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William Hayley Collection

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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

Hayley, William, 1745-1820

William Hayley was an English writer, best known as the friend and biographer of William Cowper. Hayley won the fame he enjoyed among his contemporaries by his poetical essays and epistles, including a Poetical Epistle to an Eminent Painter (1778), addressed to his friend, the painter George Romney. In 1800 Hayley lost his natural son, Thomas Alphonso Hayley, to whom he was devotedly attached. He had been a pupil of John Flaxman, to whom Hayley's Essay on Sculpture (1800) is addressed. Flaxman introduced Hayley to William Blake who engraved the illustrations for the Life of Cowper. This, Hayley's best known work, was published in 1803-1804.

The collection consists of selected correspondence, poems, and epitaphs of Hayley. Included are a letter (1789) from Charles Davy; one letter from Joseph Hill (1807) about William Cowper; one letter (1812) to Cadell and Davies, the London publishers, regarding books he did not receive and their response written on the same letter; one letter (1810) to a friend ("Clara"), with a long crisscrossed letter to Clara from Mrs. Hayley on the verso; one letter from A. Flaxman (1819) mentioning John Flaxman; one letter of thanks (1808) to William Hersee; one letter (1800) from Sir Francis Milman regarding Hayley's son's health; one letter (1811) to Tom Payne, bookseller in London, asking him to take over a failed transaction with another publisher; one letter (1806) to "Mrs. Rawlinson" thanking her for sending him a portrait of Darwin painted by his friend George Romney; two letters (1811, 1819) from John Singer Sargent; one letter (1806), with an epitaph, to Charlotte Mary Smith about the death of her mother; one letter (1797) to Lord Spencer asking him to consider offering a job to his friend Samuel Rose and informing him of the death of Mrs. Cowper; one letter (1775) by John B. Thornton; a letter of thanks (1801) to "Mr. Waldron"; one letter (1792) by Joseph Cooper Walker; one letter (1791) to "Sir" which includes a short poem beginnning with "Tho not a stranger ... "; and one letter (1799) to an unidentified recipient about Hayley's son's illness. Hayley signed several of his letters "Hermit."

In addition, there are several poetical manuscripts: an epitaph (1802?) on George Romney, a poem (1811) "To Clara," and a sonnet ("Let Exultation bless the hallow'd Hour . . . ") which is included in a letter (1808) to an unidentified friend about the health of the friend's father.

Folders are arranged in alphabetical order by correspondent and then chronologically.

The collection was formed as a result of a Departmental practice of combining into one collection material of various accessions relating to a particular person, family, or subject.

Letter to W. Hersee was a gift of Charles Ryskamp on Nov. 13, 1961.

Letter dated 1799 concerning Hayley's son's illness was a gift of Charles Ryskamp in honor of Wanda Randall on. August 8, 1977.

Letter to J. Thornton was a gift of A. D. Wainwright on June 16, 1984.

This collection was processed by Dina Britain on August 11, 2006. Finding aid written by Dina Britain on August 11, 2006.

No appraisal information is available.

Publisher
Manuscripts Division
Finding Aid Date
2006
Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions

Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. No further photoduplication of copies of material in the collection can be made when Princeton University Library does not own the original. Inquiries regarding publishing material from the collection should be directed to RBSC Public Services staff through the Ask Us! form. The library has no information on the status of literary rights in the collection and researchers are responsible for determining any questions of copyright.

Collection Inventory

ALS from Charles Davy to William Hayley, 1789 April 7. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

ALS to William "Bard" Hayley by A. Flaxman (?), 1819 January 10. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

ALS to "Sir"; Includes the 8-line poem, "Tho not a Stranger...", 1781 April 4. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

ALS to Lord Spencer, 1797 January 20. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

ALS Signed "Hermit," Concerning Last Illness of His Son, 1799 September 18. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

ALS to Mr. Waldron, 1801 February 21. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

AMs, "Epitaph on George Romney Esquire." 16 Lines, circa 1802. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

ALS to Mrs. Rawlinson, 1806 June 30. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

ALS to Charlotte Mary Smith; Includes 8-line "Epitaph", 1806 November 1. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

ALS Signed "Hermit"; Includes the Sonnet "Let Exultation bless this hallowed hour...", 1808 January 16. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

ALS to William Hersee, 1808 October 24. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

ALS (Initials Only) to Clara, Blackheath; on Verso, a Long Crossed Letter to Clara by Mrs. Hayley, 1810 December 6. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

ALS to Tom Payne, 1811 June 23. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

AMs, "To Clara, with a few sacred stanza in the hand-writing of Cowper," 12 Lines, 1811. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

ALS to Cadell and Davies, with Their Reply, 1812 December 10-11. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

ALS from Joseph Hill to William Hayley, 1807 March 26. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

ALS from Sir Francis Milman to William Hayley, Lower Brook Street, 1800 February 25. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

ALS from John Sargent to William Hayley, 1811 July 20. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

ALS from John Sargent to William Hayley, 1819 January 14. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

ALS from John B. Thornton to William Hayley, Lincolns Inn, 1775 June 26. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

ALS from Joseph Cooper Walker to William Hayley, Rome, 1792 April 27. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

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