Archive concerning the Yattendon Hymnal to C. H. Whitby, 1912-1929 Bridges, Robert

Consisting of 5 autograph letters, one being a postcard, and a single manuscript poem. These autograph letters cover nine sides in all, entirely in Bridges hand to C. H. Whitby of Yeovil. Three envelopes, which accompany the autograph letters, are present. Accompanying the letters, is a manuscript poem on a single sheet, written in two parts on both sides. The correspondence dates from 1912-1929. The first of these is dated September 1st, 1912. They are all headed at Chilswell, Oxford, and in varying types of notepaper. The earliest reads: 159x100mm. Single sheet, folded, two sides. Dear Sir | You are at liberty to take anything | that you like from the Yattendon Hymnal | for your College Book. The only | condition attaching & my consent | being that you do not make any | personal inscription if you wish | to state the source of these hymns | you must give Yattendon Hymnal . It continues in this vein. 111x176mm. Single sheet, folded, two sides. Undated and presumed earlier than the remaining three, reads: Dear Sir | I was glad to hear of you | again & that you have come | into the possession of the books | that you wanted so much. It | wd have given the old poet great | satisfaction to know that his work | was so appreciated. The old poet is presumably, in this instance, Harry Ellis Wooldridge, with whom he collaborated on the Yattendon Hymnal. 111x176mm. Single sheet, folded, three sides. Dated March 28: Dear Mr. Whitby [ ] | So I have | copies the Unanswered Question for you. He continues to note other poems from, presumably, the Yattendon Hymnal in five points. Several sonnets are noted. Accompanying this letter is a manuscript in Bridge s hand of the Unanswered Question , a poem by Rev. Richard Watson Dixon. A single sheet, with Whitby s pencil annotations, it begins: Ask thou deceptive Nature? forming still | Thy ceaseless changeful pictures to the sense | Promistest thou that thou canst not fulfil? [ ] . He copies it in full, both parts, on each side of the sheet, titling part two The Unanswered Question Attempted . 205x260mm. Single sheet, one sided. Regarding a manuscript poem, is dated Good Friday 1928: The two sonnets are no doubt my pencil copy of an early version of the Ode to Summer I had forgotten this when I wrote to you . He answers a question, relating to the third letter in this archive. 139x88mm. Postcard, double sided. It is the final note to Whitby, carrying a red George V penny stamp. It is dated Oct 25 1929. Relating to a privately-printed book of poems listed by a contemporary second-hand book catalogue as being by Gerard Manley Hopkins. It reads: [?] unknown to me, must be Father [?] | papa. He used to dabble. [?] his getting a few dollars [?] to Atlantic. | RB . The manuscript poem, which accompanies the letter dated March 28, measures at 210x260mm. This is a fine archive, comprising of a conversation, albeit one-sided, between poet laureate Robert Bridges and C. H. Whitby. It concerns several significant points: the Yattendon Hymnal and Manley-Hopkins, and is contained in a large volume, with three envelopes, a postcard note, a two-sided manuscript poem, and four manuscript letters each signed by Robert Bridges. He passed away in April 1930, and so this correspondence, at its latest point, was just seven months before the poet laureate s death. A revealing, if professional archive, and incredibly scarce to see Bridges discussion the Yattendon Hymnal in such clinical depth.