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This collection was acquired by the Lee Library in segments between 1975 and 1987. The bulk of it was compiled by Maurice Buxton Forman of Pretoria, South Africa and London, England. Forman was a devoted reader and collector of Phillpotts' work. They developed a relationship, mainly through correspondence, that went beyond that of writer and fan to genuine friendship. Phillpotts presented some books and manuscripts to Forman as gifts. The Blacker letters (UTBV87-A39) and the Forman segment of the collection were purchased from the firm of Bertram-Rota, Ltd., London. The holograph manuscript of His Brother's Keeper was acquired separately from The Rendells, Inc., Newton, Mass.
Collection is available for appropriate scholarly research.
It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.
The copyright of the collection and all of Eden Phillpotts' works is held by The Royal Literary Fund, London. For permission to publish write Mr. Anthony Mackenzie Smith, Secretary.
Eden Phillpotts was an extremely prolific English novelist, playwright, poet, and essayist. His novels of Devon rural life, written in the Thomas Hardy tradition, include
For a more extended biographical treatment see
"During a prolific literary career that spanned the reigns of five monarchs, Eden Phillpotts wrote novels, stage and radio plays, memoirs, essays, poetry, short stories, fables, and mystery fiction. He published his first book,...in 1888 [and] was still writing novels and radio plays in the 1950s, by which time his output totaled more than 250 books."
"Phillpott's reputation probably rests on his Dartmoor series of novels, of which he wrote eighteen (notably
This manuscript collection consists of correspondence, literary manuscripts, reviews of Phillpotts' work and articles about him in the form of news clippings, tear sheets and reprints, theater programs and playbills for his plays, photographs, and memorabilia. Also included are "An Index of First Lines to the Poems of Eden Phillpotts," 1 volume, and "A Bibliography of the Writings in Prose and Verse of Eden Phillpotts," 5 volumes, both compiled by Maurice Buxton Forman.
This small but significant manuscript collection is complemented by an extensive collection of the published writings of Eden Phillpotts. Gathered by Maurice Buxton Forman, the collection is virtually complete and consists largely of first editions. The wide range of Phillpotts' prolific writing output, which James Dayananda lists at 86 novels, 9 industrial novels, 45 plays, 23 volumes of short stories, 2 volumes of verse, 28 volumes of children's stories and fairy tales, 19 volumes of detective stories and mysteries, and 3 volumes of miscellaneous prose, including essays, travel, and memoirs, is represented richly and fully in the collection.
Some of the books contain inscriptions and laid-in manuscripts such as cover letters. In a few, Phillpotts marked revisions for subsequent editions. Children of Men, for example, has extensive revisions. A file of photocopied book inscriptions and laid-manuscripts is included in this manuscript collection in box 2.
In 1994 the library's online catalog, BYLINE, listed 333 entries on the index screen for Eden Phillpotts, with many entries being for articles that appeared in The Idler and other English magazines, and a few entries being references to archival and manuscript materials, namely, this collection. Two compilations of Phillpotts' article-length writings are "Contributions to
The materials are arranged in the following categories and order: correspondence, writings (i.e. literary manuscripts), theater programs and playbills, photographs, memorabilia, news clippings and articles, the index to the first lines of poems, the bibliography, and the photocopies of inscriptions and laid-in manuscripts.
The original photographs were separated from this collection and filed in the BYU Photographic Archives (Catalog # P113). Photocopies are available in their place in this collection.
For further information consult the following: Dictionary of Literary Biography, Volumes 10 and 70; James Y. Dayananda, ed., Eden Phillpotts (1862-1960). Selected Letters. (Lanham-New York-London: University Press of America, 1984) [Catalog # PR 5177 .Z5 A4 1984]; Percival Hinton, Eden Phillpotts. A Bibliography of First Editions. (Birmingham: Greville Worthington, 1931); and Adelaide Phillpotts Ross, Reverie: An Autobiography. (London: Hale, 1981). The bibliography in Dayananda is especially useful. It includes a list of critical studies of Phillpotts' work and an extensive list in the "Acknowledgements" of those libraries and archives that hold Phillpotts manuscripts.
Each folder title and descriptive entry below includes, as appropriate, the following information in the order given: name or author, title, record type, span dates, quantity, arrangement, and content.
The following abbreviations are used in the container list: AMsS for autograph manuscript signed; ALS for autograph letter signed with name or initials; AL for autograph letter unsigned; MS for manuscript; and TLS for typed letter signed.
Mostly correspondence with publishers and booksellers regarding Forman's search for Phillpotts' works and information about them. Includes one ALS from Phillpotts, 17 August 1924, several drafts of outgoing letters in Forman's hand, and a handwritten copy of a Phillpotts letter that appeared in Devonia in June, 1904. See also: E.P. letters to Henry Buxton Forman in Dayananda and an E.P. letter to [W.?] Courthorpe Forman, Esq. in box 2, fd. 5.
Includes also typescript copies of two William Dean Howells letters to Phillpotts in 1909 and 1912, along with excerpts from two letters to Mrs. Howells, 1909, describing a visit to Phillpotts' home. In his letters to Phillpotts, Howells commented on the power of Phillpotts' writing to induce emotion in the reader, eliciting the extremes of both pleasure and pain. He praised Devonshire, expressed appreciation for their friendly conversation and invited Phillpotts to visit him in America. The Howells letters were copied--apparently by Forman-- from Mildred Howells, ed., Life in Letters of W. D. Howells, 2 vols. (1929). See also: Dayananda for a selection of E.P.'s letters to Howells.
A charming group of personal letters written primarily during the summer season (July-Sept.) and at Christmas, to family friends, the Blackers, who apparently spent their annual holiday in Torquay, a seaside resort town in southern Devon. Phillpotts lived and worked in Torquay for over thirty years.
Phillpotts shared news of his family, his work, and his work habits. He turned down frequent invitations from the Blackers to visit and dine on account of illness and the pressures of his work. He wrote of mutual acquaintances, of the accomplishments of his and the Blacker's children, and of their mutual acquaintances, some in the literary world. He shared news of books and poems and reported on the progress of his son Henry's artistic efforts and encouraged Mrs. Blacker in her painting. Two of the letters express condolences for deaths in the Blacker family.
family. Significant passages from the letters that are illustrative of their substantive content include the following: "I told you that my girl had never shown me a line of her work. It was true, but is true no longer & I am glad to say that today she presented me with quite a little volume of poetry -- two years' harvest of a maiden's moods. Allowing for parental weakness, I am glad to report great promise & a fine & fearless attitude to life. There is imagination, too, & a feeling for technique that argues something worth striving for hereafter." 25 Dec. 1914.
1914. "I can well guess what your present operations must mean & how many a pang is wakened in memory as you proceed in the pathetic business of delving into the strata of the past. Your fortitude & philosophy will carry you through; while all your friends blessed with imagination will heartily sympathise when they consider your task. I can picture you hiding sad things from your husband that his heart may not ache. It is a tender heart & I never met any man so moved by the war of the world as he. When the Great War broke out my words were: I wish to God we were on the side of Germany rather than France: And I still wish it had been so." To Mrs. Blacker, 26 Feb. 1923.
"Much I appreciated your kind letter, which I shall send to Adelaide who is now working in London. She is a tremendous worker & a keen feminist-- as serious as young people are wont to be at her age, if they are worth anything. Her book The Friend is a very adequate first novel & was received kindly. It is intensely serious, but that is her heart. Her new book: The Man Who Said 'Yea', which I have just read for her, is more mature. She will make beautiful things in time to come, if she lives long enough, for she loves her art & is fearless. The lack of humor is the obstacle to an oricular[?] & just view of life: she doesn't see much to laugh at yet. But she loves Anatole France, so the sense of humor may develope." To Mrs. Blacker, 8 Feb. 1924.
Literary manuscript of poem, ink AMsS, 1 leaf. Includes a printed version with a change of one word in line four of stanza one.
Circular used for fundraising which carries an appeal for assistance from Phillpotts for The Prince of Wales's Hospital, Plymouth, Devon.
Phillpotts was a contributor to the debate over this question. See also: other publications from
Quarto; 8x10 writing paper bound as a stack of loose sheets in full maroon morocco leather and inscribed on the flyleaf: "The manuscript of folk story,
Also includes a two page ALS to Forman, dated 28 March 1941 at Kerswell, Broadclyst, Exeter. The letter reads as follows:
"My dear Friend, dont attempt to read my script. You shall have the first copy when the book sees the light. Methuens are about to publish a minor story (of the 'mystery' sort) but when they will print this one, who shall say? They are starved of paper. You must part for the South African sun & air. I have had a close call this winter, but a clever physician has saved me & my pen is not dry yet. Stories flow in & I have a beautiful thing in my mind & hope with increased strength it may reach the telling stage. Did you ever have the bibliography that was published of my works? I think it went up to 1931. If not, I will try to secure a copy. Percival Hinton compiled it. Yours always. Eden Phillpotts."
The basic overall arrangement of titles is chronological. Volumes 1-4 are devoted to major works and volume 5 is for uncollected prose pieces, verse, and articles on Eden Phillpotts. Volume 1 contains an index to volumes 1-4 and each volume carries its own index as well. The final volume also contains a listing of letters written by Phillpotts to Forman, 1924-29, to [Collis?], 1893- 1925, and to Charles Wilson, 1922.
This bibliography is in the handwriting of Forman. It no doubt began with a listing of his own collection, and may have been projected for publication. It is an enumerative or systematic bibliography with information on format, the number of leaves, and a register of signatures. Forman's book entries approach standard form for analytical and descriptive bibliographic entries but in scope they fall short, often lacking a note on the contents of the book and information on publishing history. See also: Percival Hinton,