Showing 11 results

Standlands, River, Petworth, Sussex.—Refers to his catalogue of English manuscripts in the Library of Trinity College (see O.11.5), and to his plan—long since abandoned—of compiling a corpus of all English manuscript works down to 1500.

—————

Transcript

Standlands, River, Petworth, Sussex
25 Sept. 1944

Dear Bennett

When I drew up that catalogue of 100 English MSS at Trinity, at the time I was librarian, I naturally hoped that the College might see its way to print it. Then came the last war and any idea of the sort had of course to be abandoned. By the time things settled down again I was busy in other fields, and moreover the catalogue I knew had become in some respects out of date. Had I examined it I should probably also have found it unsatisfactory. So I did no more about it and finally deposited the MS in the Library for the use of any one who might be interested. I need hardly say that it is at the disposal of you or of any body else who should be able to use it as a basis for further work.

During the last war I dreamed of compiling a corpus of all English manuscript works down to 1500. It would have been a big undertaking. I estimated, on a very rough basis, that there [are] some 5000 MSS surviving, exclusive of legal and diplomatic documents, private letters, and collections of recipes. I envisaged the work in three parts. (1) A catalogue, possibly roughly chronological, of the actuall† MSS, with full bibliographical descriptions, giving particular attention to the make-up and growth of the MSS when these were not written all at one time. (2) A catalogue of the works they contained, giving the MSS of each and such information as was possible concerning the relation of the MSS. (3) An atlas containing some hundreds of facsimiles of pages from the manuscripts, especially the dated or datable ones, with transcripts and palaeographical notes. I also had in mind a catalogue of all works to 1500 giving a brief literary account of each with and† specimen of some 50 lines transcribed exactly from the oldest or most authentic MS. An ambitious project! which I need not say I have long since abandoned.

Best wishes

Yours
W. W. Greg

—————

Marked at the head in pencil, ‘Letter to H S Bennett, Emmanuel College, given by H S Bennett to Trinity College Library.’

The full title is ‘A | Descriptive Catalogue | of Manuscripts | written in the English Language | to the year 1500 | preserved in the Library of | Trinity College, Camb. | compiled by W. W. Greg | sometime Librarian | between 1907 & 1914’.

The title on the front free endpaper is 'Autographs | Collected by | Henry Coggin | Trinity College, Cambridge'.

Pasted to the leaves of the book are about 120 signatures cut from letters or other documents and 6 letters. The first group of signatures (f. 1r) are those of all the Masters of the College from Robert Smith (Master, 1742–68) to W. H. Thompson (Master, 1866–86) except William Lort Mansel, the space where the latter would go being occupied by the pencil note, ‘Have not yet got this Autograph’. The autograph of Henry Montagu Butler, who succeeded Thompson as Master, appears later in the book, as Coggin had already obtained it when Butler was a Fellow.

The Masters’ signatures are followed by those of various senior and notable members of the College, including Fellows, noblemen, prize-winners, high-achieving graduates, and sportsmen. They include the signature of the Marquess of Lorne, who later married Queen Victoria’s daughter Princess Louise, and who, Coggin notes, was ‘One of last of the Fellow Commoners, who wore blue gowns with silver lace & were allowed to dine at the Fellows table’, and a few pages later is the autograph of I. J. Jermy, admitted in 1840, who Coggin notes was ‘Murdered with his Father at Stanfield Hall Norfolk Nov[embe]r 28th 1848 by James Blomfield Rush who was hung at Norwich April 21st 1849’. Below this is the only autograph of a female in the book, that of Eliza Chasteney, identified as ‘Lady’s Maid to Mrs Jermy Sen[io]r who in attempting to save her Mistress’s Life from the Murderous designs of the villian [sic] Rush was wounded in several parts of the body.’

The signatures are followed on ff. 9r-11r by five complete letters. Inside the front cover is a letter to the College Librarian from the donor. See the individual descriptions for details.

Transcript

Brookside, Bolton Avenue, Windsor
15. June '43.

Dear Sir,

In going through the books of my late Father's library recently {1} and coming across the enclosed, I thought some parts of this collection might be of interest to you. Should this be so, would you please keep the whole, taking from it any parts of special interest.

This collection was made by my Grandfather, who I believe was a Clerk in the College Kitchens in about the '60's or '70's of the last century. He lived all his working life in Cambridge, hence his local as well as College interest.

The signatures "Waldegrave" and "A. P. Humphrey" would have reference to Birley shooting; as the "author" was a member of the first English VIII to compete in an international; in Belgium. Other signatures will mostly be familiar to you.

Yours faithfully,
H. F. F. Coggin.

The Librarian, Trinity Coll., Cambridge.

—————

{1} The writer's father was the Rev. Henry Thomas John Coggin (1851-1942).

Transcript

50 Wilton Crescent {1}
Saturday | April 26' {2}

My dear Humphry

Thanks for the lunch we will appear at 2.pm. Certainly enter me for scratch fours please. I am glad I have hit off something. I must come and look at the Parade also on Monday. If you have not yet entered for Middlesex Assoc' Meeting don't till I have seen you.

In Haste
Yrs very truly
Waldegrave

—————

Black-edged paper.

{1} Waldegrave's London residence.

{2} '1873' has been added in pencil.

Transcript

Trinity College | Cambridge
March 22d {1} | '73

Dear Professor Humphry,

Let me thank you for the honour which you have done to my office in proposing to me to be a member of the Committee for preparing a memorial to Professor Sedgwick {2}. I shall be happy to render any assistance in my power to carrying out the object proposed.

Yrs vy truly {3}
B F Westcott

—————

{1} The second figure is indistinct.

{2} Adam Sedgwick had died on 27 January.

{3} This line is indistinct.

Transcript

Trinity Lodge
June 17. 1874

Dear Professor Humphry

I enclose a copy which I have somewhat hastily drawn up of the speech I made in Trinity last evening. I have had very little time to look on it, & very possibly you may find grammatical & other errors in it.

Yrs very faithfully
Devonshire

Professor Humphry.

—————

Black-edged paper.

Transcript

Farringford, Freshwater, Isle of Wight
April 4th 1873

Sir,

I beg to enclose a cheque for 10£ if I may be allowed to offer this small contribution to the Sedgwick Memorial.

I have the honour to be
Your very obedient servant
A Tennyson

Transcript

Grove Lodge | Cambridge
7 Oct. 1896

Dear Sir,

I wish to thank you very sincerely for your kind and welcome letter of sympathy {1}.

I hope you are having fair health and enjoying your leisure.

Yours faithfully
A. P. Humphrey

Mr H. Coggin

—————

Black-edged paper.

{1} The writer's father, Sir G. M. Humphry, had died at his home, Grove Lodge, on 24 September.