The letters are to John Murray III, John Murray IV and Robert Cooke. They concern the publication of various works by, and connected with, Smith, and also his editorship of the “Quarterly Review” (1867-1893). The letters are arranged chronologically.

1870: folios 1-43 [Note 1];

1871: folios 44-67;

1872: folios 68-100 [Notes 2-4];

1873: folios 101-108;

1874: folios 109-128;

1875: folios 129-142;

1876: folios 143-173;

1877: folios 174-243 [Note 5];

1878: folios 244-296 [Note 6];

1879: folios 297-316 [Notes 7-8].

Notes.

[Note 1] Folios 40-41. Letter, 29 September 1870, of Robert Cecil to William Smith who forwarded it to John Murray III, 30 September 1870.

[Note 2] Folios 76-77. Letter, 20 September 1872, of Edmund Ffoulkes to William Smith.

[Note 3] Folios 78-79. Letter, 25 September 1872, of Theodore Martin to William Smith.

[Note 4] Folios 84-85. Part of a letter, [October 1872], of “the writer of the art[icle] on the ‘Completion of St. Paul’s’ ” (folio 82 recto) to William Smith. The letter was forwarded as an enclosure in William Smith’s letter to John Murray III, 19 October [1872] (folios 82-83).

[Note 5] Folios 202-203. Letter, 17 September 1877, of Henry Wace to William Smith.

[Note 6] Folios 271-272. Letter, 2 October 1878, of William Smith to John Murray III, forwarding: (folios 273-275) a letter, 30 September 1878, of Henry Wace to Smith; (folios 276-279) another letter, 1 October 1878, of Wace to Smith enclosing, in turn, (folios 280-281) a letter, 30 September 1878, of Joseph Lightfoot to Wace.

[Note 7] Folios 308-309. Letter, 27 September 1879, of Brownlow Maitland to William Smith. The letter was enclosed in Smith’s letter to John Murray III, 28 September 1879 (folios 305-307).

[Note 8] Folios 315-316. Incomplete letter, [10 October 1879], of William Smith to ?John Murray III.