The letters are to John Murray III. They concern mostly the preparation and publication of various works by William Forsyth, including:

“Hortensius: or, The Advocate. An historical essay” (1849);

“History of the captivity of Napoleon at St. Helena; from the letters and journals of the late Lieut.-Gen. Sir Hudson Lowe, and official documents not before made public” (1853);

“Life of Marcus Tullius Cicero” (1864);

“The novels and novelists of the eighteenth century, in illustration of the manners and morals of the age” (1871);

“History of ancient manuscripts: a lecture” (1872).

Suggestions for other works, especially on law, are also considered, as is the preparation of articles by Forsyth for the “Quarterly Review”.

The letters are arranged chronologically.

1847-1849: folios 1-25;

1851-1852: folios 26-55 [Note 1];

1853: folios 56-73;

1854, 1856-1857: folios 74-87;

1861, 1863-1866, 1869: folios 88-125 [Note 2];

1870-1877, 1879: folios 126-167 [Note 3].

Undated.

? 1852, concerning the preparation of the “History of the captivity of Napoleon at St. Helena”. Folios 168-175.

Other. Folio 176.

Notes.

[Note 1.] Folio 47. Letter, 14 October [1852], of Clara Lowe to John Murray III.

[Note 2.] Folio 121. Letter, 16 October 1866, of William Benham, as editorial secretary to the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, to William Forsyth. The letter was forwarded as an enclosure to Forsyth’s letter to John Murray III, 20 October [1866] (folios 119-120).

[Note 3.] Folio 166. Letter, 7 December 1877, of William Forsyth to Robert Cooke.