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University College London

Morley Letters


IDENTITY STATEMENT

Reference code(s): GB 0103 MS ADD 149

Held at: University College London

Title: Morley Letters

Date(s): 1887-1893

Level of description: Collection (fonds)

Extent: 9 letters

Name of creator(s): Morley | Henry | 1822-1894 | author

CONTEXT

Administrative/Biographical history:

Henry Morley was born in Hatton Garden, London, on 15 September 1822. He was sent to a Moravian school in Germany and then to King's College London from 1838 to 1843. Morley's father was a member of the Apothecaries' Company and Morley was therefore destined for the medical profession. He did study medicine and in 1843 commenced practice as a doctor's assistant. Soon afterwards he bought a partnership but his partner turned out to be dishonest and left Morley with large debts to pay off. Morley then decided to change his plan of life and become a teacher. In 1848 he set up a school in Manchester which later moved to Liverpool. He had always loved literature and writing. He wrote a set of ironical papers which were printed in the Journal of Public Health and later in the Examiner, which was edited by John Forster. These articles attracted much attention from eminent writers such as Dickens. In 1851 Morley was persuaded by Dickens to go to London and take part in the management of Household Words. Morley began publishing his works. In 1861 he became the editor of the Examiner. In 1857 he was appointed Lecturer in English Literature at the evening school of King's College London. From 1865 to 1889 he was Professor of English Language and Literature at University College London. In 1878 he was appointed Professor of English Language and Literature at Queen's College London. He was Principal of University Hall at Gordon Square, London, from 1882 to 1890. Morley then resigned his Professorships and retired to the Isle of Wight where he died on 14 May 1894.

CONTENT

Scope and content/abstract:

Letters of Henry Morley to W J Hiscoke, 1887-1893, concerning the Old Neuwieder, with various enclosures: review of J A Owen's 'Canderlaria'; sonnet 'Brudergemeinde'; review of J A Owen's 'After shipwreck'; sonnet 'Our living dead'; poem 'Dedication to the ninth volume of English writers'.

ACCESS AND USE

Language/scripts of material: English

System of arrangement:

Conditions governing access:

Open.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Normal copyright restrictions apply.

Physical characteristics:

Finding aids:

Collection level description.

Detailed catalogue

ARCHIVAL INFORMATION

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information:

Accruals:

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

Purchased in September 1951.

ALLIED MATERIALS

Existence and location of originals:

Existence and location of copies:

Related material:

University College London Special Collections also hold letters of Henry Morley concerning University College London business, 1865-1887 (Ref: COLLEGE CORRESPONDENCE); miscellaneous letters of Henry Morley [1867]-1892 and undated (Ref: MS MISC 3M).

Publication note:

DESCRIPTION NOTES

Note:

Date(s) of descriptions: 1999, revised Oct 2001


INDEX ENTRIES
Subjects
Literary criticism | Literature
Poetry | Literary forms and genres | Literature

Personal names
Hiscoke | W J | fl 1887-1893
Morley | Henry | 1822-1894 | author
Visger | Jean Allan | d 1922 | née Pinder | married firstly George Newton Owen | author and journalist x Pinder | Jean Allan x Owen | Jean Allan

Corporate names

Places