William James Linton Papers, 1848-1896

John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts
Box A
Brown University
Providence, RI 02912
Telephone: Manuscripts: 401-863-3723; University Archives: 401-863-2148
Email: Manuscripts: hay@brown.edu; University Archives: archives@brown.edu

Published in 2014

Collection Overview

Title:	William James Linton papers
Date range:	1848-1896
Creator:	Linton, W. J. (William James), 1812-1897
Extent:	0.25 Linear Feet
Abstract:	The William James Linton Papers of Brown University contains material reflecting the three major spheres of activity--literary, artistic, and political--to which Linton chiefly devoted himself during the course of his long life. The literary manuscripts, correspondence to and from Linton, sketchbooks, drawings, and photographs, which comprise the chief part of this collection, are materials which will serve the researcher in good stead in attempting to understand Linton's various achievements. When considered in conjunction with the large holdings of printed Linton materials in various collections elsewhere within the Brown University Library, the papers comprising the Linton Papers described here take on added significance, insofar as they serve well to complement those printed holdings. Special interest may attach to some of the literary manuscripts in this collection, "Love's Diary", "Mr. Joseph", and "Blue-Beard", which are as yet unpublished. The researcher may also be especially interested in the correspondence involving noteworthy personalities, such as Winslow Homer, Christina Rossetti, Algernon Charles Swinburne, et al.
Language of materials:	English
Repository:	John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts
Collection number:	Ms.80.5

Scope & content

Taken as a whole, the Linton Papers consists of a variety of materials in which all areas of Linton's interests, from his early maturity to old age, are represented.

The papers, beginning in the 1840s with early poems written in Linton's own hand, and ending in the 1890s with correspondence to his publishers regarding his last published works and an impassioned plea to an unnamed correspondent demanding his "vindication" before the world, illuminates Linton in so telling a way as only primary material of this sort can. The collection also contains the poetry ( Love's Diary), and plays ( Mr. Joseph and Blue-Beard) written in Linton's own hand and, as yet, unpublished. There are also other plays and literary efforts in manuscript form which are most likely not by Linton himself but very likely influenced by him, having been written by members of his circle and illustrated by them as well. Mama's Own Nursery Rhymes and Another Jack the Giant Killer are examples of these literary-artistic collaborations of Linton and his circle, and good examples of juvenilia too. Also intended for children are sketchbooks with watercolor illustrations such as Vegetables: 12 a Penny and The Good Child's Sketchbook.

In the area of correspondence there are five letters written by Linton himself and some eighteen addressed to him from various people, often noteworthy personalities. The letters of 1852-1896 for the most part were written during Linton's American period; some of the earlier ones were written to him while he was still in England. Important correspondents include the Italian political reformer Mazzini, the poets Lucy Larcom, Algernon Charles Swinburne and Christina Rossetti. The "artistic" letters were penned by such notables as John Ruskin and Winslow Homer. Most of the letters are dated and signed. It is rather regrettable that the correspondence from Linton to others is not larger, comprising as it does merely five items.

The final segment of the collection, some forty-four items of pictorial material--drawings by Linton and others, proofs of Linton engravings, and a generous selection of photographs of Linton, his associates, and his house, "Old Appledore", where he operated his Appledore Press, serves well to complete our picture of Linton by providing a pictorial vehicle for comprehending him.

Access Points

Subject Names

• Linton, W. J. (William James), 1812-1897
• Rossetti, Dante Gabriel, 1828-1882
• Ruskin, John, 1819-1900

Occupations

• Children's authors
• Engravers
• Painters
• Poets

Subject Topics

• Language and Literature

Document Types

• Drawings
• Engravings
• Letters (Correspondence)
• Paintings
• poems
• Sketchbooks

Arrangement

This collection of approximately 100 items has been divided into three main series which reflect the three major genres of material to be found here:

• Series 1. Literary manuscripts and sketchbooks. Divided into two subseries: (A) Literary manuscripts entirely by Linton and (B) Literary manuscripts and sketchbooks partially by Linton. The arrangement here is chronological.
• Series 2. Correspondence. Divided into two subseries: (A) Outgoing correspondence and (B) Incoming correspondence. The arrangement here is also chronological, despite the fact that a few letters are undated.
• Series 3. Pictorial material. This material is by or relating to Linton. Divided into two subseries: (A) Photographs and (B) Engravings, drawings, and other material. It should be noted here that, although for preservation's sake it would be optimal to store the photographs separately in their own file, for the present they will be kept in acid-free folders with the other materials comprising the collection.

For the most part the series and subseries in the collection are arranged chronologically.

Biographical note

William James Linton (December 7, 1812-December 29, 1897) was born in London and spent a major portion of his life in England before leaving, in 1866, to come to the United States, where he spent the remainder of his life. From an early age he demonstrated an interest in artistic matters, poetry, and political activity--for which three interests he is chiefly regarded today. In his youthful days in England he studied wood engraving seriously, while at the same time involving himself significantly in the active political scene characteristic of the 1840s. He was much concerned with the Republican politics of the day, as his correspondence with the Italian political reformer Mazzini (specimens of which are in this collection) indicates. His marriage to the novelist Eliza Lynn, which ended in "amicable separation" (article on Linton in Dictionary of American Biography) caused him to become disenchanted with life in England and to leave that country for the United States.

Here he continued his literary and artistic endeavors in Hamden, Connecticut, a town near New Haven, where he established the Appledore Press, his own private press, where his "most ambitious pieces of imaginative work were produced" (local citation). From this press emanated many of his finest and most influential books of poetry and studies of wood-engraving, such as The Golden Apples of Hesperus (1882), Love Lore and Other Poems (1887), and the monumental Masters of Wood-Engraving (1889). Linton died in 1897, leaving behind him a large body of published material in addition to an important collection of personal papers, of which the Linton Papers herein arranged and described contains a significant representation. Perusing the correspondence in this collection, one can envisage Linton as a man full of enthusiasm about his interests, obviously eager to have his own way yet considerate of others in the process, and much interested in the common good, albeit not without a sense of humor.

Access & Use

Access to the collection:	There are no restrictions on access, except that the collection can only be seen by prior appointment. Some materials may be stored off-site and cannot be produced on the same day on which they are requested..
Use of the materials:	Although Brown University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. Researchers should note that compliance with copyright law is their responsibility. Researchers must determine the owners of the literary rights and obtain any necessary permissions from them.
Alternate form:	Digital facsimiles of items from this collection are available from within the online finding aid.
Preferred citation:	William James Linton Papers, Ms. 80.5, Brown University Library.
Contact information:	John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts Box A Brown University Providence, RI 02912 Telephone: Manuscripts: 401-863-3723; University Archives: 401-863-2148 Email: Manuscripts: hay@brown.edu; University Archives: archives@brown.edu

Administrative Information

ABOUT THE COLLECTION
Acquisition:	The main body of this collection was the gift of Miss Mary E. Mather and Mrs. Thaddeu Merriam in 1957. Another donation to the Linton Papers was made by Albert E. Lownes. Only one additional item has, so far, been acquired for the collection: a letter from Linton to "My dear Sterne", September 21, 1875. This purchase was made form a dealer in March 1980.
Accruals:	It is expected that the collection will continue to be expanded in the future by deliberate acquisition and, perhaps, also by gift.
ABOUT THE FINDING AID
Author:	Finding aid prepared by Lance J. Bauer
Encoding:	This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2014-12-09

Additional Information

Related material:	The following organizations also have William James Linton collections:William James Linton Papers, Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale UniversityPapers of William James Linton, National Library of Australia
Location/Existence of copies:	Digital facsimiles of items from this collection are available from within the online finding aid.
Other information:	Brown University Library catalog record for this collection: William James Linton Papers

Inventory

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