RICHARD MONCKTON (1ST BARON HOUGHTON) MILNES - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED 11/17/1873 - HFSID 73370

RICHARD MONCKTON MILNES, 1ST BARON HOUGHTON
Letter regarding the poetry of Holland from the esteemed British literary figure
Autograph Letter signed: "Houghton" in iron gall ink, 2p (front and verso of single page of adjoined leaves), 4½x7 folded, 9x7 unfolded. Tryston Hall, Terrybridge, Yorkshire, 1873 November 17. Writing is difficult to decipher, but he seems to be discussing the poetry of Holland. Richard Monckton Milnes, 1st Baron Houghton (1809-1885) was an English poet, literature patron, and politician. While attending Cambridge, Milnes joined the socially and artistically progressive Apostles Club, which included members such as Alfred Tennyson and Arthur Henry Hallam. They involved themselves in issues such as copyright and the establishments of juvenile reformatories. His early work, mostly reflective poetry reminiscent of Wordsworth, led many people to regard him as one of the most promising writers of his generation, with books such as Memorials of a Tour in Some Parts of Greece (1834), Memorials of a Residence on the Continent and Historical Poems (1838), Poems of Many Years (1840), and Palm Leaves (1844) earning him recognition. However, Milnes' legacy was his standing as a generous and discriminating patron of writers; he published Life, Letters, and Literary Remains of John Keats (1848), helped Tennyson secure a pension, and popularized the writing of Ralph Waldo Emerson in England. Since his death, he has become known for his massive collection of erotic literature, including the first serious collection of the works of the Marquis de Sade. Normal mailing folds. Toned. Gently creased throughout. 3-inch tear on right-hand side of the adjoined leaf of paper (blank). Otherwise, fine condition.