The majority of this correspondence is written to Robert Hoe, book, manuscript and art collector, American businessman, and the head of R. Hoe & Company. The correspondence, which is all written in French, concerns bookbinding and often specific consignments (proprosed treatments, payments, shipments, etc.) on books sent to the binders by Hoe. The letters are written by several notable French bookbinders including: Émile Carayon (1), René-Victor Chambolle (5) and his son René (1), Adolphe Cuzin (3), Francisque Cuzin (5), Antoine Joly (15), and Léon Maillard (3). Many of the letters are addressed solely to "Monsieur," but are probably also written to Hoe.
This letter, written in French, is by Émile Zola to Irish novelist George Moore. The letter is about a translation of a work. Also included is an image of Émile Zola from a printed work and the front of a postcard.
The first letter was written by Mary-Cécile Logé, a French book translator. In the letter she declines to translate White fang due to the similarity of its "most important scenes" to those in The call of the wild. She states that Paris editors agree with her and that the book would have to be condensed to "one-third of its actual length" to be published in French. She sends back eight guineas to be forwarded to London. She also inquires after the rights to translate a new Robert Hitchens novel. In English (1908, May 13, HM 81227).
Series of 11 letters from Charles Grafton Wilberton French to Nancy L. Manney written between 1885 and 1886, as well as three related items. The letters were written from Prescott, Arizona, and Washington, D.C., beginning in July 1885. They trace French's courtship and ultimate engagement to Nancy in 1886. In the first letter (HM 48772), French writes of the death of his wife and that "she knew all about my relations to yourself, long before her marriage to me." He then writes of their misunderstanding in the 1840s, noting that "when I left Beaufort I was convinced of your regard but I did not know how your family regarded the matter...there were many reasons for believing they did not regard it with satisfaction" (HM 48773). In October he wrote that he wanted to come to Beaufort so that "there should be no possibility of another mistake" (HM 48774), and by March 1886 they had become engaged and French wrote that "all that I am, all that I have, and all [that] I hope for in this life, I am ready now to devote to you" (HM 48779). Enclosed with HM 48778 is a photograph of French dated 1870. Also included with the correspondence is a letter from French to the postmaster of Beaufort asking if Nancy Manney is still at the same address (1885); a note from Nancy inquiring about a trunk (1886); and a photocopy of a marriage application for French and Nancy (1886).
The collection consists of twenty-two letters written in French from L. Montgaillard to Edward A. Breed regarding the progress of the Noble Copper Mine located at French Gulch, California. Montgaillard describes the mine and mine shaft's growth in addition to their discovery of a rich vein, wages for the miners (including mention of Cornish miners), and expenses for supplies such as powder and wood.
This collection contains three letters from John French, who was working in California's Sierra Nevada during the post-gold rush period; they were written to his sister in Newtonbrook, near Toronto, Ontario, Canada. French describes mill work, social life around Sierra Nevada, mining, gender politics due to so few women in the vicinity, and interactions with Chinese workers and local Native American populations. The letters contain condescending and derogatory descriptions of Native Americans and Chinese individuals. The letter dated 1870 June 7 was written from Rock Creek. The letter dated 1872 May 26, written from Indian Springs, which is damaged and repaired, has an ink drawing of a man, labeled "Our photograph." The letter dated 1871 July 24, written from Indian Spring Mines, describes an earthquake.
