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Letters, 1858, to William Blackwood and Sons, publishers, of correspondents with surnames from T-Z., 1858.

 File
Identifier: MS.4134

Scope and Contents

From the Series:

The correspondence consists mainly of the incoming letters addressed to the firm of Blackwood. It contains also letters passing within the firm between members of the family, between the family and their employees, and between the employees themselves.

The correspondents include authors of the standing of James Hogg, John Galt, John Gibson Lockhart, George Eliot, Lord Lytton, Anthony Trollope, and Joseph Conrad; but the majority were not writers of comparable distinction, nor were all of Blackwood's correspondents professional authors. Several were notable men of affairs for whom authorship was a secondary occupation; many others were men of various professions – clergymen, soldiers, lawyers, and colonial administrators, for example – who wrote, especially with a view to publication in “Blackwood's Magazine”, on matters they felt competent to deal with. As a result, Blackwood's incoming letters cover a great many topics and are a source of information almost as much for the historian of society as for the historian of literature.

As a rule only the writers of letters have been indexed, the recipient being regarded as the firm itself, even when letters are addressed to individual members of the family, to the Editor of “Blackwood's Magazine”, or to employees such as J M Langford, G Simpson, T Henderson, and A Allardyce. Letters not directly concemed with Blackwood, which were presumably enclosed with other letters to the firm, have been indexed under both writer and recipient wherever possible.

Dates

  • Creation: 1858.

Conditions Governing Access

Normal access conditions apply.

Conditions Governing Use

Normal reproduction conditions apply, subject to any copyright restrictions.

Extent

i + 164 Leaves

Language of Materials

From the Fonds: Undetermined

Repository Details

Part of the National Library of Scotland Archives and Manuscripts Division Repository

Contact:
Archives and Manuscript Division
National Library of Scotland
George IV Bridge
Edinburgh EH1 1EJ
0131 623 3700