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Size | 0.5 feet of linear shelf space (approximately 67 items) |
Abstract | The collection contains autograph letters from the files of the London publishing firm of Smith, Elder, and Co. Letters are from writers and artists chiefly to George Smith (1824-1901); his mother, Elizabeth Murray Smith (1797-1878); or his wife, Elizabeth Blakeway Smith. The subject matter is, with a few exceptions, social in nature. Correspondents include Robert Browning (three letters); Wilkie Collins (two); Charles Dickens (one); Arthur Conan Doyle (one); Thomas Hardy (one); Leigh Hunt (one); Henry James (one); Florence Nightingale (one); John Ruskin (one); John James Ruskin (father of John Ruskin), concerning financial arrangements of John Ruskin (three); Alfred Tennyson (one); Leigh Hunt (one); and Frederick William Burton (1816-1900) (eight). |
Creator | Smith, Elder, and Co. |
Curatorial Unit | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Rare Book Literary and Historical Papers. |
Language | English |
The following terms from Library of Congress Subject Headings suggest topics, persons, geography, etc. interspersed through the entire collection; the terms do not usually represent discrete and easily identifiable portions of the collection--such as folders or items.
Clicking on a subject heading below will take you into the University Library's online catalog.
The publishing firm of Smith, Elder, and Co. was founded in 1816 by George Smith (1789-1846) in partnership with Alexander Elder. In 1843, Smith's son, George Smith (1824-1901), took over much of the firm's operations, and, upon the death of his father in 1846, became sole head of the company. Smith lived in London with his mother, Elizabeth Murray Smith (1797-1878), until 1854, when he married Elizabeth Blakeway. They had two sons and three daughters.
Smith, Elder, and Co. prospered under George Smith's leadership. Early in his tenure, the firm published works by John Ruskin, Charlotte Bronte ( Jane Eyre in 1848), and William Makepeace Thackeray ( Esmond in 1851). In 1859, Smith started The Cornhill Magazine with Thackeray as editor; in 1865, The Pall Mall Gazette, an evening newspaper with literary leanings, began publication. Both the magazine and the newspaper attracted contributions from leading writers and artists.
In his later years, Smith's chief authors were Robert Browning, Matthew Arnold, and Leslie Stephen, all of whom were close personal friends. Smith was also the founder, in 1882, of the Dictionary of National Biography.
In 1894, Reginald J. Smith, husband of George Smith's youngest daughter, joined Smith, Elder, and Co., and, in 1899, became sole head.
Back to TopThe collection consists of autograph letters chiefly addressed to George Smith, his mother, or his wife. Most of the letters are from significant writers or artists of the late nineteenth century who were the Smiths' personal friends or had business dealings with Smith, Elder, and Co. The subject matter is primarily of a social nature. There are, however, several letters on more serious topics. See the descriptions of individual items that follow.
Back to TopArrangement: alphabetical by writer.
Note:Letters were originally tipped in or loosely inserted into an album. Original order is indicated by the numeral following the date of each item. This numeral refers to the page from which the letter was removed or before which the letter(s) were inserted.
The signatures of most of the correspondents were clear enough to decipher. Names have been placed in brackets where positive identification was not possible. The recipient of letters addressed to "Mrs. Smith" before 1854 is assumed to have been George Smith's mother, Elizabeth Murray Smith. After 1854, the recipient is most likely to have been his wife, Elizabeth Blakeway Smith. Letters addressed to "Miss Smith" were most likely intended for Ethel Murray Smith, George Smith's daughter.
Folder 1 |
H. Allingham to [George] Smith,18 June 1894 (52)About portrait of Mrs. Reginald Smith. |
Folder 2 |
Matthew Arnold (1822-1888) to [George] Smith, 21 March 1878 (11)Accepting invitation. |
Folder 3 |
William Black (1841-1898) to [George Smith], 13 January 18?? (40)Suggesting Colin Hunter as illustrator forBlack's "White Wings." |
Folder 4 |
Robert Browning (1812-1889) to Mrs. Smith, 26 March 1878 (9), 14 March 1879 (9a), (10)Three letters: accepting invitation and requesting [George Smith] to visit Browning to view Browning's son's "picture," 26 March 1878; declining invitation due to a bad cold, 14 March 1879; declining invitation because of having to go to Cambridge, 27 May 1879. |
Folder 5 |
Frederick William Burton (1816-1900) to George Smith, 18 January-14 May 1867 (68), 16 December 1870 (34)Eight letters about illustration for poem in The Cornhill Magazine, 18 January-14 May 1867; one letter putting off meeting with Smith, 16 December 1870. |
Folder 6 |
Elizabeth Butler [Elizabeth Southerden Butler (1856-1933)] to George Smith, 18 April 18?? (31)Short note with unclear reference. |
Folder 7 |
Wilkie Collins (1824-1889) to George Smith, 14 November 1870, and to Mrs. Smith, 28 January 18?? (8)Suggesting a new method of royalty payments, 14 November 1870, and to Mrs. Smith declining invitation due to gout, 28 January 18??. |
Folder 8 |
Charles Dickens (1812-1870) to Mrs. [Elizabeth] Smith, 6 June 1850 (1)Declining an invitation. |
Folder 9 |
Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930) to [Reginald] Smith, 2 April 1905 (58)Praising "William Ash," a novel. |
Folder 10 |
Richard Doyle (1824-1883) to [George] Smith, 18 January 18?? (28)Declining commission for small drawings. |
Folder 11 |
George du Maurier (1834-1896) to [George] Smith, 9 December 1877 (27)About illustrations du Maurier was to do. |
Folder 12 |
Thomas Anstey Guthrie (1856-1934) to George Smith, 23 November 1882 (53), and to Mrs. Reginald [Smith], 21 October 1923 (61)Declining invitation, 23 November 1882 (53)m and to Mrs. Reginald [Smith] about "The Home of Smith Elder," a history of the company, 21 October 1923. |
Folder 13 |
Thomas Hardy (1840 1928) to [George] Smith, 29 May 1877 (39)Acknowledging receipt of six copies of "Hand of Ethelberta" and informing Smith that Hardy has sent the re-written portion of "my new story" to the editor of The Cornhill Magazine. |
Folder 14 |
Arthur Helps (1813-1875) to [George] Smith, 19 December 1871 (26)Transmitting work (not included) on "efficient administration." |
Folder 15 |
Fred Herschel [John F.W. Herschel (1792 1871)] to George Smith, 1 October 1862 (30)Notifying him that Herschel has sent a translation of the second book of The Iliad in hexameter to Smith and requesting prompt publication in The Cornhill Magazine. |
Folder 16 |
Thomas Hughes (1822-1896) to Mrs. Smith, 19 October 1878 (46)Declining invitation to dinner. |
Folder 17 |
Leigh Hunt (1784-1859) to [George Smith], 11 October 18??Declining invitation due to poor health. |
Folder 18 |
Henry James (1843-1916) to Mrs. Smith, 9 December 1??? (54)Declining invitation due to the poor health of his father. |
Folder 19 |
J. Langford [John Alfred Langford (1823-1903)] to [George Smith], 7 November 1868 (29)Requesting prompt publication of an article. |
Folder 20 |
Frederic Leighton (1830-1896) to [George Smith], 11 January 18?? (33)Explaining that he was too busy to do drawings to accompany Robert Lytton's poem. |
Folder 21 |
G.D. Leslie to Miss Thackeray (Anne Ritchie), undated (32)Enclosing sketches (not included) to illustrate Miss Thackeray's work. |
Folder 22 |
[Charles James Lever? (1806-1872)] to [George Smith], 16 November(?) 1871 (21)About revisions to unnamed manuscript. |
Folder 23 |
George Henry Lewes (1817-1878) to George Smith, 21 September 1877 (14)Discussing the plight of a mutual friend. |
Folder 24 |
James Russell Lowell (1819-1891) to Mrs. Smith, 3 March 1883 (12)Accepting invitation. |
Folder 25 |
Robert Lytton (1803-1873) to George Smith, 18 February 1887 (36)Acknowledging reply to Lytton's "proposal" and regretting that Smith had turned it down. |
Folder 26 |
George MacDonald (1824-1905) to [George] Smith, 9 June 1870 (42)Remitting payment of 200 pounds plus four months' interest. |
Folder 27 |
Helen Faucit Martin to Ethel [Murray Smith], 14 May 1878 (17)About a gift for Ethel's sister. |
Folder 28 |
Theodore Martin (1816-1909) to Miss [Ethel Murray?] Smith, 10 January 1895 (18)About his wife's health and the weather. |
Folder 29 |
George Meredith (1828-1909) to George Smith, 14 December 1870 (16)Accepting invitation. |
Folder 30 |
John Everett Millais (1829-1896) to [George] Smith, 15 June 1879 (24)Thanking Smith for [prints?]. |
Folder 31 |
Mary Clarke Mohl (1793-1883) to [George Smith], 11 August 1869 (48)About work of French authoress Charles Reybaud. |
Folder 32 |
John Morley (1838-1923) to [George] Smith, 3 January 1877 (35)Asking for review copy of an unnamed work by [Harriet] Martineau. |
Folder 33 |
William Morris (1834-1896) to [George Smith], 23 April 18?? (19)Responding to request for contribution to The Cornhill Magazine. |
Folder 34 |
Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) to Emily Lady Belper, 19 March 1887 (38)"So very thankful that he is so wonderfully better." |
Folder 35 |
Caroline Norton (1808-1877) to [George Smith], undated (44)Inquiring about the possible sale of her copyrights. |
Folder 36 |
Laurence Oliphant (1829-1888) to [George Smith], 5 December 1880 (25)Accepting dinner invitation. |
Folder 37 |
Margaret Oliphant Oliphant (1828-1897) to Miss Murray Smith, ? April 1894 (37)About childcare arrangements. |
Folder 38 |
William Gifford Palgrave (1826-1888) to [George] Smith, 9 October 1868 (49)Setting up meeting. |
Folder 39 |
Charles Reade (1814-1884) to [George Smith], 10 June 18?? (22)About theater tickets. |
Folder 40 |
Anne Thackeray Ritchie (1837-1919) to Ethel [Murray Smith], undated (4)About health and mutual friends. |
Folder 41 |
Andrew Robertson to [George] Smith, 1869 (56)About Smith's visit to Balmoral Castle. |
Folder 42 |
John Ruskin (1819-1900) to George Smith, 5 February 1868 (2)Extending invitation. |
Folder 43 |
John James Ruskin (1785-1864), father of John Ruskin, to George Smith, 5 January 1854, 21 October 1857, and 6 November 1857 (66)Three letters dealing with John Ruskin's financial arrangements with Smith Elder. |
Folder 44 |
Leslie Stephen (1832-1904) to [George] Smith, undated (15)About letter to [William?] Black. |
Folder 45 |
John Addington Symonds (1840-1893) to [George] Smith, 5 December 1877 (41)About publication of Symonds's translation of the sonnets of Michaelangelo and Campanella. |
Folder 46 |
Henry Taylor (1800-1886) to [George Smith], 21 ? 1871 (20)Requesting that no "quotations or panegyricks" be used in advertising Taylor's work. |
Folder 47 |
Tom Taylor (1817-1880) to George Smith, 27 June 18?? (45)Introducing Dora Greenwell, "... one of the few women whose poetry and prose are alike worth reading." |
Folder 48 |
Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892) to Mrs. Bookfield, 18 ? 1874 (60)On hearing of the death of W.H. Brookfield. |
Folder 49 |
George Frederic Watts (1817-1904) to [George Smith], 7 June 1876 (23)Setting date for meeting. |
Folder 50 |
Description (in Spanish) of 2 July 1809 letter from the Duke of Wellington to the Marquis de la Romana, 5 October 1810 (62)Written on envelope, with note on verso: "Written in French. Mentioned in collection of Wellington dispatches." Contents of envelope: typed copy of letter signed Arthur Wellesley to "Monsieur," 2 July 1809, and typed copy of letter signed Wellington to "My dear Marquis." |
Folder 51 |
Unknown to [George Smith], 10 March 1862 (5)Arranging for Mrs. Smith to meet a young girl named Florence. |
Folder 52 |
Unknown to [George Smith], 7 ? 18?? (50)Citing misinterpretation of legal statute that appeared in the Pall Mall Gazette. |