Donne, William Bodham. Autograph letters signed from William Bodham Donne, London and nearby, to Frances Anne Kemble

Folger bibliographic ID: 230007
Folger call number: W.b.598, p. 237-349
Folger holdings ID: 278820

45 autograph letters signed, 2 autograph letters incomplete and 1 autograph letter probably incomplete. As librarian of the London Library (1852-1857), and later as examiner of plays and inspector of theatres (1857-1874), Donne was in touch with many of the well-known politicians, writers and artists of his day and often mentions them in his letters. Among others he refers to are Mr. and Mrs. Browning, J.P. Collier (p. 301), Edward Fitzgerald, J.A. Froude, Henry Greville, J.P. Harley, Mrs. Jameson, Charles Kingsley, Walter Landor, Monckton Milnes, Charles Reade, Crabb Robinson, James Spedding, Tom Taylor, Tennyson, Thackeray, Anne Thackeray and R.C. Trench. He comments on certain plays and actors, e.g. Ristori (p. 239, 265a), Fechter (p. 317, 325), Irving (p. 345), Richard III on horseback at Astley's (p. 241), [Dion Boucicault's] Colleen Bawn (p. 309) and Charles and Ellen Kean's productions at the Princess Theatre which he characterizes as beautifully adorned, but "unbeautifully" acted (p. 249, 267). Occasionally he refers to his duties as inspector (e.g. p. 283, 317); he praises the beauty of the new Covent Garden Theatre, 1858 (p. 265a). He was also director of the plays given at Court and gives many details of his tasks at Windsor; the more absurd a play the better [the Royal family] seem to like it (p. 311). Donne knew the Kemble family well and relays news of Adelaide Sartoris [i.e. Kemble], her nephew, Henry (an officer like his own son, Frederic, in the Indian army), her nephew, Harry (an actor), Gertrude and Charles Santley and her niece, Mildred, who married his son, Charles. Donne owned an estate in Mattishall, Norf. and discusses estate matters in several letters. In (p. 251) he quotes from a letter from Mrs. Sartoris

Extended title: Autograph letters signed from William Bodham Donne, London and nearby, to Frances Anne Kemble 1856-1876

Donne, William Bodham, 1807-1882 Kemble, Fanny, 1809-1893 Boucicault, Dion, 1820-1890. Colleen Bawn Browning, Elizabeth Barrett, 1806-1861 Browning, Robert, 1812-1889 Collier, John Payne, 1789-1883 Donne, C. E. 1832-1907 Donne, Frederick Clench, 1834-1875 Donne, Mildred, 1841-1876 Fechter, Charles, 1824-1879 FitzGerald, Edward, 1809-1883 Froude, James Anthony, 1818-1894 Greville, Henry William, 1801-1872 Harley, John Pritt, 1786-1858 Milnes, Richard Monckton, Baron Houghton, 1809-1885 Irving, Henry, Sir, 1838-1905 Kean, Charles John, 1811?-1868 Kean, Ellen, 1805-1880 Kemble, Henry, 1848-1907 Kemble, Henry Charles, 1840- Kingsley, Charles, 1819-1875 Landor, Walter Savage, 1775-1864 Reade, Charles, 1814-1884 Ristori, Adelaide, 1822-1906 Ritchie, Anne Thackeray, 1837-1919 Robinson, Henry Crabb, 1775-1867 Santley, Charles, Sir, 1834-1922 Santley, Gertrude, 1837-1882 Kemble, Adelaide Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. King Richard III Spedding, James, 1808-1881 Taylor, Tom, 1817-1880 Tennyson, Alfred Tennyson, Baron, 1809-1892 Thackeray, William Makepeace, 1811-1863 Trench, Richard Chenevix, 1807-1886 Astley's Amphitheatre Covent Garden Theatre Princess's Theatre (London, England) Windsor Castle Theater Theater architecture Theaters Jameson, Mrs. 1794-1860

correspondent: Donne, William Bodham, 1807-1882
subject: Donne, William Bodham, 1807-1882
subject: Kemble, Fanny, 1809-1893
subject: Browning, Elizabeth Barrett, 1806-1861
subject: Browning, Robert, 1812-1889
subject: Collier, John Payne, 1789-1883
subject: Donne, C. E. (Charles Edward), 1832-1907
subject: Donne, Frederick Clench, 1834-1875
subject: Donne, Mildred, 1841-1876
subject: Fechter, Charles, 1824-1879
subject: FitzGerald, Edward, 1809-1883
subject: Froude, James Anthony, 1818-1894
subject: Greville, Henry William, 1801-1872
subject: Harley, John Pritt, 1786-1858
subject: Milnes, Richard Monckton, Baron Houghton, 1809-1885
subject: Irving, Henry, Sir, 1838-1905
subject: Kean, Charles John, 1811?-1868
subject: Kean, Ellen, 1805-1880
subject: Kemble, Henry, 1848-1907
subject: Kemble, Henry Charles, 1840-
subject: Kingsley, Charles, 1819-1875
subject: Landor, Walter Savage, 1775-1864
subject: Reade, Charles, 1814-1884
subject: Ristori, Adelaide, 1822-1906
subject: Ritchie, Anne Thackeray, 1837-1919
subject: Robinson, Henry Crabb, 1775-1867
subject: Santley, Charles, Sir, 1834-1922
subject: Santley, Gertrude, 1837-1882
subject: Kemble, Adelaide
subject: Spedding, James, 1808-1881
subject: Taylor, Tom, 1817-1880
subject: Tennyson, Alfred Tennyson, Baron, 1809-1892
subject: Thackeray, William Makepeace, 1811-1863
subject: Trench, Richard Chenevix, 1807-1886
subject: Astley's Amphitheatre
subject: Covent Garden Theatre
subject: Princess's Theatre (London, England)
subject: Windsor Castle
subject: Jameson, Mrs. (Anna), 1794-1860
correspondent: Kemble, Fanny, 1809-1893