Department of Special Collections and University Archives
McFarlin Library. University of Tulsa.  2933 E. 6th St.  Tulsa, OK.  74104-3123 (OKT - OkTU)

Augustus Loftus correspondence

Collection 1984-001

Dates:  1821-1904.

Extent:  (1 box).

Level of Description:  Item level.

Name of creator(s):  Augustus Loftus.

Date of creation:  Undetermined.

Scope and Content:   Consists of 108 letters and notes to Augustus Loftus as well as 21 envelopes addressed to Loftus but without corresponding contents.  Nearly all of the letters and notes are to Lord Augustus and/or Lady Loftus from members of the nobility of Great Britain and Europe, including members of the British royal family.  Every effort was made to identify all correspondents; however, it should be noted that identifications were often best guesses based on titles and dates. Included within the correspondence is an autograph draft oration written by Loftus to Lord Worsley as well as a printed prayer.

Administrative/Biographical History:  Augustus William Frederick Spencer Loftus (b.1817 - d.1904) was a British Lord in diplomatic service to Europe and Russia from 1837-1899.   Dated correspondence is arranged chronologically and is followed by the unidentified and/or undated correspondence.  All pieces of correspondence have been transcribed wherever possible.
 

Access and Copyright:

Language and Scripts:  English, French.

Finding aid/Inventory:

Provenance/Source of Acquisition:   Purchased from William Wreden, circa 1984.

Date(s) of description:   Milissa Burkart, May 1989.

Access Points:

Subject Headings 

 
Personal names 

Corporate names

Places
 

Inventory

“Dans la Nature unfire L’Homme.”  Handwritten and signed poem dated 1843, enclosed with above letter, 2p.

Lord Granville (George Leveson-Gower to Lord Augustus Loftus.  31 Dec 1851.  Includes envelope.  “I asked Lord Palmerton to mention those persons to me whom he thought had claims to be promoted.  I am happy to say that you were one of the number.  This has enabled me to write today to [---] the Queen’s pleasure as to your being appointed to Craven’s Port.  This is very agreeable to me, to [C Greville] and I hope to you and Lady Augustus.”

Biddulph, Mary F. to Lady De la Warr [Lady Elizabeth Sackville, Baroness Buckhurst and wife of George John Sackville].  15 Feb 1869.  “I have this morning received the enclosed letter from the Queen to send you.  I heard of your interview with Phillip [---] from [---], sad and painful as it must have been, I am so very glad you [have seen him and heard all].  May God help you to bear it all, for indeed it is most terrible for you.  The Courtenays are here and lady Caroline wrote me a note to say how anxious they both were to hear about you, and so I went to their house yesterday, and told them all about you and Lord De la Warr.  They were both most kind, and [---] heartily sorry for you, indeed they feel very much for you.  On Saturday I hope to be with you again…”

Archibald Campbell Tait (Archbishop of Canterbury) to Lord Augustus Loftus.  21 Aug 1869.  “I have been informed that your Lordship has consented interest yourself in the erection of an English church in Berlin.  Knowing all the trouble which you had in a similar work at Baden Baden, I should not have been surprised if your Lordship had refrained.  If your Lordship knows how the [scheme] is prospering and thinks that I can take any action which may be of use I should be glad to hear from you.”

Comtesse de [Bruhl] to Madam.  22 Jan 1870.  “H.R.H. the Crown Princess [Alexandria, Princess of Wales] is deeply grieved by the death of Lady De la Warr whom she valued most highly as a kind and old friend.  H.R.H. would have written herself to express her sympathy for you at this very sad loss, but being not very strong just now she hoped you will kindly accept her expression of it by me, and believe that how the remembrance of having met Lady De la Warr only last year, is doubly precious to Her Royal Highness, the Crown Princess charged me with many kind messages for yourself and Mr. West…”

Unidentified author (Windsor Castle) to unknown recipient.  18 Mar 1871.  “Princess Louise was much touched on receiving a letter from Lady Biddulph [Mary Agnes] containing one from Mr. West, in which he expressed a wish his dearly beloved wife had mentioned.  The very pretty present which has been sent in her name will ever be much prized for her dear sake.  The Princess is so pleased to possess the photograph of Mrs. West.  The months of deep sorrow Mr. West has gone through have not passed without many sympathysing [sic] much with him, and praying that he may have strength to bear his heavy trials.”

Georges de [---]bourg to unknown recipient.  Mar 1875.  In French.

Lord Derby (Edward Henry Stanley) to Lord Augustus Loftus.  4 May 1883.  Includes envelope.  3 additional envelopes without content.  “I have a few minutes before the mail goes out in which to answer your telegram of the 1st.  I am afraid there is nothing to be done.  [He---olard] is not vacant, and I do not hear that there is any likelihood of a vacancy.  So that matter will keep.  You don’t say which is the age of your aide de camp.  (I presume he is your son) nor which previous service he has gone through.  Please add these details, in case I should be able to do anything for him.”

Sir Francis Philip Cunliffe-Owen to Lord Augustus Loftus.  15 Jul 1891.  “The Council of the society of arts will be appointed a Royal Commission to carry out the Chicago Exhibition, with a limited grant to be voted by Parliament.  I don’t see exactly at the present moment what honourary position you could hold in connection with the forthcoming Royal Commission unless you forego entirely the project you have of representing some large firm, as it would not be possible to combine both functions.  I need hardly assure you that I shall have the greatest pleasure in giving you a letter of recommendation to any large firm requiring the assistance of a Representative at Chicago; as I feel quite sure from the experience I have had of your services, that you would perform your duties to the satisfaction of all concerned.  I think it would be better to hold me in reserve as ready to support any application you may make for such an Agency, instead of giving you a general letter, which has never so much effect as one directly personal.  Perhaps you would allow me to know what you have been doing since 1886, as it may help me to further your wishes.  I apprehend that as the salaries connected with the forthcoming Royal Commission must necessarily be very small it will be much better for you to address yourself to any of the large firms until you have ascertained which of them are likely to take part in the Chicago Exhibition; but rest assured that I shall be glad to help you at all times and trust that I may succeed in furthering your hopes.”

Lord William Hillier Onslow to Lord Augustus Loftus.  Typed and signed letter, 30 Oct 1893.  “I have heard from my brother-in-law with respect to the appointment of your son to one of the inspectorships under the Swine Fever Act.  He informs me that all the offices have been filled up but that he is keeping his name upon the list in case it should be possible to do anything further in the matter. 

John Lumley-Savile.  (Ambassador in Rome) to Lord Augustus Loftus.  28 Feb 1894.  “If I have delayed in replying to your kind letter of medial advice it was because I wished to be able to tell you the result from remedies which I employed at once.  I cannot say that I have as yet any relief from the acute pain I suffer day and night but the ‘Salycine’ acts upon me as a tonic and has improved my appetite which had left me for several months past; I use a flesh brush and an embrocation of ‘mentholiato’ and chloroform and I shall certainly continue to use these remedies for some time.  I quite agree with all you say on the subject of ‘anarchism’ but I feel as you do that the heart of the Nation is sound; the lower classes in England are not anarchists as was shown at the funeral of [B---] when the funeral car and its contents would have been wrecked by the mob had it not been for the action of the Police.  The self inflicted death of that ruffian may produce a deterrent effect on others like him, but more beneficial still would be the lynching of the next anarchist.  Many thanks for your kind promise to send me a copy of your book.”

Oscar Stephens to Lord Augustus Loftus.  28 Apr 1894.  “How very kind of you to write and congratulate me.  I am naturally very pleased and I am sure you would be had you seen the kind letter the Queen in her own hand wrote Alex telling him of her intention to confer the honour.  I expect the FO are not pleased but Her Majesty was evidently this time determined to have her own way.  Alex, I know, like myself feel, how much he is indebted to your kindness and training.  He has never forgotten your goodness to him in early days, he will prize your congratulations.  I am expecting him over shortly.  I congratulate you on finishing your interesting work.  I shall read the volume with [the] same great pleasure I have had in perusing those you so kindly sent me.  Please convey my kindest regards to Lady Augustus…”

[L---] (Windsor Castle) to Lord Augustus Loftus.  23 Nov 1899.  “I am sorry that the enclosed in not more favourable.”

[L---] (Windsor Castle) to Lord Augustus Loftus.  23 Nov. 1899.  “I shall have the greatest pleasure in again putting-forward your name.”

Unidentified author (The Croft, Sutton Courtenay, Nr. Abingdon) to Lord Augustus Loftus.  21 Aug 1900.  “Thanks for your just received.  I am here for a week after having been in camp at [Yarmouth] for a fortnight.  I am sorry I cannot second Captain Fenton as I am not a member of the Bath Club.  I took my name off two years ago or I should have been very pleased to second Fenton.  I shall not begin shooting till meddle of September as hence I was ill two years ago I have not been able to do any hill walking on account of my leg had Phlebitis but am gradually getting strong once again and circulation going all right now.

Henry Charles Keith Lansdowne to Lord Augustus Loftus.  20 Oct 1902.  “I am sorry not to be able to comply with your request that your son should be transferred to Cadiz; but unfortunately the exigencies of the [C---] Service make it impossible for me to do so, and I have been obliged to avail myself of the unexpected vacancy to provide for an official who has been for nine months without pay or [---] owing to his inability on account of health to return to a pestilented post which he held in  Africa.”

Goldsborough Anderson (Oratory Studios, Fulham Road) to [Brook Alder].  3 May.  “Herewith photos all the people will be pleased if well reproduced.” 

Unidentified author to Mr. Blackburn.  Handwritten fragment, 9 Feb.   “I have the illumination quite safe and like parts of it very much but I think it is too pictorial.  An illumination and a vignette are different things—if your work is considered as a vignette you have destroyed its effect by too much litter on the paper—if considered as an illumination, your colours are not trenchant enough nor your forms piquant enough.  I am very sorry you do not like the Edinburgh Bible, which I think very near absolute perfection of illuminated work.  I wish you would copy a bit of it carefully, say the letter at the beginning of Jeremiah.  I want to know if after doing so you still remain of the same mind.  I like the black angel very much; the thought of it at least [---] which I think is quite new.  The little John Baptist I don’t like at all.  I have no notion of preaching children and think all the Raphaelean St. Johns with crosses and lambs simple absurdities.  In one of my 13th century M.S.S. St. John is represented as a tall [---] in a grey mantle of camel hair walking slowly forward with a disk in his left hand enclosing a lamb to which he points with his right hand but so quietly that the gesture is hardly seen; and as he walks, he treads upon two heads just seen above ground—one that’s of Herod, the other of Herodias—both crowned.  This is sublime in its typical and mysterious embracement of the saint’s life and martyrdom.  But shouting children with sticks and bits of paper are never Renaissance vanities.  You have made a grave error in the composition by putting your two crosses of red, the Magus and David, close to each other therefore equal to each other—this alone is enough to destroy the effect of the page.  It must have been mere oversight, for you compose too well in general not to know the first great principle of all composition—never two principal features of equal importance.  I am in [---] tonight; but I shall be most happy to see [Mr. Emmet] or anybody else whom [Mr.] McLeod would like me to know but [Mr. Emmet] I shall be most grateful for…”

M.A.C. de Sà to Lady Emma  Loftus.  Undated.  Monday morning.  “Having suffered for some days past from rheumatism in the shoulder, I am unable to wear an evening toilette and thus prevented to my regret of availing myself of your kind invitation for this evening.”

Unidentified author to unidentified recipient.  16 Jan.  “I just came to [---] to tell you how sorry I am I couldn’t join you at poor Steven’s funeral.  Being so late and standing to as we are the C. O. said better not to.  I should have liked to have done it as a last sad tribute to his memory.  The Colonel asked you [---] come and live with us if it can be of any convenience to you.  But of course you will please yourself…P. S.  If you are disposing of any of Steven’s kit will you let me know early.  I want several things such as glasses, tent, etc.  So will you warn me in time if they are for sale.  Handwritten and signed note, 1s.

Haddington to Marques of Ely (John Henry Wellington Graham Loftus).  Undated.  “I will give my early communication to the case of [Tottenbaum].  His claim seems but fair and just—but you must be aware that it is one in hundreds of similar claims which I shall have to consider and dispose of.  You need not be told that it would much gratify me to do anything agreeable to your Lordship. 

Joséphine (Countess Z---) to Lady Emma  Loftus.  Undated.  In French.

[Talbot] to Lord Augustus Loftus and Lady Emma Loftus.  Undated..  “Mr. Talbot presents his compliments to Lord and Lady Augustus Loftus and will be delighted to accept their kind invitation for Monday evening 27th.”

Lord Westmorland (John Fane, formerly Lord [Burghersh]) to Lord Augustus Loftus. Undated.  “I am very much shocked by the news brought by your letter received this morning of the death of W[illiam] W[---].  [---] has written again to your brother with the melancholy account but I suppose he will have heard it from Lord Cowley.  I was not acquainted with this young man, but [---] thought highly of his abilities.  Nothing can have been more kind and attentive than you have been on this occasion, all it was possible to do you seem to have done and in the most feeling manner.  I hope to hear from your again.”

A. Yar[---] to Lord Augustus Loftus.  Undated.  “I have forwarded the hat to Lady Worsley and I enclose you a photograph Lady Sophia has sent me for you.  It does not do her justice in my opinion, and looks much too old.  Lord Yar[---] desires me to say with his kind regards, that he should have been very happy to have had a glimpse of you, but having [---] seeing some relatives lately he thinks he must alas decline seeing you.  I shall unfortunately be engaged from 2 o’clock the whole of the afternoon.  With many kind wishes for you and yours.”

Unidentified author to [Osborne].  Undated.  “I hasten to reply to your kind note that I have not the faintest hope or belief of any of the unfortunate crews of the [---] or [---] being at present alive.  Indeed there is every reason to fear that they left their ships in consequence of the want of provisions.  [A]nd we other wise infer from the sad mortality which was rife subsequent to their leaving B[---] Island in 1846 that scurvy was very prevalent amongst them.  I have little doubt that all perished in 1848 and I entirely agree with you that further search would be needless risk of human life.  I grant that further traces might be collected if a party could be on K.W.’s Land throughout a whole summer season.  That can only be done by a vessel placing herself in the position of the ill fated ships and with the risk of the repetition of another such catastrophe as that in which I lost many dear friends and the country a most valuable band of officers and seamen.  Apologizing for the haste in which I am [---] to write owing to my departure from town for a few days.

 Unidentified author to Lady Emma  Loftus.  Undated.  “Thanks for your congratulations and good wishes.  I enclose a note for R[---] who should be here in a few days.  He is a funny little mortal. 

[Mrs. Maxee] to [Lord Augustus Loftus/Lady Emma  Loftus].  Undated.  “Mrs. [Maxee] begs to  invitation for Monday evening, when Mrs. [Maxee] will have the honour to present herself at [sic] Lord and Lady Augustus.

[Monsieur and Madame Wallenberg] to Lady Emma  Loftus.  Handwritten note in response to an invitation for an event on 27 Jan, in French.

Unidentified author to unknown recipient.  Undated.  Illegible.