20 ALS and 2 autograph manuscripts by Chandos Leigh, first Baron Leigh of Stoneleigh. Almost all of the letters were written during his travels on the Continent. Ten were written to his parents and sister in 1818-19 while he was on the grand tour. Letters from Switzerland and the Alps describe the scenery, particularly near Vevey and Lake Como, and refer to the writings of Rousseau, Byron, and Thomas Moore. Letters from Florence and Rome detail his responses to art and architecture, particularly the Venus de Medici, the sculpture of Canova and Thorvaldsen, and "the pride, pomp and circumstance" of Roman Catholic churches and ceremonies, which "must disgust the severe taste of the English traveller." Leigh also mentions Lord Byron, Lady Drury and Lord Beauchamp, the "set of regular English Dandies" and English ladies in Rome, the unattractiveness of Roman women, and his own purchase of a Salvator Rosa painting and Three letters to Sir Egerton Brydges, written during the Leigh family's stay in Switzerland in 1837, concern Leigh's poetry, his health, and a possible visit. His letters to his nephew Frederick Colvile contain news of his health and family; travel descriptions; and advice on Colvile's education. A March 1836 letter announces that the trustees of Rugby School have "unanimously decided in favour of Dr. Arnold;" a December 1837 letter comments that "Dr. Newman's book" (Lectures on Justification?) "contains much that is...to an ordinary man unintelligible." Other topics include the 1850 death of Sir Robert Peel and Leigh's own Liberal Party politics. The collection also contains autograph manuscripts of two poems by Leigh: "The First Days of Spring" and "Hymn for the Consecration of the Church on Westwood Heath."
Description:
Chandos Leigh (1791-1850) was educated at Harrow School, where he met Lord Byron, and Christ Church, Oxford, following which he made the grand tour with Philip Shuttleworth. A distant cousin of Jane Austen's, and a generous literary patron to Leigh Hunt and others, Leigh privately published over two dozen collections of his own poems and essays. He was created Baron Leigh of Stoneleigh in May, 1839. Leigh traveled several times to the Continent for his heath, but died of apoplexy in Bonn in September of 1850; he was succeeded by his eldest son, William Henry Leigh. and Accompanied by a container list.
Subject (Geographic):
Europe., Alps, Florence (Italy), Italy, Rome (Italy), and Switzerland
Subject (Name):
Byron, George Gordon Byron, Baron, 1788-1824., Brydges, Egerton, Sir, 1762-1837., Canova, Antonio, 1757-1822., Colvile, Frederick Leigh, 1819-1886., Leigh, Chandos, 1791-1850., Leigh, Chandos, 1791-1850, Leigh, James Henry, 1765-1823., Leigh, Julia, d. 1871., Leigh, Julia Twisleton, d. 1843., Newman, John Henry, Saint, 1801-1890., Peel, Robert, 1788-1850, Rousseau, Jean-Jacques, 1712-1778, Thorvaldsen, Bertel, 1770-1844., Catholic Church, and Rugby School.
Subject (Topic):
Books and reading, Death and burial, Influence, Customs and practices, Authors, English, Dandies, English literature, Grand tours (Education), Tourism, Travelers' writings, English, Description and travel, Social life and customs, and Religious life and customs
Manuscript, in a single hand, of a description of the author's tour through France and Italy in 1770, traveling with his master Robert Fellowes and Thomas Durrant, and recording his interactions with the inhabitants, curious sights, local hygienic practices, and traveling conditions. At one point he writes that he fell 14 times from his horse, while in Aquapendente he witnesses a postboy beating the horses "in a most unmerciful manner." In Bologna, he records news of banditti "which infested this part of the Country consisting of upwards of 40 men." He also climbs Mount Vesuvius "about two years since there was a dreadful eruption," where he walks on rough lava and ashes "in many places knee deep." Elsewhere, he notes the practice in Italy of hanging ladies' negligees out of coach windows and the presence of lice on the Italian nobility; and expresses his regret at the lack of diversions during this season of the year, as he should have been "very glad to have been here at the time of the Carnival when all kinds of diversions are allowed, such as Plays, Operas, Maskings, Horseraces &c." and At the conclusion of the manuscript, the author describes his return to England in excellent health and his gratitude to his "indulgent master" Mr. Durrant; addresses the manuscript to his father; and signs it "J Deeker London March 12th 1770." Bound in throughout the manuscript are 13 maps, colored in red and green representing stages of the author's journey, and 11 pen and wash drawings of such scenes as Trajan's pillar at Rome; Remains of three taverns where St Paul met his friends; and the Palace of the duke of Tuscany at Florence. A wash drawing entitled "Mons. D-r [Deeker] riding post", probably copied from Henry William Bunbury's print "Courier francois", is also bound in.
Description:
James Deeker was one of the first aeronauts in England. His hot-air balloon ascent in Norwich in June, 1785, was witnessed by Horace's nephew, George, the 3rd Earl of Orford., In English., Index of places visited at end of manuscript, as well as a mileage chart and a "List of Painters &c." which lists artists' names and brief biographies., On flyleaves, two pages in pencil recording "Interesting Remarks" and their page numbers., Autograph in pencil on flyleaf: ER Pratt. April 1812., Bookplate of Roger Pratt. Written in pencil on bookplate: Ryston Hall. Norfolk., and Binding: full reverse calf. Marbled endpapers. Stamped on spine: Deeker's Journal. Written on spine: 1770.
Subject (Geographic):
Europe., Europe, France, Italy, and Vesuvius (Italy)
Subject (Name):
Deeker, James.
Subject (Topic):
Grand tours (Education), Tourism, Travelers' writings, English, Ruins, Social life and customs, and Description and travel
Two scrapbooks containing a collection of mostly 18th century engravings and etchings, some of which are purported to have belonged to Horace Walpole, organized thematically. With four original drawings, including a watercolor and wash drawing of the Neapolitan painter Luca Jordano signed by J.B. Catenaro, an unsigned portrait in red crayon of Cornelius Jansen, a pencil portrait of an unknown woman, and another small pencil drawing of a landscape. The first volume contains etchings and engravings of English villages and rural scenes including the farm house and printing house at Strawberry Hill and two vignettes of Strawberry Hill; topographical scenes in Surrey and Twickenham; etchings of Roman scenes; portraits of eminent historical and contemporary political figures and The second volume begins with a series of 192 small French engravings of women, which document the hair styles and hat fashions in the 17th and 18th centuries, all engraved by Dupin or Desrais. A second series of the 48 engravings from Wenceslaus Hollar's Theatrum mulierum depict the costumes of 17th century women (mostly) in Europe. These prints are followed by 29 small engravings by C. Heath of prominent British politicians and writers of the 18th century. The final pages include several portraits of contemporary British and French figures as well as the plates drawn and engraved by Henry Moses for A series of twenty-nine designs of modern costume published in London by E. and C. M'Lean in 1823
Description:
In English and French. and Recovered in cloth with marble boards.
Subject (Geographic):
Europe, Great Britain, Europe., Great Britain., and England
Subject (Name):
Damer, Anne Seymour, 1748 or 1749-1828., Giordano, Luca, 1634-1705, and Janssen van Ceulen, Cornelius, 1593-1661.
Subject (Topic):
Costume, History, Hairstyles, Authors, English, Politicians, Fashion, Clothing and dress, and Social life and customs
Two scrapbooks containing a collection of mostly 18th century engravings and etchings, some of which are purported to have belonged to Horace Walpole, organized thematically. With four original drawings, including a watercolor and wash drawing of the Neapolitan painter Luca Jordano signed by J.B. Catenaro, an unsigned portrait in red crayon of Cornelius Jansen, a pencil portrait of an unknown woman, and another small pencil drawing of a landscape. The first volume contains etchings and engravings of English villages and rural scenes including the farm house and printing house at Strawberry Hill and two vignettes of Strawberry Hill; topographical scenes in Surrey and Twickenham; etchings of Roman scenes; portraits of eminent historical and contemporary political figures and The second volume begins with a series of 192 small French engravings of women, which document the hair styles and hat fashions in the 17th and 18th centuries, all engraved by Dupin or Desrais. A second series of the 48 engravings from Wenceslaus Hollar's Theatrum mulierum depict the costumes of 17th century women (mostly) in Europe. These prints are followed by 29 small engravings by C. Heath of prominent British politicians and writers of the 18th century. The final pages include several portraits of contemporary British and French figures as well as the plates drawn and engraved by Henry Moses for A series of twenty-nine designs of modern costume published in London by E. and C. M'Lean in 1823
Description:
In English and French. and Recovered in cloth with marble boards.
Subject (Geographic):
Europe, Great Britain, Europe., Great Britain., and England
Subject (Name):
Damer, Anne Seymour, 1748 or 1749-1828., Giordano, Luca, 1634-1705, and Janssen van Ceulen, Cornelius, 1593-1661.
Subject (Topic):
Costume, History, Hairstyles, Authors, English, Politicians, Fashion, Clothing and dress, and Social life and customs
