The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-08
How Major Lambert Acquired the
Letters.

To THE EDITOR or THE SuN-Sir: |
read with much interest the extracts from
Thackeray's letters 20 Mrs. Brookheld and
your comments thereon. but II *, think,
a mistake to say that all of this CORE
spondence had been submitted for editing
10 Mr. James Russell Lowell. The letters
that were SO submitted and edited APP
peared In Soribner's Md9d-ine in 1857.
and the originals Were atterWard aC-
qured by Augustin DAILY and are now In
the collection OF J. Pierpont Morgan. The
suggestion OF another critic tina; these UNI
published letters In the Lambert collec-
ton were left by Mr.. Lowell In the
hands OF Mrs Ritchie 20 he peddlcd out
one by one TO the late Major Lambert Of
this city" contains about as much of
error as can we'll he crowded into q sin
gle sentence. These letters were never
submitted Ia Mr.. Lowell. and therefore Il
did not become his duty 10 select "a
custodian. They were never IN the pos
session OF Lady Ritche, and hence she
could have had neither the opportunity
nor the power to soil them. or otherwise
dispose OF them. This critic might have
reflected that in every day lie Il is not
customary Tor a father 10 make his
daughter the custodian ~ his love letters,
nor is the lady who receives them likely
To select the daughtey FOR so delicate a
duty. Moreover. Major Lambert was not
of this city but of Philadelphia.
For more than twenty-five years I had
labored over a photography of Thackcray,
and In my work was IN constant COM
munication with Major Lambert who in
varabiy showed me his acquisition. thus
giving me ample opportunity to add TO
my photographed notes. In return I
always called his attention to new dis
covcrles OF hitherto unknown items, and
on many occas lons during my absences
in the summer months I left my manu-
script volumes in his care for reference
and study. I may note that this bib!iog-
raphy, in card catalogue as well as the
manuscript volumes, has been given by
me To the library of Yale University.
whore It may b. examined by those In
tcrested In the subject, The portion of
the photography relating to American
publications WAS published with the late
General James Grant Wilson'S "Thack-
cray in the United States" by Dodd Il
Mead IN 1908.
These unpublished letters from Thack-
cray to Mrs, Brookiield had the privilege
of examining some years ago in Major
l.ambert's library, and was told by him
that he had purchased them, directly or
through an agent from Mrs Brook field :
son. Charles, and that they came To him
still tied In little package with bit
of faded ribbon.
have not yet seen the catalogue Of
February 70. and am curious to know
whether the collection includes IN its
treasures the manuscript of THO Rose
and the Ring" This Was written ON
large oblong Sheets with the text in the
centre in Thackcray's small neat hand
writing, fanked on either side 10y
sketches of the chara cters, many being
| colored, and some of them have never
been reproduced Sir Theodore Martin
had been shown this remarkable piece Of
work by Thackeray's daughter and he
begged that he might take this manu-
| script with him for "A time, "A privilege
which was readily granted Some weeks
later Sir Theodore returned the work
handsomely bound in morocco and grace
| fully presented the volume To the daugh-
ters of his friend I always thought this
volume was the choicest example OF
Ihackerays genius possessed by Major
l.amhert, and Il was to me a source OF
regret tnat the volume had not been re-
produced In fac-simile.
FREDERICK $. DiChsoN.
NEW YORK, February g.