1881–82 J R Green 2x ALS letter Archbishop Tait on illness, Stanley & new book For Sale

1881–82 J. R. Green – Two Autograph Letters to Archbishop Tait – Illness, Dean Stanley, and ‘The Making of England’

A fine pair of late‑life autograph letters by J. R. Green (1837–1883), the celebrated Victorian historian and author of A Short History of the English People. Both letters are addressed to Archbishop Archibald Tait, written during Green’s final period of illness and convalescence abroad, and together form a coherent narrative of personal struggle, gratitude, and scholarly activity.

Letter 1: New University Club, St James’s Street, S.W., late 1881.A warm, reflective letter in which Green thanks Tait for his kindness during a prolonged period of medical restraint imposed by Dr Clarke. He speaks of his enforced absence from Lambeth Library duties, his improving health, and his forthcoming departure for San Remo. Includes a characteristic historical anecdote about Peter the Great and Lambeth Library. Signed “J. R. Green.”

Letter 2: Villa S. Nicola, Mentone, 15 February 1882.Green sends Tait a presentation copy of his newly published book, The Making of England, noting the relevance of Archbishop Theodore as one of Tait’s predecessors. He reflects movingly on the recent death of Dean Arthur Stanley, recounting how Stanley befriended him during a lonely period at Oxford. The letter breaks off mid‑sentence, due to a missing second leaf. UNSIGNED

These letters come from the last 18 months of Green’s life, when he was writing under severe physical strain. They show his deep respect for Tait, his emotional connection to Dean Stanley, and his determination to continue scholarly work despite illness. Together they offer an unusually personal insight into Green’s intellectual world and the Broad Church circle of the early 1880s.

A fine and coherent pair of late‑life letters by one of the great Victorian historians, addressed to the Archbishop of Canterbury and rich in personal and intellectual content.

Condition as photos. All items can be returned for a full refund if found to be not as described.

John Richard Green (Dec 1837 – Mar 1883) was an English historian.

PROVENANCE:

One of c.2,500+ items once from the collection or dealer stock of Winifred A Myers (Autographs) Ltd, St Martins Lane, London, evidenced by the quantity of Myers pre-printed envelopes and paper folders and the general ‘presentation’ of the items, many having Myers identification notes in pencil.

Winifred Alice Myers (1909 - 1985) served as ABA (Antiquarian Booksellers Assoc) president, 1950-1952. See the ABA website for an extended article on Myers. Myers left her business, in 1985, to Ruth Shepherd, who traded from home until 2004.

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