Main content
John Wild Autograph Collection
Notifications
Held at: Princeton University Library: Manuscripts Division [Contact Us]
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Princeton University Library: Manuscripts Division. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.
Overview and metadata sections
John Wild, the English compiler of this collection, began collecting autographs shortly after the Napoleonic Wars and continued until his death in 1855.
The collection consists of over 2,000 autograph items of prominent English and European figures--the great and near great, the noteworthy and notorious--from the 16th to the mid-19th centuries. Groups of individuals represented in the collection include writers, lawyers, actors and actresses, opera stars, naval and military heroes, explorers, artists, clergyman, politicians, doctors and medical researchers, and royalty. While the emphasis is on autographs of Englishmen/women, there is a good number of French manuscripts, particularly two volumes of items dating from the French Revolution and the First Empire. By far, the largest group of manuscripts (8 volumes) consists of correspondence from mainly English 19th-century artists and engravers.
Included are a letter (1550) by Holy Roman Emperor Charles V to Pope Julius III against new Church policies; a document (1576) by Elizabeth I ordering from the Master of the Wardrobe various cloths, "two Greate hammers," and a large iron shovel; documents and letters by Louis XIV (1674-1715), Louis XV (1724), and Louis Philippe (1816); a document (1720) signed by Issac Newton; a letter (1779) of fatherly advice by George III to his son William IV; and three letters (1786-1792) by Lavoisier. There is one volume devoted to the letters of cardinals, ranging from 1550 to 1738.
Other notable names, by groups, include: artistic--Fielding, Reynolds, Turner; literary--Congreve, Goethe, Moore, Rousseau, Voltaire; military/naval--Bligh, Cook, Lafayette, Napoleon, Nelson, Wellington; theatrical--Booth, Kean, Siddons; and royal--Charles I, Charles II, Eugene of Savoy, Ferdinand I, George III, James I, James II, Sigismund II Augustus, and William III. In addition, the collection contains, bound with the manuscripts in a grangerized manner, numerous engravings, mezzotints, and other types of prints.
Volumes 16, 18, 31, 32, 33, and 42 do not exist. Volume 40 was disbound and can be found in Box 1. Box 2 contains related lists and photographs.
Each volume has a title, such as "Theatrical" or "Literary," that generally describes the area of its contents.
Unpublished Letters from the Collection of John Wild (New York, N.Y.: Dial Press, 1930), edited and selected by H. N. Carew Hunt.
John Wild, the English compiler of this collection, began collecting autographs shortly after the Napoleonic Wars and continued until his death in 1855. The collection remained in the possession of the family, passing in 1929 to R. N. Carew Hunt, Wild's great grandson, who published a book of letters selected from the volumes in 1930. Later acquired from an English dealer by Robert Taylor, Princeton Class of 1930, the collection was donated to Princeton in 1953, Mr. Taylor retaining for his own interest approximately 20 items.
For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.
Collection Revised LITMSS record 11/06/90
Organization
Subject
- Actors -- England -- 19th century -- Autographs
- Actresses -- England -- 19th century -- Autographs
- Art, English -- History. -- 19th century -- Sources
- Artists -- England -- 19th century -- Autographs
- Authors, English -- 18th century -- Autographs
- Authors, English -- 19th century -- Autographs
- Authors, French -- 18th century -- Autographs
- Authors, French -- 19th century -- Autographs
- Clergy -- England -- 19th century -- Autographs
- Diplomats -- France -- 19th century -- Autographs
- Engravers -- England -- 19th century -- Autographs
- Opera producers and directors -- Italy -- 19th century -- Autographs
- Opera producers and directors -- England -- 19th century -- Autographs
- Opera -- Italy -- History. -- 19th century -- Sources
- Opera -- England -- History. -- 19th century -- Sources
- Politicians -- Great Britain -- 18th century -- Autographs
- Theater -- England -- History. -- 19th century -- Sources
- Nobility -- France -- 19th century -- Autographs
- Nobility -- Great Britain -- 19th century -- Autographs
Place
- Great Britain -- Kings and rulers -- Autographs.
- France -- History -- Consulate and First Empire, 1799-1815. -- Sources
- France -- History -- Revolution, 1789-1799. -- Sources
- France -- History, Military -- 1789-1815. -- Sources
- France -- Kings and rulers -- Autographs.
- Great Britain -- History, Military. -- 19th century -- Sources
- Great Britain -- History, Naval. -- 18th century -- Sources
- Great Britain -- History, Naval. -- 19th century -- Sources
- Great Britain -- History, Military. -- 18th century -- Sources
- Publisher
- Manuscripts Division
- Finding Aid Date
- 2002
- Access Restrictions
-
Collection is open for research use.
- Use Restrictions
-
Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.
Collection Inventory
First Baron Colchester
Physical Description1 volume
1 volume
First Baron Tenterden
Physical Description1 volume
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Née Barton
Physical Description1 volume
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First Viscount Sidmouth
Physical Description1 volume
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Baron Amherst
Physical Description1 volume
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Daughter of Philip III of Spain
Physical Description1 volume
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Baron Anson
Physical Description1 volume
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Baron Alvanley
Physical Description1 volume
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Duke of Sussex
Physical Description1 volume
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Bishop of Norwich
Physical Description1 volume
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Vansittart, Nicholas
Physical Description2 Volumes
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2 Volumes
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King of Westphalia
Physical Description1 volume
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Prince de Condé
Physical Description1 volume
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Baron Brougham and Vaux
Physical Description3 Volumes
1 volume
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2 Volumes
1 volume
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Earl of Elgin
Physical Description1 volume
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Earl of Cardigan
Physical Description1 volume
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1 box
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3 Volumes
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2 Volumes
1 volume
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Lord Monboddo
Physical Description1 volume
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1 box
1 box
1 volume
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Viscount Torrington
Physical Description1 volume
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First Earl Cadogan
Physical Description1 volume
1 volume
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1 volume
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Second Duke of Argyll and Duke of Greenwich
Physical Description1 volume
1 volume
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Baron Dorchester
Physical Description1 volume
1 volume
Earl of Northesk
Physical Description2 Volumes
2 Volumes
2 Volumes
of Brunswick-Wolfenbubtch, Queen of George IV
Physical Description1 volume
1 volume
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Viscount and Marquis of Londonderry
Physical Description1 volume
1 volume
Duchess of Devonshire
Physical Description1 volume
1 volume
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1 box
1 volume
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1 volume
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1 box
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Charles Prince of Lorraine
Physical Description1 volume
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Queen of George III
Physical Description1 volume
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Duchess of Marlborough
Physical Description1 box
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Ninth Earl of Dundonald
Physical Description2 Volumes
1 volume
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2 Volumes
1 volume
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First Baron Collingwood
Physical Description1 volume
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Nicholas de Caritat
Physical Description1 volume
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3 Volumes
1 volume
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Baron Lyndhurst
Physical Description2 Volumes
1 volume
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1 volume
Catherie Doetter, usually called Fanny Corbaux
Physical Description1 volume
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Viscount Combermere
Physical Description1 volume
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Baron Howden
Physical Description1 volume
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1 box
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2 Volumes
1 volume
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Frederic Dagobert, 1769-1832
Physical Description2 Volumes
1 volume
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Marquise de Maintenon
Physical Description1 volume
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Marie de Vichy-Chamrond
Physical Description1 volume
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Baron Denman
Physical Description2 Volumes
1 volume
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Baron of Digby
Physical Description1 volume
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Abbé de Rothelin
Physical Description1 volume
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Lord Selkirk
Physical Description1 volume
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1 volume
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Fourth Earl of Fife
Physical Description1 volume
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1 volume
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2 Volumes
1 volume
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Earl of Auckland
Physical Description1 volume
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1 volume
First Earl of Eldon
Physical Description3 Volumes
1 volume
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Lord Keith
Physical Description1 volume
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2 Volumes
1 volume
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1 volume
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1 volume
1 volume
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Baron Erskine
Physical Description1 volume
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1 box
1 volume
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Earl of Westmorland
Physical Description1 volume
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1 volume
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Earl of Munster, 1794-1842
Physical Description1 volume
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1 box
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1 volume
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1 volume
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Countess of Harrington
Physical Description2 Volumes
1 volume
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1 volume
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1 volume
Duc de Belle-Isle
Physical Description1 volume
1 volume
1 volume
1 volume
1 volume
1 volume
1 volume
Baron Holland
Physical Description1 volume
1 volume
2 Volumes
1 volume
1 volume
1 volume
1 volume
1 volume
François de Neufchateau
Physical Description1 volume
1 volume
1 box
1 box
1 volume
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1 volume
1 volume
1 volume
1 volume
King of Poland
Physical Description1 volume
1 volume
Duke of York and Albany, 2nd son of George III
Physical Description1 volume
1 volume
1 volume
1 box
1 box
1 volume
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2 Volumes
1 volume
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George William Frederick
Physical Description1 box
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1 volume
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First Baron Gifford
Physical Description1 volume
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2 Volumes
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1 box
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Neé Betterton
Physical Description1 volume
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Earl of Godolphin
Physical Description1 volume
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Eighth Marquis of Huntly
Physical Description1 volume
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Duke of Richmond
Physical Description1 volume
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Fourth Baron Colraine
Physical Description2 Volumes
1 volume
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Third Earl Harcourt
Physical Description1 volume
1 volume
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3 Volumes
1 volume
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Earl of Oxford
Physical Description1 box
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1 volume
1 volume
First Baron Harris
Physical Description1 volume
1 volume
1 volume
1 volume
Earl of Malmesbury
Physical Description1 volume
1 volume
1 volume
1 volume
First Marquis of Hastings
Second Earl of Moira
Physical Description1 volume
1 volume
1 volume
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First Baron Hawke
Physical Description1 volume
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2 Volumes
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Second Earl Donoughmore
Physical Description1 volume
1 volume
1 volume
1 volume
1 volume
First Earl of Northington
Physical Description1 volume
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2 Volumes
1 volume
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King of France
Physical Description1 volume
1 volume
1 volume
1 volume
1 volume
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2 Volumes
1 volume
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First Viscount Hill
Physical Description1 volume
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1 volume
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2 Volumes
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Second Baron Hotham
Physical Description1 volume
1 volume
1 volume
1 volume
1 volume
1 volume
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Fourth Baron Chedworth
Physical Description1 volume
1 volume
Earl Howe
Physical Description2 Volumes
1 volume
1 volume
1 volume
1 volume
1 volume
1 volume
1 volume
Alexander von, 1769-1859
Physical Description2 Volumes