Collection context
Summary
- Title:
- Thomas Carlyle collection
- Dates:
- 1835-1870
- Creators:
- Carlyle, Thomas, 1795-1881
- Abstract:
- A collection of manuscripts and correspondence related to Thomas Carlyle, 19th century Scottish historian and philosopher.
- Extent:
- 1.2 Linear Feet (1 box)
- Language:
- Materials are in English.
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of item]. Thomas Carlyle collection, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
A collection containing manuscripts and correspondence related to Thomas Carlyle. The collection includes a fragment of "Frederick the Great" written by Carlyle as well as a quote "Paradise is under the shadow of our swords." The majority of the collection is correspondence to and from Carlyle; correspondents include John Aitken Carlyle, Robert Chambers, John Reuben Thompson, and Nathaniel Parker Willis. Subjects include Carlyle's works, The London Library, raising funds for Isabella Burns Begg, and social and political events. The collection also includes a small group of letters from Jane Welsh Carlyle to Henry Larkin, a friend of Thomas and Jane Carlyle and the author of the biography "Carlyle and the Open Secret of His Life" (1886).
- Biographical / historical:
-
Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881) was a Scottish essayist, historian and philosopher; he was a strong influence on the intellectual and artistic culture of the Victorian era as he occupied a central position in Victorian literary and political circles. Carlyle married Jane Baillie Welsh (1801-1866) in 1826; Jane Carlyle was renowned as a letter writer during the 19th century.
- Acquisition information:
- mssHM 7243, 7245 purchased from George D. Smith sale, 1915; mssHM 12769, 20080 purchased from Anderson Galleries sale, 1915; mssHM 7801-7809, 20413, 20417, 13307-13373 purchased from William K. Bixby sale, 1918; mssHM 12768 purchased from Anderson Galleries sale, cat. 49, 1919; mssHM 7244 purchased from American Art Association sale, May 1923; mssHM 26072-26073 gift of Mrs. Fred Obarr, November 1961; mssHM 34609-34614 provenance unknown, in library as of, 1974; mssHM 48306 gift of Mrs. Henry A. Batten, June 1980.
- Processing information:
-
Processed by Huntington Library staff from 1915 to 1980; in November 2025, Gayle M. Richardson created the finding aid. This collection includes multiple acquisitions acquired and assembled by Huntington Library staff over many years.
- Arrangement:
-
Arranged alphabetically.
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Indexed terms
About this collection guide
- Date Encoded:
- This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2025-12-18 07:45:21 -0800 .
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at the Huntington Library for more information.
- Terms of access:
-
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of item]. Thomas Carlyle collection, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
- Location of this collection:
-
1151 Oxford RoadSan Marino, CA 91108, US
- Contact:
- (626) 405-2191