RICHARD MONCKTON (1ST BARON HOUGHTON) MILNES - AUTOGRAPH NOTE SIGNED - HFSID 73372

RICHARD MONCKTON MILNES, 1ST BARON HOUGHTON

The 19th-century politician and patron insists he does not know the butler mentioned and sign his name in black ink

Autograph Letter signed: "R.M. Milnes" in black ink, 1p, 4½x7 folded, 6½x7 flat. In full: "Sir, I cannot remember that any butler of the name you mention was hired with me & think there must be some mistake - yours obedient". 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. Lightly toned. Corners gently worn. Slightly soiled. Otherwise, fine condition.