Nelson & His World

As members will have read on the 'Christmas Quiz' thread, a wonderful prize of a facsimile edition of 'Morrison' was awarded to the winner of the quiz.

I am delighted to endorse wholeheartedly Fiddler's enthusiastic response on receiving her books. Even more exciting is the wonderful news that these invaluable volumes, originally privately published, so difficult to track down, and expensive to buy, are now readily available in this robust and elegant facsimile edition.

Full details:

Now published... for the first time in more than 100 years...
The Collection of Autograph Letters and Historical Documents - The Hamilton & Nelson Papers Formed By Alfred Morrison

A high quality and faithful facsimile reproduction of the original and rare Hamilton papers collection. Originally privately printed in two volumes in 1893, the Morrison collection is probably the finest, most accurate and fully comprehensive collection of letters ever published concerning Nelson and the Hamiltons.

Volume 1 (231 pages)

contains the letters of Sir William Hamilton prior to and following his appointment as ambassador to Naples. The transcripts feature some of the most celebrated personalities of the time and includes political and personal correspondence up to 1797, before Nelson's arrival in Naples after the Battle of The Nile. Also included are many complete letters covering the early relationships of Emma Hamilton, Sir William Hamilton and Charles Francis Greville pre-dating her removal from London to Naples in 1786.

Volume 2 (430 pages)

contains an absolute wealth of material, cutting across the political, naval and personal affairs of the period, and features many letters of Sir William Hamilton, Lord Nelson and Lady Hamilton, including the intrigue surrounding the birth of Horatia, along with unexpurgated transcriptions of the 'Thomson' letters. This volume features a fascinating collection of household receipts of the then 'Emma Hart', various financial accounts of Lord Nelson and his agents, detailed accounts between Sir William Hamilton and Nelson following their return to England in 1800, and the office copy of Sir William's will.

One of the great advantages of the Morrison collection is that all letters and documents are complete and were not cut or edited to suit the politics, manners or morals of the time.

A tremendously valuable addition to any Nelson library, whether for serious scholarship, historical research or general interest.
Find out more about this and forthcoming publications at:

www.compassrosepublishing.co.uk

I spent an idle and fruitless half hour Googling this afternoon, while waiting for the roasting potatoes to brown, to try and find out just how many copies of Morrison’s private publication of the H&N papers were actually printed. They are always described as ‘rare’ when they appear for sale, though the size of the edition is never given. I was lucky enough to acquire my volumes on ebay when a library was being disposed of (ouch!), though they are increasingly fragile despite careful handling, having been kept, not very well, I fear, in the dry air of Arizona; hence my delight at acquiring the facsimiles which I can use without anxiety.

Can any Googler find the number originally printed?