Kenelm Henry Digby collection

The Kenelm Henry Digby Collection consists of papers relating to the faith and literary career of Kenelm Henry Digby, possibly collected by Bernard Holland in the course of his research for Memoir of Kenelm Henry Digby (1919). The collection has been organized into two series: Series I. Correspondence, and Series II, Other Papers. The papers span the dates 1815-1918.

Series I, Correspondence , spans the years 1815-1918 and is organized into two subseries: Digby Family Correspondence and Research Correspondence. Each subseries is arranged alphabetically by name of correspondent.

The first subseries, Digby Family Correspondence, contains a few letters by members of Digby's family, including his brother Richard and his daughter Marcella, who speaks of their shared faith and her life as a nun in Chile. There is also a letter from Hubert Dormer to his future wife Mary Digby discussing plans for the couple to live with Digby after their marriage. A few correspondents are represented only by letters of condolence written on the death of Digby, including Edward John Tilt and Cardinal Manning.

In addition to these, there are letters to Digby from various friends, in particular the comte d'Esgrigny, whom Digby and his family visited many times. The letters in the collection date from the last years of Digby's life and contain family and personal news; wishes for Digby's improved health; and comments on faith and the political situation of the Catholic Church in France.

The fourteen letters from Ambrose Lisle Phillipps contain much discussion of English Catholic teachings and practices; news of and reflections on the early progress of what came to be known as the Oxford Movement; reports on Movement figures such as Wiseman, Newman, and Manning; and commentary on the increase in conversions among the English and the popular and political reactions against them.

Other friends represented in the collection include Robert Hare, George Spencer, and the Anglican Julius Charles Hare, who in two 1842 letters expresses his anger at Digby's "virulent bigotry" against Protestantism in general and the Church of England in particular. There is also one 1858 letter to Digby from Montalembert, in English, praising his Lover's Seat.

The second subseries, Research Correspondence, consists of letters to Bernard Holland written in response to his requests for information on Digby's life. Folder 31 contains a biographical sketch of his daughter Marcella, which was enclosed in a letter to Holland. There are also letters from his publisher concerning publication details.

Series II, Other Papers , is housed in folders 39-45 and contains newspaper clippings relating to various works by Digby; obituary notices for him; one folder of research notes; and a sketchbook holding a variety of landscape drawings in pencil and ink.