History, 19th century (France)

Content Description This outlandish and colourful manuscript volume is an exceptional resource to understand and study French popular culture in the late 18th-early 19th centuries. Its contents are extremely varied, and include poems, oracles, lyrics of popular songs, proverbs and maxims, recipes, legal document templates, a formulary of letters, calendars, little stories and anecdotes, an account of Napoleon's return to France after his exile on Elba, and a dictionary for the interpretation of dreams. It refers...

Scope and Contents Covering six centuries (15th-20th), the material donated by Andrew Malkiewicz is composed of the following set of (largely French language) manuscript letters, missives, declarations, proclamations and engravings, including those relating to: King Philip II of Spain; Charles IX of France; the business of Alessandro Farnese (1520-1589), Cardinal and diplomat; the d'Este family of Italy; Napoleon Bonaparte; Louis Bonaparte; Karl Johan Bernadotte; the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic period...

Scope and Contents The unsigned letters, mostly from Edinburgh, were all written during November or December 1831. They describe a trip from Paris to Edinburgh, and life among the French refugees there. Although the last word has been obliterated, an inscription reads: 'Quoique l'auteur ne se nomme pas, tout le monde le reconnait pour M. le Baron de [...]'. On the inside of the front cover is pasted a note reading, 'Pour mes pauvres petites filles de France', and signed Louise.

Scope and Contents Folio. Broadside. Uncut, with some loss to edges. Folded, with some marking and marginal tears. Inscribed at head in 19th century hand, 'Thanksgiving Peace 1814 July' and at foot 'Public worship on Thursday will begin at the usual hour...'.

On verso, the broadside bears a lengthy manuscript copy of a contemporary sermon on 'the great and public blessing of peace' beginning with the 126th Psalm and occupying the entire verso in four columns.