The Hawthorne - Bennoch Collection (1 box, 0.5 linear feet) comprises more
than 100 letters sent from American author Julian Hawthorne to his English
benefactor Francis Bennoch from 1872-1889, written mostly during his
residence in England from 1874-1881. There are also more than a dozen
letters supplementing the series from Hawthorne to his publishers and
others, as well as letters regarding Hawthorne written to Bennoch from other
parties. The letters shed light on the early career of Hawthorne in England,
in particular on his anguished attempts to achieve financial independence
solely from his writing and to manage his affairs in America from England,
while providing for his growing family. One concern which arises repeatedly
in the letters is the securing and handling of copyrights prior to any
international convention between England and the United States. Also
reflected in the collection are some of Hawthorne's numerous associations
with prominant figures of the time including notable businessmen and
American diplomats, as well as publishers, editors, and writers.
*******
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: Julian Hawthorne (1846-1934), the second child and
only son of author Nathaniel Hawthorne, was an author, critic, and
journalist; until the close of the 19th century he published a substantial
number of novels, short stories, and reviews, while after this period he
worked primarily as a journalist. He is today best remembered for his
biography of his father "Hawthorne and His Wife" and his childhood memoir
"Hawthorne and His Circle". While he is largely forgotten as an author of
fiction today, his popular romantic works achieved a fair degree of success
while he lived. In spite of this success, however, he was plagued by
financial difficulties and the stresses of providing for a large family
through writing, and in 1913 spent several months in prison for his
involvement (perhaps unwitting) in a scheme to defraud investors. After
writing a condemnation of the American penal system based on his experience,
the latter part of his career was limited mainly to his journalistic work
and the writing of memoirs.
(Source: "American National Biography." Vol.
10. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999, pp. 356-357.)
Francis Bennoch (1812-1890) was a prominent English businessman, Member of Parliament, patron of literature, and an amateur poet who published several books. He enjoyed the friendship of many of the greatest figures of literature of his time including Wordsworth, Dickens, and Longfellow; however, his closest association was that with Nathaniel Hawthorne, whom he met during the latter's residence in England as American Consul in Liverpool, an association recorded in Hawthorne's "English Note-Books".
(Sources: "Poets and Poetry of Scotland." Wilson, James Grant. New York: Harper & Brothers, Pub. 1876, p. 357. "Passages from the English Note-Books of Nathaniel Hawthorne." Boston: James R. Osgood & Co., 1871. "Hawthorne's Friend Bennoch." New York Times, July 12, 1890, p. 2. Quoted from his obituary published in the Pall Mall Gazette.
ACCESSION DATA:
Status: Open
to researchers.
Provenance: Purchased from Sotheby Parke Bernet & Co.,
10/12/1976. Processed by Ted L. Jackson, December 2007
BULK DATES: 1872 - 1881
SPAN DATES: 1872 - 1889
EXTENT: 1 box, 0.5 l.f.