The items in this manuscript mainly relate to Ralph and Mary Milbanke, Lord and Lady Lovelace. There are letters, proofs and other items relating to the publication of ‘Astarte’ by Ralph Milbanke in 1905. In addition, there is correspondence relating to letters of Lord Byron, which were in the possession of Charlotte Carleton, Lady Dorchester, who then bequeathed them to John Murray [IV].

The letters concerning ‘Astarte’ have been ordered before those relating to Byron correspondence in the possession of Lady Dorchester. In both sections, the letters have been placed alphabetically by correspondent before other related material.

Letters relating to ‘Astarte’ by Ralph Gordon Noel King Milbanke, Lord Lovelace:

Letter of Henry John Brown to Sydney Cockerell, 1905: folio 1;

Letter of Sydney Cockerell to John Murray [VI], 1957: folio 2;

Letter of Alfred Edward Housman to Sydney Cockerell, 1912: folios 3-4;

Letters of Mary Caroline Milbanke, Lady Lovelace, to Sydney Cockerell, 1903-1929: folios 5-13;

Letters and one copy of a letter of Ralph Gordon Noel King Milbanke, 2nd Earl of Lovelace, to Sydney Cockerell, including one press cutting, 1902-1906: folios 14-62;

Letters of John Murray [IV] to Sydney Cockerell, 1918: folios 63-64;

Letter of William Michael Rossetti to Sydney Cockerell, with a typed transcript, 1906 and 1957: folios 65-67;

Partial letter between unknown correspondents relating to the destruction of the memoirs of Lord Byron, undated: folios 68-69;

List of letters between Lord Byron, Lady Byron and Augusta Leigh in relation to ‘Astarte’, undated: folio 70;

Proofs, and envelope, of the prefatory material for ‘Astarte’ with notes and corrections in Lovelace’s hand 1905: folios 71-85;

Circular advertising ‘Astarte’, ?1905: folio 86;

Circulars with order form for a new edition of ‘Astarte’ by Ralph, Earl of Lovelace, ?1921: folios 87-88;

Article entitled ‘Lord Byron and Lord Lovelace’ from the ‘Monthly Review’, February 1906: folios 89-99;

Excerpts of sales catalogues sent by Sydney Cockerell to Ralph, Earl of Lovelace, advertising items relating to Lord Byron, including facsimile copies showing page 3 of a letter probably dated 31 Mar 1815, and one page of a letter dated 9 April 1822, 1904-1924 and undated: folios 100-114;

Press cuttings relating to ‘Astarte’ and Lord Lovelace, 1905-1920: folios 115-123;

Items relating to correspondence of Lord Byron in the possession of Charlotte Carleton, Lady Dorchester:

Copy of a letter of Lady Anne Blunt to Mary Caroline Milbanke, Lady Lovelace, 1910: folios 124-125;

Letter of Wilfred Scawen Blunt to Lady Anne Blunt, 1915: folios 126-127;

Visiting card of Charlotte Carleton, Lady Dorchester, undated: folio 128;

Letters of Sir Edward Howard Marsh to Mary Caroline Milbanke, Lady Lovelace, 1922: folios 129-131;

Letters of Mary Caroline Milbanke, Lady Lovelace to Lady Anne Blunt, Judith Anne Dorothea Blunt-Lytton and unknown recipients, ‘Mr Montgomery’ and ‘Mrs Woodward’, with a copy of a statement of Lady Lovelace regarding the publication of letters between Lord Byron and Lady Melbourne, 1906, 1914-1915 and undated: folios 132-150;

Letters of Ralph Gordon Noel King Milbanke, 2nd Earl of Lovelace, to Lady Anne Blunt, enclosing a copy of letter of Lovelace to Sir Francis Edward James Smith 1904: folios 151-154;

Copies of letters of John Murray [IV] to Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery, and Mr Colville, 1914: folios 155-157;

Letters of John Murray [V] and John Murray [VI] to Mary Caroline Milbanke, Lady Lovelace, 1928 and 1938: folio 158-159;

Letter of Rowland Edmund Prothero to Mary Caroline Milbanke, Lady Lovelace, 1906: folios 160-161;

Letters of Sir Francis Edward James Smith to Mary Caroline Milbanke, Lady Lovelace, 1906 and 1914: folios 162-170.