Book Repairs Part 1
Posted
5th November 2024
in blog, Collection
For the past three years we have been able to repair some of the most interesting titles in the book collection thanks to generous sponsorship by Friends and volunteers. Diana Ashcroft and I, who volunteer at Elizabeth Gaskell’s House, have researched the chosen titles and will briefly describe them, over the course of two blogs, showing before and after photos of the repairs.
The Life of Goethe By G.H.Lewes 1817 -1878
First published in 1855, this copy was published by Smith, Elder in 1864
This title is listed twice in the Portico borrowings and we speculate was read by both William and Elizabeth Gaskell. William had studied German, so will undoubtedly have read Goethe, who was Germany’s pre-eminent poet and cultural icon. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 1749 – 1832 was a highly regarded German poet, novelist, scientist, philosopher and critic. Lewes’ was the first full biography of Goethe in any language. George Eliot had assisted with research for it in Weimar in 1854.
George Henry Lewes, is probably most well known for being the partner of George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans), with whom Elizabeth corresponded. Elizabeth had met Lewes in Manchester in 1849. He gave a series of lectures which she attended.
Old English Ballads: A collection of Favourite Ballads of the Olden Time
Published by Ward Lock Date unknown (an online seller dates it pre-1871). Ours has an inscription dated 1872. We included this as not only is it a very fine edition with a highly decorated cover and gilt edges, extensively illustrated by Birket Foster and others, but we also know that music was important to the whole Gaskell family and that Charles Halle gave piano lessons to the Gaskell daughters.
There is a badge on the front cover in a bright emerald green. This was a popular colour used in 19th century book bindings which unfortunately has to be treated with some caution. Called Paris Green, it is likely to contain some arsenic which is poisonous if ingested in quantity. Book conservators have been aware of it for some time, and while you would have to eat a whole book cover for it to cause any problems, it is advisory to minimise handling and to wash hands after prolonged touching. Our copy is wrapped in transparent cellophane to protect us.
Bacon’s Essays with notes by Joseph Devey.
Published 1874, George Bell and sons
A copy of Bacon’s Essays appears in the auction catalogue of 1914 so we know that the family owned a copy. We know Elizabeth Gaskell read some of Francis Bacon’s work. In My Lady Ludlow there is a reference, writing that Bacon ‘was one of the few books that lay about in my lady’s room; and if you took it up and opened it carelessly, it was sure to fall apart at his ‘Essay on Gardens’.
Works of Anna Laetitia Barbauld edited by Lucy Aikin (Barbauld’s niece)
In 2 vols 1825, pub by Longman, Hurst and others.
Anna Barbauld 1743 -1825 was a poet, essayist and critic. These 2 volumes include correspondence, lectures, poetry and prose, and was published shortly after her death by her niece Lucy Aikin, who also included a memoir of her aunt. Much of what is known about Barbauld comes from this memoir as sadly most of the Barbauld family’s papers were lost in a fire during The Blitz.
Barbauld was the most popular living poet in Britain in the last part of the 18thcentury and early 19th century. Her Hymns in Prose for Children was used in Unitarian Sunday Schools and we keep a copy of this in the Bedroom.
Dawn Island by Harriet Martineau
1st Edition 1845 pub by J Gadsby of Newall’s Buildings Manchester
Harriet Martineau was from a leading Unitarian family, well known to Elizabeth Gaskell. Harriet was the sister of James Martineau, whom William had known as a student and who became the principal of Manchester New College. The relationship between Elizabeth and Harriet was formal rather than friendly, (Elizabeth always addressed her as Miss Martineau) though they did correspond regularly.
This volume is a fiction promoting free trade set on an imagined South-Sea island. Richard Cobden radical politician, had specifically asked Harriet Martineau to support a fundraising event for the Anti-Corn Law League with a publication. Martineau described the book as ‘A moral tale rendering ideas of political economy taken from Smith, Malthus, Ricardo and Mill.’ Its ideas are now very outdated to the modern reader and has some horrors in it such as human sacrifice and cannibalism, but the volume is important as an historic artefact, rather than for its content.
By Jane Mathieson, Volunteer at Elizabeth Gaskell’s House
