is buried near Browning's wife, south of her monument, 'the most magnificent in the place'. Remembers that Browning was dissatisfied in some way with 'Mr Leighton's part in the erection' but not 'in what way it was imperfect'; assures Browning that 'its general effect is imposing'.

Further discussion of spirits: they are 'alive & kicking - that is, flying with their legs, as I have often dreamed - none of our spirits have wings. They are like my master Fuseli's angels, who float by Will, not by wings'. Has 'obtained four photographs of spirits, real ones, not artificial imitations, which wd have been perfectly impossible with my precautions'.

Has much to tell Browning but cannot write or read for long; has parted with his books, 'besides, thieves had begun to steal the most valuable'. Has had to leave his old house as his landlord wanted to live there and has 'altered it and spoiled it'; his new house is 'prettier' with a 'much finer prospect. I see the Cupola as I lie in bed'. Invites Browning to visit him before he moves in May to Leghorn [Livorno], on the instructions of Isacco [a spirit]. Bibi is as tall as Regina was; has had her legitimised 'at Regina's pressing request' and she is now a 'courtesy Baroness... all vanity!'

Asks how [Browning's son] 'Penino' is; also enquires after Robert Lytton, Henry Layard, 'the poet Wilberforce' and Frederick Locker. Asks who 'Mr Addington Symonds' is: he has sent Kirkup his book on Dante. Asks whether Miss [Fanny?] Haworth is married. Never sees the Landors: gives news of 'Carlino' [Charles], Walter, and Julia. [Thomas] Trollope has 'been obliged to sell his villa, books & every thing - he had married his daughter's governess'; believes they are all in England [in fact they had moved to Rome]. Florence is 'much changed & immensely increased - millions on millions spent in building when it was the capital'; now 'no English' there.

Signs off, but adds a long postscript: spiritualism ('Spirits are almost my only friends here'); does Browning see the Rossettis or Trelawny? Discusses Lady Westmorland and her family, and Lady William [Russell?]. Has received two copies of Forster's life of Landor; wonders if he can send one back. Hates the Florentines 'for their treatment of Dante's monuments'; asks if Browning has a copy of the Arundel Society reproduction of Kirkup's sketch.

Encouragement during tripos, football more humane than hunting: Acton