NINETEENTH CENTURY LITERARY MANUSCRIPTS

Part 6: Correspondence and Papers, 1788-1827, of Archibald Constable, Publisher of the Edinburgh Review

Detailed Listing - Part 6

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NLS Mss 319-32 CONSTABLE COLLECTION. Correspondence of Archibald Constable, Publisher, Edinburgh, and his firm, 1799-1827. Other volumes of this correspondence are MSS 668-83; and business books and letter-books of the firm, MSS 789-802. An account of all this correspondence is given in MS 803. The material was used by Thomas Constable in his Archibald Constable and his Literary Correspondents, Edin 1873. See also MSS 333-4.

Quarto, unless otherwise stated.

Presented, with MSS 333-4, by Messrs T and A Constable, University Press, Edinburgh, with the concurrence of the representatives of Archibald Constable’s family, in 1928.

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NLS Ms 319       

Correspondence with Robert Cadell

Constable to Cadell

1811-1822 iv + 337 ff

NLS Ms 320       

Correspondence with Robert Cadell

Constable to Cadell

1822-1826 iv + 316 ff

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NLS Ms 321       

Correspondence with Robert Cadell

Cadell to Constable

1811-1816 iv + 497 ff

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NLS Ms 322

Correspondence with Robert Cadell

Cadell to Constable

1816-1818 iv + 488 ff

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NLS Ms 323

Correspondence with Robert Cadell

Cadell to Constable

1819-1826 iv + 647 ff

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NLS Ms 324

Letter-book containing copy of the correspondence with Longman and Co, 1802-1805; with a note by Constable on the correspondence and on the firm of Longman (f 1v ), and observations throughout in the handwriting of his partner, A G Hunter. Includes two autograph letters of George Chalmers, one criticizing this volume of correspondence, which had been sent to him by Constable and Co, 1806.

Ii + 82 ff

NLS Ms 325

Letter-book containing copy of the correspondence of Archibald Constable and Co, with publishers (including Longmans and Co), book-sellers, and authors, 1803-1805. Index of names at f ii.

Ii + 80 ff Folio

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NLS Ms 326

Letters of the firm of Hurst, Robinson and Co and its individual members to Archibald Constable, with copies of some letters of Constable, 1816-27.

Iv + 531 ff

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NLS Ms 327

Letters addressed to Archibald Constable and his firm by various writers, with copies of some letters of Constable, 1799-1827. The correspondents include many celebrated authors. The letters are arranged by correspondents in alphabetical order. Other volumes of this alphabetical series are MSS 668-75, 681.

Correspondent: Gibson (Craig)- Grahame iv + 346 ff

NLS Ms 328

Letters addressed to Archibald Constable and his firm by various writers, with copies of some letters of Constable, 1799-1827. The correspondents include many celebrated authors. The letters are arranged by correspondents in alphabetical order. Other volumes of this alphabetical series are MSS 668-75, 681.

Correspondent: A G Hunter and father iv + 237 ff

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NLS Ms 329

Letters addressed to Archibald Constable and his firm by various writers, with copies of some letters of Constable, 1799-1827. The correspondents include many celebrated authors. The letters are arranged by correspondents in alphabetical order. Other volumes of this alphabetical series are MSS 668-75, 681.

Correspondent: A G Hunter and family iv + 241 ff

NLS Ms 330

Letters addressed to Archibald Constable and his firm by various writers, with copies of some letters of Constable, 1799-1827. The correspondents include many celebrated authors. The letters are arranged by correspondents in alphabetical order. Other volumes of this alphabetical series are MSS 668-75, 681.

Correspondent: Ker-Knowles iv + 47 ff

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NLS Ms 331

Letters addressed to Archibald Constable and his firm by various writers, with copies of some letters of Constable, 1799-1827. The correspondents include many celebrated authors. The letters are arranged by correspondents in alphabetical order. Other volumes of this alphabetical series are MSS 668-75, 681.

Correspondent: Lackington-Longman iv + 405 ff

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NLS Ms 332

Letters addressed to Archibald Constable and his firm by various writers, with copies of some letters of Constable, 1799-1827. The correspondents include many celebrated authors. The letters are arranged by correspondents in alphabetical order. Other volumes of this alphabetical series are MSS 668-75, 681.

Correspondent: Tennant-Tytler iv+189 ff

NLS Ms 668-84

CONSTABLE COLLECTION (in continuation of MSS 333-4). The collection consists of correspondence of Archibald Constable, Publisher, Edinburgh, his firm, and his family, and of one volume of the MS of a work published in Constable’s Miscellany. The correspondents include many of the most celebrated men (chiefly literary) of the time. The material of MSS 668-81 was used by Thomas Constable in his Archibald Constable and his Literary Correspondents, 3 vols, Edin, 1873. See also MSS 789-802. Chiefly quarto.

Presented by Mrs Forsyth, the grand-daughter of Archibald Constable, 30 Nov, 1931, and 10 Feb, 1932.

NLS Ms 668

Letters addressed to Archibald Constable, with a few written by him, arranged roughly in alphabetical order of the correspondents, 1788-1827.

Adam – Auchie iv + 215 ff

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NLS Ms 669

Letters addressed to Archibald Constable, with a few written by him, arranged roughly in alphabetical order of the correspondents, 1788-1827.

Cadell & Davies – Chalmers iv + 356 ff

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NLS Ms 670

Letters addressed to Archibald Constable, with a few written by him, arranged roughly in alphabetical order of the correspondents, 1788-1827.

Chalmers – Cromek iv + 368 ff

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NLS Ms 671

Letters addressed to Archibald Constable, with a few written by him, arranged roughly in alphabetical order of the correspondents, 1788-1827.

Dalyell – Forbes iv + 309 ff

NLS Ms 672

Letters addressed to Archibald Constable, with a few written by him, arranged roughly in alphabetical order of the correspondents, 1788-1827.

Jamieson – Jeffrey iv + 103 ff

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NLS Ms 673

Letters addressed to Archibald Constable, with a few written by him, arranged roughly in alphabetical order of the correspondents, 1788-1827.

Magee – Macneill iv + 335 ff

NLS Ms 674

Letters addressed to Archibald Constable, with a few written by him, arranged roughly in alphabetical order of the correspondents, 1788-1827.

Nicol – Northcote iv + 129 ff

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NLS Ms 675

Letters addressed to Archibald Constable, with a few written by him, arranged roughly in alphabetical order of the correspondents, 1788-1827.

Somerville – Stewart iv + 243 ff

NLS Ms 676

Letters and copies of letters, chiefly of Archibald Constable, with a few of other writers, in order of date within each volume.

To various persons, 1794-1827

iv + 211 ff

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NLS Ms 677

Letters and copies of letters, chiefly of Archibald Constable, with a few of other writers, in order of date within each volume.

To and regarding Sir Walter Scott, 1808-27

iv + 140 ff

NLS Ms 678

Letters and copies of letters, chiefly of Archibald Constable, with a few of other writers, in order of date within each volume.

Chiefly to David Constable, 1821-7

iv + 268 ff

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NLS Ms 679

Letters, chiefly of David Constable, Advocate, with a few of other writers, arranged in each volume in order of date.

Chiefly to his parents, 1808-26

iv + 407 ff

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NLS Ms 680

Letters, chiefly of David Constable, Advocate, with a few of other writers, arranged in each volume in order of date.

Chiefly to his brothers, 1824-56

iv + 360 ff

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NLS Ms 681

Correspondence between Archibald Constable and Alexander Murray, with other letters dealing with Murray, roughly arranged in order of date, 1794-1827.

Iv + 366 ff

NLS Ms 682

Letters, almost all addressed to Archibald Constable, or his firm, from various writers, arranged by writers in alphabetical order, 1796-1825.

214 ff

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NLS Ms 683

(i) Correspondence of and regarding Sir Walter Scott, 1816-27 (ff 1-83)

(ii) Articles, memoranda, etc, of literary, historical, and topical interest (ff 84-120)

(iii) Circular letters regarding Edinburgh institutions (ff 121-8), prospectuses of books, etc. (ff 129-35), and legal papers, ancient and recent, etc. (ff 136-43).

143 ff

NLS Ms 684

“History of the Sufferings and Misfortunes of the Picard Family after the Shipwreck of the Medusa”, by Patrick Maxwell, being a translation of La Chaumière africaine of Mme C A Dard (Dijon, 1824), with the translator’s preface, appendix, and notes, all as published in Perils and Captivity (Constable’s Miscellany, vol xi, Edin, 1827), with the preface to that volume written by H (?ugh) Murray.

4 ff (folio) + i + 174 ff

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NLS Mss 742-5

CADELL COLLECTION of Sir Walter Scott’s correspondence with Archibald Constable, Robert Cadell, and others, 1796-1831. Most of the letters are in Scott’s autograph. For the history of this collection, see MS 803.

Various sizes. Purchased, 4 Mar, 1932. Reid Fund.

NLS Ms 742

Vol I Correspondence, chiefly with Archibald Constable and his firm, 1796-1821. The correspondents also include: James Ballantyne (?1813-21); John Ballantyne, 1813-20; Robert Cadell, 1813-21; William Erskine, 1811; Rev C R Maturin, 1817-18; and Sir Thomas Slingsby, of Scriven, 1806.

Vi + 235 ff

NLS Ms 743

Vol II Correspondence, chiefly with Archibald Constable and Robert Cadell, 1822-4. The other letters are all addressed to James Ballantyne, 1822-4.

Vi + 259 ff

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NLS Ms 789-92

Letter-books of Archibald Constable & Co, 1814-26, containing copies of outgoing letters. The letters, which are addressed to authors, publishers, booksellers, printers, etc, deal with the writing, publication, and sale of many well-known works, including those of Scott. For the history of these volumes, see MS 803.

Each volume is paginated (with some errors) and contains at the beginning an alphabetical list of all addressees. Missing portions of these lists have been replaced in typescript.

The original covers of the volumes were labeled “Letter Book …A C & Co” with covering dates (which did not correspond with the contents). Folio.

NLS Ms 789

Letter-books of Archibald Constable & Co, 1814-26, containing copies of outgoing letters. The letters, which are addressed to authors, publishers, booksellers, printers, etc, deal with the writing, publication, and sale of many well-known works, including those of Scott. For the history of these volumes, see MS 803.

Each volume is paginated (with some errors) and contains at the beginning an alphabetical list of all addressees. Missing portions of these lists have been replaced in typescript.

The original covers of the volumes were labeled “Letter Book …A C & Co” with covering dates (which did not correspond with the contents). Folio.

17 Jan, 1814, to 12 Aug, 1817

ii + 423 ff

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NLS Ms 790

Letter-books of Archibald Constable & Co, 1814-26, containing copies of outgoing letters. The letters, which are addressed to authors, publishers, booksellers, printers, etc, deal with the writing, publication, and sale of many well-known works, including those of Scott. For the history of these volumes, see MS 803.

Each volume is paginated (with some errors) and contains at the beginning an alphabetical list of all addressees. Missing portions of these lists have been replaced in typescript.

The original covers of the volumes were labeled “Letter Book …A C & Co” with covering dates (which did not correspond with the contents). Folio.

5 Sept, 1817, to 24 Feb, 1820

xxv + 390 ff

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NLS Ms 791

Letter-books of Archibald Constable & Co, 1814-26, containing copies of outgoing letters. The letters, which are addressed to authors, publishers, booksellers, printers, etc, deal with the writing, publication, and sale of many well-known works, including those of Scott. For the history of these volumes, see MS 803.

Each volume is paginated (with some errors) and contains at the beginning an alphabetical list of all addressees. Missing portions of these lists have been replaced in typescript.

The original covers of the volumes were labeled “Letter Book …A C & Co” with covering dates (which did not correspond with the contents). Folio.

24 Feb, 1820, to 31 Dec, 1822

370 ff

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NLS Ms 792

Letter-books of Archibald Constable & Co, 1814-26, containing copies of outgoing letters. The letters, which are addressed to authors, publishers, booksellers, printers, etc, deal with the writing, publication, and sale of many well-known works, including those of Scott. For the history of these volumes, see MS 803.

Each volume is paginated (with some errors) and contains at the beginning an alphabetical list of all addressees. Missing portions of these lists have been replaced in typescript.

The original covers of the volumes were labeled “Letter Book …A C & Co” with covering dates (which did not correspond with the contents). Folio.

2 Jan, 1822, to 19 June, 1826   278 ff

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NLS Ms 7200 CONSTABLE COLLECTION.

A volume of letters, 1801-27, mostly addressed to Archibald Constable, publisher, with a few copies of letters written by him. The letters are arranged roughly in alphabetical order of the correspondents, who include William Hazlitt, Leigh Hunt, and James Hogg. There are some annotations by Thomas Constable, who made use of the material in his Archibald Constable and his literary correspondents, Edin, 1873. The Hazlitt letters have been published in The Letters of William Hazlitt, ed H M Sikes, Lond, 1979. See also MSS 319-32, 668-84.

Iv + 257 ff. Folio and under.

Presented, 1964, by P J W Kilpatrick, of Messrs T and A Constable Ltd, Edinburgh.

NLS Ms 8991 CONSTABLE COLLECTION.

A volume of letters, 1799-1827, mostly addressed to Archibald Constable, the publisher. The letters are almost all from members of the Constable family, and those of each correspondent are grouped together and arranged in chronological order. The chief correspondents are John Constable, Berwick, Michael Constable of Woodford, Charles Constable, London, Colonel George Constable and Dr Robert Constable, all of whom write concerning family matters.

Appended to the volume are three miscellaneous items: a clipping, 1815, from the Kelso Weekly Journal advertising books published by Archibald Constable and Co (f 166); part of a letter concerning the firm’s advertising (f 167); and a bill of consignment, 1848, for books dispatched to New York (f 168).

Ii + 170 ff. Folio and under.

Presented, 1965, by P J W Kirkpatrick, of Messrs T and A Constable Ltd, Edinburgh.

REEL 26A

NLS Ms 23117

Constable Letters

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NLS Ms 23230-4 CONSTABLE

Five volumes of correspondence of Archibald Constable and of the firm of A Constable and Co, 1801-27.

For other records of Constable and his firm, see MSS 319-32, 668-83, 789-802, 7200, 8991 and 23117.

Presented, 1971, by P J W Kilpatrick, Esq, Slipperfield House, West Linton, Peebles-shire.

NLS Ms 23230

Letters to Constable and the firm 1801-27 from James (f 1), John (f 103) and Hermione Ballantyne (f 199), together with a few replies, both originals and copies.

239 ff. Quarto.

NLS Ms 23231

Letterbook labeled “No I” of Archibald Constable and Co 1805-7 containing copies of outgoing letters, and of a few incoming replies. The copy letters are preceded (ff 1-2) by an index of correspondents. Due to an oversight ff 90v-91 are blank.

174 ff. Folio.

NLS Ms 23232

A volume entitled ‘Private’ containing copies by Constable of correspondence, notes and accounts 1821-2 relating mainly to Sir Walter Scott and some of his works.

80 + a few blank ff. Quarto.

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NLS Ms 23233

What appears to be a proof copy of a book entitled ‘Correspondence between John Murray, London, and Archibald Constable and A Constable & Co, Edinburgh’. The correspondence, which includes letters of and to a number of others, runs from 1803-1813 with four letters dated 1825, and is followed (p 131) by ‘six letters omitted from their proper places’ dated 1807, 1809. It is not known why these letters were printed: they do not appear to have been published.

140 pp. Large quarto.

NLS Ms 23234

What appears to be an interleaved proof copy of an untitled printed book containing (i) copies and extracts of correspondence  between Robert Cadell and Archibald Constable 1811-26 (f 1) and (ii) copies and extracts of correspondence between Constable and his son David 1809-26 (f 94). Several of the originals of the Cadell-Constable correspondence are in MSS 319-23, and several of the originals of David Constable’s letters are in MS 679, from which these have been printed, the original letters having been marked for the purpose. The correspondence between Archibald and David Constable includes a number of letters of and to others. It is not known why either correspondence was printed: neither appears to have been published.

157 ff + a similar number of blank interleaves. Quarto.

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NLS Ms 23618-20 ARCHIBALD CONSTABLE AND HURST, ROBINSON AND CO.

A collection of letters from Archibald Constable and Co to Messrs Hurst, Robinson and Co, 1813-27, including many to Joseph O Robinson from Archibald Constable in person and from Robert Cadell, and a number of other, related, letters and papers. The correspondence concerns business matters, especially the publication and sale of Sir Walter Scott’s works, the technicalities connected with their publication, and the financial complications and difficulties which led eventually to the bankruptcy of Constable. Most of the correspondence was written between January 1819 and January 1821 and April 1825 and January 1826, when letters were written frequently, sometimes daily or more often: other periods are represented by few letters, or none at all. A few letters are mutilated, having had their address panels cut off; the reason is not known. Most of the letters are written on quarto sheets. Bought, 1990.

NLS Ms 23618

1813 – Jan, 1820

i + 192 ff

NLS Ms 23619

Feb, 1820 – Oct, 1823

197 ff

NLS Ms 23620

Dec, 1823 – 1827

184 ff

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