Item 35-48 - Letters from James George Frazer

21 pieces

15 letters and two cards, accompanied by a clipping of Frazer's obituary.

Item 35: Dated 15 Dec. [no year]. Thanks him for his testimonial, and while the Aberdeen position is filled, he will endeavour to deserve the kind words in his future work.
Item 36: 23 June 1913 Congratulates him on the Oxford degree, will be sending a new and enlarged ‘Psyche’ and Part VI of the new G.B. to show that he has not been squandering his time or the trust placed in him.
Item 37: 25 June 1914 Thanks him for the congratulations; it is hard to be finished with the work, like the parting of an old friend; was grieved at the death of W. Aldis Wright, happy in his successor.
Item 38: 1 July 1908 Congratulates him on his new honour; asks if he has heard anything more of the Lorimer Fison business; visiting William Wyse.
Item 39: Letter to Sir Henry Cholmondeley Jackson, 26 Feb 1922. Thanks him for the copy of ‘Totemism’ which had belonged to his father; his father’s death has left a ‘sad blank’ at Trinity; wonders if his father had a chance to see his ‘Apollodorus’.
Item 40: 25 Oct 1887 Replies to Jackson’s criticisms and disagrees about the line between consummation and subsequent intercourse, and discusses the limitation of the effusion of blood as well, the value of virginity, and related matters.
Item 41: 27 Oct 1887 more of the same discussion.
Item 42: 9 Nov 1887 sends a copy of ‘Totemism’, sends a theory.
Item 43: 9 Nov 1887 a moment’s discussion with Robertson Smith has shown him the error in a theory.
Item 44: 1 May 1888 Refers to evidence from Samuel Gason on the prohibition of sexual intercourse.
Item 45: 22 Aug 1888 a long letter; discusses the comparison of metaphysics and superstition; asks him to save the letter for Robertson Smith.
Item 46: 24 Aug 1888 thanks him for being a sounding board for his theories, mentions that Robertson Smith is a stern utilitarian whom he does not dare to mention ghosts and spirits to.
Item 47: 18 Apr 1904 Asks his advice about Manchester.
Item 48: 2 May 1904 gives his reason for declining Manchester, encloses a letter from Baldwin Spencer criticising his circumcision theory.
Item marked as 'with 35-48': Undated Thanks him for the letter and cutting, is interested in the different motives and train of thought that influences men in different stages of culture; thinks McLennan treated savages as if they were influenced only by what we consider rational motives
Item marked as 'with 35-48': Undated, Friday asks him to put his last letter in the fire and that he should stick to facts, mentions an East Indian tradition that people leave their souls at home when they go out to fight.
Item marked as 'with 35-48': Card, undated about rules armies have about hair or feces falling into enemy hands where they can make magic with it
Item marked as 'with 35-48': Card undated refers to an article in Anthropological Journal discussing totem clans and rules for burying them in a certain direction.
Item marked as 'with 35-48': The Times obituary for Frazer

Items 35, 40-48 published in Robert Ackerman, J. G. Frazer, His Life and Work Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1987.