Robert Temple - Pamphlet Series

Robert Temple will shortly be publishing the first in an occasional series of booklets containing unpublished poetry, letters, etc. by notable writers of the 18th and 19th centuries printed from privately owned manuscripts that would be otherwise unavailable for purposes of research. The object is not to present great literature, but merely to preserve what might be of interest to scholars and might otherwise in case of accident be lost.

Each will be printed in a small edition only, on J. Whatman mould-made paper, and the number of copies printed of each booklet will be limited to the number subscribed for.

The first three titles issued will be:

1. Henry Mackenzie: Six Poems written in his Old Age.

These poems were preserved by his daughter on the flyleaves and blank pages of a volume of his collected verse. The most considerable of them, 'A Recantation' refers back to a poem of his youth, 'The Old Maid', making clear for the first time the name of the original on whom that poem was based, and revising his youthful vision in the light of experience. The volume will also contain a short poem on York Minster written by his younger brother, James. Footnotes are provided by his daughter. Price: £18.00 post free.

2. Charles Reade: Letters to the Rev. Gibson, Minister of Kirkhope.

The Rev. Gibson was the brother-in-law of the actress Laura Seymour with whom Reade shared a house for the most part of his adult life, and by whose death he was so much affected as to incur something resembling general censure - much as did Queen Victoria after the death of Albert. The booklet will include facsimiles of some of the letters in which readings are doubtful (Reade's handwriting, when he wasn't essaying a fair copy, being notoriously difficult) and a large folding facsimile of an otherwise unrecorded broadside issued by Reade in Glasgow in 1876. Price to be announced.

3. R.M. Ballantyne: Notes for Lectures.

Details to be confirmed.

To order, or for more information , e-mail Robert Temple

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