The letters are to John Murray III, John Murray IV and Hallam Murray. The letters for 1885-1886 concern the preparation and publication of “A selection from the correspondence of Abraham Hayward, Q.C. From 1834-1884” (1886), edited by Henry Carlisle. The others mostly concern Carlisle`s proposal to publish a memoir of the 5th Duke of Newcastle, and discussions over the content and argument of the manuscript. Despite being advertised by Carlisle under the title “The life of the Duke of Newcastle” the work was not published.
The letters are arranged chronologically.
1885: folios 1-33;
1886: folios 34-114 [Note];
1887: folios 115-139;
1888, 1890-1891: folios 140-165;
1892: folios 166-182;
1893-1894: folios 183-192;
1895: folios 193-240;
1896: folios 241-257;
1897, 1899, 1902-1903: folios 258-272.
Undated notes, ?1885-?1886, by Henry Carlisle that appear to concern the content and structure of “A selection from the correspondence of Abraham Hayward, Q.C. From 1834-1884”. Folios 273-278.
[Note.]
Folios 96-97. Manuscript, 28 October 1886, “Another Lochinvar. After Scott. (Marm: C.V.XII)”, a political satire in verse by Henry Carlisle. The verse concerns Lord Randolph Churchill at the time of his increased prominence in the Government of Lord Salisbury, autumn 1886. The manuscript was sent as an enclosure to Carlisle’s letter to ?John Murray III, 2 November 1886 (folios 94-95).