Add MS 45331

WILLIAM MORRIS LITERARY MANUSCRIPTS. Vol. XXXVII (ff. 286). Lectures and addresses on artistic subjects. The items in 45331, 45332 are arranged in the order given in the list (ff. 1-8), which is possibly in the hand of Jenny Morris, with notes by May Morris. Since not all of these listed items are in the present collection, the list numbers are quoted in square brackets after each article. The note (f. 1) 'Sent to W. R. Lethaby 15 Dec. 97' refers to an attempt by Sir Sydney Cockerell to get Lethaby to edit the art lectures (Briggs, op. cit., p. 5). As follows:-

(1) Lecture, beg. '[Bef]ore I go any further in speaking to you of the popular [or] decorative arts I will ask you to consider if you are quite sure that you care about them' delivered, according to a note by Morris (f. 28b), to the Men and Women's College, Queen Square, London; written before the death of Carlyle (4 Feb. 1881), who is mentioned (f. 24) as still living. Parts printed in Morris, ii, pp. 63-72. The lecture, entitled 'Of the Popular or Decorative Arts' by Briggs, op. cit., p. 9, is similar to 'The Beauty of Life' (C.W., xxii, pp. 51-80). It is mentioned by Le Mire only in his Addenda, op cit., p. 532. [No. 1]. ff. 12-28.

(2) Lecture, beg. 'I am bound to assume from your presence here tonight that you think it worth while for reasonable people to follow the fine arts, as we call them'. Parts are similar to 'Labour and Pleasure versus Labour and Sorrow' (see 45332, ff. 140-164). The 1872 watermark is almost certainly far too early a date. [No. 2]. ff. 30-56.

(3) 'The Prospects of Architecture in Civilization' delivered at the London Institution, Finsbury Circus, 10 Mar. 1881, differing from the text printed in C.W., xxii, pp. 57-87. [No. 3]. ff. 57-87.

(4) 'Some Hints on House Decoration', delivered to the Trades Guild of Learning at the hall of the Society of Arts, London, 13 Nov. 1880; written, according to May Morris (C.W., xxi, p. 81 footnote) 'in or before 1879'. This MS. differs from the version printed as 'Making the Best of It' in C.W., xxii, pp. 81-118. [No. 4] ff. 88-125.

(5) 'Some Hints on Pattern Designing', delivered to the Working Men's College at Queen Square, London, 10 Dec. 1881 (ff. 126-155b), with cuttings from The Architect for 17 Dec. 1881 containing a report of the speech (ff. 156-159b) which differs from the MS. The text found in The Architect is printed in C.W., xxii, pp. 175-205. The lecture is listed under the title of 'The Art of Pattern Designing' by Briggs, op. cit., p. 10. [No. 5]. ff. 126-159b.

(6) 'The Early Literature of the North', delivered to the Hammersmith Branch of the Socialist League at Kelmscott House, Hammersmith, 9 Oct. 1887; printed by Le Mire, op. cit., pp. 410-434. [No. 6]. ff. 161-179.

(7) Address delivered at the opening of an art exhibition at the New Islington Hall, Ancoats, Manchester, 21 Sept. 1884; printed as 'At A Picture Show, 1884' in Morris, ii, pp. 406-419. Listed under the title, 'Art and the Freedom of Labour', by Briggs, op. cit., p. 10. [No. 7]. ff. 180-197.

(8) Address delivered to the Nottingham Kyrle Society at 'The Castle', Nottingham, 16 Mar. 1881; printed in Morris, i, pp. 197-205. [No. 8]. ff. 199-208.

(9) 'Art and Industry in the Fourteenth Century', delivered to the Hammersmith Branch of the Socialist League at Kelmscott House, Hammersmith, 15 May 1887. A different version, originally published in Time, January 1890, is printed in C.W., xxii, pp. 375-390. According to a note by May Morris (f. 209), the printed version was condensed from this MS., which is much longer. The condensed version was probably No. 13 of the list on f. 5, which is not in this collection. Le Mire, op. cit., p. 490, mistakenly states that a fragment of this lecture remains' in 45331-45332. [No. 9]. ff. 210-232.

(10) 'The Gothic Revival', I and II, both delivered at the Birmingham and Midlands Institute, Birmingham, 8 Mar. and 15 Mar. 1884 respectively; printed by Le Mire, op. cit., pp. 332-381. [Nos. 10, 11]. ff. 234-286.