Beschreibung:

CRACKANTHORPE, William (1790-1888). A collection of fifty letters by William Crackanthorpe, twenty-two by members of the Cookson and Wordsworth families and forty-two by friends, referring mainly to William Crackanthorpe's education and his travels in Europe on the Grand Tour, 1802-1815 , and four Journals describing the Grand Tour and his visits to Scotland in 1810 and Ireland in 1812, including: CRACKANTHORPE, William. Twenty-one autograph letters signed to his mother, Mrs Crackanthorpe, and twenty-nine to his sisters, Charlotte and Sarah, various cities in Sweden, Germany, Austria, Italy, France and England, 15 October 1813 - 1 September 1815, approximately 225 pages, 4to, integral address panels (some letters stitched at centre folds, occasional discolouration and wear, splitting at folds, seal tears with loss of a few words). Three autograph manuscript Journals, the first containing observations mainly in Germany and Austria during the Grand Tour, 1813 - 1814, 77 pages, 4to (in three notebooks, blank leaves, original paper wrappers) , the second a Journal of a tour in Ireland, 1812, 87 pages 4to and the third a Journal of a tour in Scotland, 1810, 35 pages, 4to; a Journal written by his sister, Sarah Crackanthorpe on the Scottish tour, (signed 'S.Crackanthorpe' on the last page) 31 pages, 4to, in a notebook, (original paper wrappers) ; and an autograph draft address by William Crackanthorpe to his 'fellow-villagers' on his departure from Newbiggin, 1813, 2 pages, folio , and approximately 40 letters and 10 notes addressed to him by acquaintances (mostly young ladies) on the continent, 1814-1815, 115 pages, mostly 8vo ; three engraved maps of Europe (comprising 13 sheets) and one of Scotland (linen-backed, hand-coloured in outline, folding into original board slipcases). Twenty-two letters by members of William Crackanthorpe's family including COOKSON, William (1764-1852, uncle of William Wordsworth ). Five autograph letters signed to Mrs Crackanthorpe (his sister-in-law), Forncett, 5 May 1803-2 July n.y. [1804] , advising her on her son's education, 15 pages, 4to, integral address panels (seal tears with loss of a few words) and two letters by William's headmasters . WORDSWORTH, Christopher (1744-1846, younger brother of William Wordsworth ). Nine autograph letters signed, including seven to Christopher Crackanthorpe (his uncle), Cambridge, 4 May 1793 - and n.d. [circa 1792-1795] , reporting his progress as an undergraduate, and two to Mrs Crackanthorpe, Trinity College Cambridge, 9 September 1804, and Birmingham, 19 November 1806, 23 pages, 4to (two leaves defective from excision of address panels) . WORDSWORTH, Richard (d. 1816, elder brother of William Wordsworth ). Six autograph letters signed to Mrs Crackanthorpe, Staple Inn, 24 August 1802-8 March 1805 , writing as her husband's executor and with news of his brother John's death, 16 pages, 4to . The collection includes altogether approximately 125 items, 650 pages, mostly 8vo and 4to. A most interesting and entertaining collection, recording mainly the observations and activities of William Crackanthorpe, at first a youthful traveller in Ireland and Scotland, then a slightly priggish young man of 23 composing a farewell address to his tenants, commending them to piety and recommending a new clergyman, afterwards showing increasing sophistication and literary aptitude as he travels through Europe in the last two years of the Napoleonic era. Embarking on this adventure with his friend, Lord Sligo, he writes first from Gothenburg of harsh conditions of travelling, their rooms ('nothing but nasty German stoves and thereby not the confort of a fireplace'), of politics and talk of war, the situation of English merchants, and of being entertained by noblemen and consuls. The diary supplements the letters with careful notes on rents, estate practices, and hints of the excitement of the travellers at the dramatic events unfolding on the Continent. They reach Berlin in