Manuscript of "Erling the Bold" by R. M. Ballantyne
Content Description
A full-length autograph manuscript (386 leaves) of R. M. Ballantyne’s Erling the Bold: A Tale of the Norse Sea-Kings, a novel of Viking life, inspired by Icelandic sagas. This is very much a working manuscript with alterations, clarifications and revisions to every aspect of the text including changes to characterisation, dialogue, narrative development and descriptive writing. From the evidence of this manuscript, this was Bannatyne’s first draft of the manuscript as well as being the copy text submitted to the publisher.
Dates
- Creation: 1869
Creator
- Ballantyne, Robert Michael, 1825-1894 (Scottish writer) (Author, Person)
Language of Materials
English
Condition Description
The manuscript is bound in tan buckram with a morocco spine label. There are traces of a vertical fold to some leaves. The title page has finger marking, as has the final leaf which also has a little loss to the outer margins, not affecting text. Barring an occasional inky fingerprint (p361), this is a clean text.
Conditions Governing Access
Open. Please contact the repository in advance.
Extent
1 volume
Physical Location
CLX-A-1728
Custodial History
Large octavo given by Ballantyne's son to the Reverend Horatius Bonar in 1927.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Purchased in October 2022. Accession no. SC-Acc-2022-0086.
Condition Description
The manuscript is bound in tan buckram with a morocco spine label. There are traces of a vertical fold to some leaves. The title page has finger marking, as has the final leaf which also has a little loss to the outer margins, not affecting text. Barring an occasional inky fingerprint (p361), this is a clean text.
Processing Information
Catalogued by Aline Brodin in December 2022, using information supplied by the seller and by Paul Barnaby, Acquisition and Scottish Literary Collections Curator, Heritage Collections.
Creator
- Ballantyne, Robert Michael, 1825-1894 (Scottish writer) (Author, Person)
Source
- Bonar, Horatius, Rev, 1808-1889 (Free Church of Scotland minister | hymn writer ) (Former owner, Person)
- Title
- Manuscript of "Erling the Bold" by R. M. Ballantyne, 1869
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections Repository
Centre for Research Collections
University of Edinburgh Main Library
George Square
Edinburgh EH8 9LJ Scotland
+44(0)131 650 8379
heritagecollections@ed.ac.uk