Autograph Letter Signed ('Edward A Freeman') from the historian and politician Edward Augustus Freeman to the Staffordshire antiquary Rupert Simms, correcting his list of Freeman's books for Simms's 'Bibliotheca Staffordiensis'.

Author: 
Edward Augustus Freeman (1823-1892), English historian and Liberal politician [Rupert Simms (1853-1937), bookseller and Staffordshire antiquary
Publication details: 
Somerlease, Wells. 23 February 1884.
£130.00
SKU: 11945

Freeman's letter is on the last of five folio pages, each on a separate leaf, sent to him by Simms, giving, for correction, the proposed entry on Freeman in the future 'Bibliotheca Staffordiensis'. In fair condition, on aged paper. On the first page Simms has given a brief biographical description of Freeman; the middle three pages comprise a numbered list of twenty-three of Freeman's books, with dates, and the last page carries a rather optimistic request by Simms for information regarding 'Contribution to Periodicals, Magazines, &c. Giving Number a year of Serial - Pages occuppied - &c'. Freeman has corrected a couple of titles in the list, and on the fifth page of the document he gives the names of what he calls in the letter his five 'latest books'. The letter begins 'Sir, | I have added my latest books which are not on the list. I suppose everything that is wanted to be known would be found in the books themselves. I certainly have no time to go through the pages of all or to make a list, say, of my <?> contributions to the Saturday Review, which seems to be asked for.' He concludes 'It is quite impossible for me to undertake all the labour that I am asked.' Although not published until 1894, ten years after this letter, Freeman's entry in the 'Bibliotheca Staffordiensis' does no more than incorporate Freeman's emendations.