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G. P. R. James 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
English novelist and historian G. P. R. James wrote nearly a hundred novels, such as Richelieu (1825), The Gypsy (1835), Attila (1837), and The Mysterious Chevalier (1843), as well as many popular historical works, including The Life and Times of Louis XIV (1838), and some poetry and plays. Later in life he was appointed British consul for Massachusetts (1850) and Norfolk, Virginia (1852-1855), then became consul-general at Venice (1856-1860).
The collection consists primarily of correspondence of James. Included in the collection is a large file of letters, 1828-1852, to Charles Ollier, publisher of Keats and Shelley. Other correspondents include John Aitken, William Jerdan, editor of "The Literary Gazette," Sir J. H. Seymour, William H. Harrison, John Murray, Charles Lever, William Harrison Ainsworth, and Alaric A. Watts. Also present are some miscellaneous prose and poetry, incomplete letters, and autographs of James, as well "The History of Chivarly" (1832) a lengthy, anonymous review of James's book, written to coincide with the publication of its American edition.
The collection is organized into the following series:
Gift of Alexander D. Wainwright, with additional gifts from Christine Wainwright. The letter from James to Harpers Brothers was purchased in 1999; the letter to Charles Sumner was purchased in 2006; the "The History of Chivalry" manuscript was purchased in 2012 with support of the Richard M. Ludwig Endowment established by Michael Spence, Class of 1966.
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.
The collection was processed initially by Barbara Volz.
No appraisal information is available.
People
Subject
- Publisher
- Manuscripts Division
- Finding Aid Date
- 2002
- Access Restrictions
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Collection is open for research use.
- Use Restrictions
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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
Consists of the correspondence of G. P. R. James with individuals such as William Harrison Ainsworth, William Harrison, William Jerdan, Charles Ollier, and Sir G. Hamilton Seymour, as well as others.
This series is arranged into four subseries: Alphabetical, Unidentified (chronological), Letter Fragments, and Autographs.
Physical Description1 box
Consists of the correspondence of G. P. R. James with individuals such as William Harrison Ainsworth, William Harrison, William Jerdan, Charles Ollier, and Sir G. Hamilton Seymour, as well as others.
Arranged alphabetically by correspondent.
Physical Description1 box
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(with 2 printed extracts, "Some Observations on Articles in the Athenaeum" re James's book A History of the Life of Edward the Black Prince)
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(with AMs poem, "Slow 'oer the dark sky floats the snowy cloud...")
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(with AMs poem, "The pact in whose hand Anacrion's Lyre...")
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Consists of the correspondence of G. P. R. James that remains unidentified.
Arranged chronologically.
Physical Description1 box
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Consists of unidentified letter fragments.
Not arranged according to any arrangement scheme.
Physical Description1 box
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Consists of miscellaneous autographs.
Not arranged according to any arrangement scheme.
Physical Description1 box
1 folder
Consists of the works of G. P. R. James, including prose and verse.
This series is arranged into two subseries: Prose, and Verse.
Physical Description1 box
Consists of a preface to The Fate, Preface to a drama "Danasch" with Dramatis Personae, and "The French Clergy."
Not arranged according to any arrangement scheme.
Physical Description1 box
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Consists of manuscripts for verse, including "The Washington, the Washington!" and "Who steals my purse steals trash..." as well as others.
Arranged alphabetically by title.
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Consists of a receipt, a memo related to copyrights, and a list of James's writings, as well as other miscellaneous papers.
Not arranged according to any arrangement scheme.
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Consists of 10 engraved and other portraits (some duplicates) of James.
Not arranged according to any arrangement scheme.
Physical Description1 box
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Consists of a printed advertisement for Fair Oak Lodge and newspaper clippings either written by or about James.
Not arranged according to any arrangement scheme.
Physical Description1 box
On his resignation as Historiographer in Ordinary for England. With a note in an unidentified hand stating that it had been sent to him by James in 1840.
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Consists of extracts of related materials.
Not arranged according to any arrangement scheme.
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AMs, 68 pp.: a scholarly, anonymous book review of James's book by the same name, written to coincide with the first American edition published by Harper in 1832 (Harper's Family Library, No. 20)
Physical Description1 folder