Rare Book and Manuscript Library
David Roth Martyr Worthy collection of Frederick William Rolfe papers
Roth, David
4079586
MS#1080
English
.
3 linear feet
7 boxes
1892-1973
A collection of materials by and about the nineteenth century English writer and eccentric Frederick Rolfe (also known as Baron Corvo), assembled by the English book collector David Roth.
Restrictions on Access
This collection is located on-site.
Restrictions on Access
This collection has no restrictions.
Acquisition
The Rare Book and Manuscript Library purchased the collection from David Roth in 1984.
Acquisition
A small addition of clippings, typescripts of letters, and ephemera was given to the Rare Book and Manuscript Library by David Roth's sons in 1995.
Arrangement
Arranged into three series.
Biographical / Historical
David Roth was a book collector who lived in the English village of Martyr Worthy, Hampshire.
Biographical / Historical
Frederick William Rolfe (1860-1913), whose pen name was Baron Corvo, authored numerous books and stories. Amongst the most famous are the Toto stories, HADRIAN THE SEVENTH, called by some the greatest ecclesiastical novel ever to be written, and the masterpiece THE DESIRE AND PURSUIT OF THE WHOLE. To say that Rolfe was at times eccentric, acerbic and petulant is understatement, but he was also an excellent story teller, conversationalist and amateur athlete. His life of trials and tribulations ended in 1913, when he died in Venice at the age of 53.
Preferred Citation
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); David Roth Martyr Worthy collection of Frederick William Rolfe papers; Box and Folder; Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Library.
Processing Information
Rolfe collection entered in AMC 11/28/1990
Processing Information
65 additional items processed by HR, 05/17/2000
Processing Information
Finding aid written by CLB, May 2018
Processing Information
In addition to manuscripts and printed ephemera, the collection also originally contained books by and about Frederick Rolfe, all but two of which were individually cataloged and incorporated into the Rare Book and Manuscript Library's book collections. The remaining two books are located in Box 5.
Processing Information
The collection was formerly called the Martyr Worthy Collection of Frederick William Rolfe. Its name was changed in May 2018 in order to incorporate the name of its collector in compliance with DACS 2.0 rules.
Selected Related Material
Stuart B. Schimmel collection of Frederick Rolfe papers, A collection of Frederick Rolfe manuscripts and related materials assembled by the Greenwich, Connecticut book collector Stuart B. Schimmel.
Selected Related Material
Columbia University collection of Frederick Rolfe papers, A collection of Frederick Rolfe manuscripts and related materials assembled by the Rare Book and Manuscript Library.
Selected Related Material
Miriam J. Benkovitz papers, Benkovitz was a Frederick Rolfe biographer, book collector, and English professor at Skidmore College. The Benkovitz papers include materials related to her biography of Rolfe.
Selected Related Material
Ned Edward Hoopes papers, Hoopes was another Frederick Rolfe biographer; his papers include notes and other materials related to that work.
Summary
Contains correspondence, letterbook, manuscripts, typescripts, documents, photographs, microfilm, and other printed materials by and about Frederick William Rolfe"Baron Corvo" (1860-1913). This collection includes Rolfe's letters to Fr. C. S. Beauclerk, S.J. written while they both lived in Holywell, to H. C. Bainbridge and Grant Richards while Rolfe lived in London, and to others. There are typescript copies of his letters to R. M. Dawkins, Charles Masson Fox, and J. J. Walsh. In the letterbooks of 1909-1910, Rolfe kept copies of his letters sent from Venice to many recipients. There are also 33 manuscripts by Rolfe, including parts of his books, IN HIS OWN IMAGE ("More Stories Toto Told Me"), HUBERT'S ARTHUR, and AMICO DI SANDRO, as well as short stories, essays, and poems. Finally, there are sections of two tree trunks, with carvings by Rolfe, from Seaton House, Aberdeen where he was a tutor for the Hay family.
Summary
The collection also contains 19 letters from Rolfe collector A. J. A. Symons to Grant Richards, along with letters received by Symons in preparing his 1934 study of Rolfe, THE QUEST FOR CORVO. Several manuscripts and documents by Rolfe's contemporaries and collectors concern Rolfe. There are also periodical articles, booksellers' catalogs, and other printed materials by and about Rolfe.
Summary
The collection was given the name Martyr Worthy Collection of Frederick William Rolfe by its assembler, David Roth, after the English village of Martyr Worthy in which Roth lived.
Terms Governing Use and Reproduction
Reproductions may be made for research purposes. The RBML maintains ownership of the physical material only. Copyright remains with the creator and his/her heirs. The responsibility to secure copyright permission rests with the patron.
Accruals
Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. Contact rbml@columbia.edu for more information.
Book collectors
Eccentrics and eccentricities
English literature -- 19th century
English literature -- 20th century
Holywell (Wales)
Venice (Italy) -- Civilization -- 20th century
Essays
Fiction (general genre)
Photographs
Poems
Authors, English
Cantoni, Enrico
D'Arcy, Ella
Hay, Malcolm
Hochheimer, Frank W
Holden, John
Jacob, J. M.
Rolfe, Frederick, 1860-1913
Symons, A. J. A (Alphonse James Albert), 1900-1941
Ragg, Laura M (Laura Maria)
Richardson, Agnes
Rolfe, Nellie E
Roth, David
Sims, George Frederick, 1923-
Summers, Montague, 1880-1948
Watts, Augustine
Webster, George
Weeks, Donald
Woolf, Cecil
Series I: Catalogued correspondence1892-1973Cantoni, Enrico correspondence with Grant Richards about medallions2 folders1900 April 24, 9 May1D'Arcy, Ella letter to A. J. A. Symons1925 October 301Hay, Malcolm letters to David Roth and newspaper clippings about tree carvings by Rolfe on Hay's property3 folders1951 February 13-1951 December1Hochheimer, Frank W. letters to Charles Sidney de Vere Beauclerk, Byrne Corrigan, J. Flynn, C. W. Bell, Mrs Tennant, the Father Provincial of the Jesuit Order, Llewellyn Jones, the Father General of the Jesuit Order, (text of letters in the hand of F. W. Rolfe),16 folders1897 June 9-August 161Hochheimer, Frank W. letters to Charles Sidney de Vere Beauclerk2 folders1897 December 4, 1898 June 181Holden, John letters to A. J. A. Symons about his impressions of Frederick Rolfe4 folders1933 July1Jacob, J. M. letter to David Roth1934 February 191Morris, C. M. Victoria letter to Charles Sidney de Vere Beauclerk, enclosing letter from Frederick Rolfe1895 September 101Richardson, Agnes letter to Charles Sidney de Vere Beauclerk1897 July 131Rolfe, Frederick William note to Henry Charles Bainbridge asking for moneyundated1Rolfe, Frederick William letter to the 9th Marquis of Ruvigny1892 January 71Rolfe, Frederick William letter to C. M. Victoria Morris, signed "F. Austin,"1895 September 51Rolfe, Frederick letters to Charles Sidney de Vere Beauclerk44 folders1896 April 3-1898 December 171Rolfe, Frederick letters to Mrs Tennant2 folders1896 July 13, 241Rolfe, Frederick letters to J. Flynn2 folders1897 April 9, June 211Rolfe, Frederick letters to Agnes Richardson2 folders1897 May 14-26, July 10, 221Rolfe, Frederick letters to Thomas Corrigan5 folders1897 June 18-July 51Rolfe, Frederick letter to N. J. Hammer1897 July 291Rolfe, Frederick letter to E. J. Catherwood1897 August 211Rolfe, Frederick letter to Mother M. Emerentia1898 January 151Rolfe, Frederick letter to C. W. Bell1898 May 11Rolfe, Frederick letter to John Lane (written in the third person)1899 March 131Rolfe, Frederick letters to Grant Richards35 folders1899 April 6-1900 December 211Rolfe, Frederick letters to Henry C. Bainbridge3 folders1899 September1Rolfe, Frederick letters to J. E. Lyons3 folders1900 April 9, July 18, November 271Rolfe, Frederick letter to Frederic Chapman1900 August 161Rolfe, Frederick letters to Henry C. Bainbridge28 folders1901-1903 December 42Rolfe, Frederick letters to Grant Richards27 folders1901 March 6-1903 August 92Typescript copies of letters from Frederick Rolfe to James Joseph Walsh (originals in Donald Weeks' collection)1903-19112Rolfe, Frederick letters to Charles Sidney de Vere Beauclerk5 folders1903 April 19-1906 February 152Typescript copies of letters from Frederick Rolfe to Grant Richards (originals in Hempstead Public Library)2 folders1903 August 6, 92Typescript copies of letters from Frederick Rolfe to Richard MacGillivray Dawkins (originals in Donald Weeks' collection)1 folders1907-19122Rolfe, Frederick letters to the 9th Marquis of Ruvigny2 folders1908 July 5, 82Typescript copies of letters from Frederick Rolfe to Charles Masson Fox, known as the "Venice Letters,"1909-19102Rolfe, Frederick letterbook1909-19102Scope and ContentsContains drafts and copies of letters to many different recipients, manuscript fragments, etc. Full contents list included.
Rolfe, Nellie E. letter to David Roth1951 September 12Sims, George Frederick letters to David Roth about Rolfe manuscripts and their publishing rights6 folders1949-19512Skinner, Arthur Banks letter to Grant Richards about Enrico Cantoni medals1900 April 22Symons, Alphonse James Albert letters to Grant Richards about Frederick Rolfe manuscripts and Richards' recollections of Rolfe19 folders1926 September 27-1933 December, 1936 September 72Symons, Alphonse James Albert letter to Dawkins about Rolfe's translation of The Songs of Meleager,1936 August 62Mrs Tennant letter to Frederick Rolfe1897 July 112Watts, Augustine letter to Charles Sidney de Vere Beauclerk1897 May 292Webster, George letter to James B. Pinker, declining to publish Hadrian VII,1903 October 12Weeks, Donald letters to David Roth about his collection of Frederick Rolfe materials3 folders19562Woolf, Cecil letters to David Roth and Mrs. Roth on various Frederick Rolfe bibliography-related issues10 folders1953-1956, 19602Roth family correspondence about Frederick Rolfe collection3 folders1929-19732Series II: Catalogued manuscripts and documents1898-1913, 1925-1955Manuscripts for stories 1 through 6 published in In His Own Image,18983Amico di Sandro manuscript fragmentcirca 19123Manuscript for short story "The armed hands,"circa 19083Manuscript for essay "Arrested as a spy,"circa 19093Manuscript for essay "Concerning England and Germany,"undated3Manuscript for "Daughter of a Doge," chapter IV of The Desire and Pursuit of the Whole,19093Manuscript for "Excommunicated; a human document," an unpublished account of Rolfe's dispute with Charles Sidney de Vere Beauclerk18983"Explanation; Sketch for Genealogy of the House of Borgia" manuscript1904 July 43Manuscript for essay "A goat in priest's clothing,"circa 19023Manuscript sections of Hubert's Arthur,undated3Scope and ContentsChapters I and II, note, introductory chapter, parts of chapters XX and XXI, cancelled drafts of introductory chapter and chapter I. Published as pages 7-52.
Manuscript sections of Hubert's Arthur,undated3Scope and ContentsEnd of chapter III, chapters IV-VII, part of chapter XII, chapters XVII, XVIII, and XX, and part of XXI. Published as pages 84-143, 224-229, 303-357, 391-396, and 419-420.
Chapter VIII outline for Hubert's Arthur,undated3Manuscript sections of Hubert's Arthur,undated3Scope and ContentsChapter XX and (incomplete) chapter XXI. Published as pages 391-448.
Notes and book list for Hubert's Arthur,undated3Notes for Hubert's Arthur,undated3Sephira intended for use in Hubert's Arthur,undated3Notes and drafts for Hubert's Arthur,undated3Scope and ContentsNotes and drafts for chapters VI and XIX in Charles Henry Clinton Pirie-Gordon's hand, with corrections by Rolfe.
Pen and ink illustration of Hubert de Burgh by Frederick Rolfe, for Hubert's Arthur,undated3Pen and ink illustration of the Piscina in St Thomas's Tower, by Frederick Rolfe, for Hubert's Arthur,undated3"In re: Lead Fume,"19023Scope and ContentsChemical report by Frederick Rolfe, written in the form of a letter from Henry Charles Bainbridge to his employer, Ludwig Mond.
Handwritten notes on the Chatto and Windus advertisement for Don Tarquinio,circa 19053Typescript preface to The one and the many,undated3Scope and ContentsTypescript was made after Rolfe's death.
The Rubaiyat of Umar Khaiyam,circa 19003Scope and ContentsEarly version of stanzas 1-7. Later version published in 1903.
Typescript of "Sancte Willielme Norvicentis ora pro me,"1887 September 103Scope and ContentsPoem in Latin with English translation and copy of related letter; typescript is a later copy of the poem.
Manuscript for essay "Venetian Courtesy,"19093Manuscript for essay "Venetians,"19133Manuscript dedicatory leaf for The weird of the wanderer,1912 June3Receipt to A. P. Ready for plaster casts1900 May 33D'Arcy, Ella, "Yellow Book celebrities" essay typescript and photocopy2 folderscirca 19254Hunter Blair, Sir David Oswald, "More light on Baron Corvo,"19344Scope and ContentsEssay on Frederick Rolfe, with an addition in Hunter Blair's hand.
Ragg, Laura Roberts (Mrs Lonsdale), "Frederick Rolfe,"undated4Scope and ContentsCarbon copy of essay typescript on Ragg's memories of Frederick Rolfe.
Rolfe, Nellie E. receipts to Henry Charles Bainbridge for payment for piano6 folders1902 December 2-1904 April 124Roth, David, "A Corvo Collection," from Desiderata vol. 8 no. 5 (1955 February 4)19554Scope and ContentsPrinted copy of Roth's article on his Martyr Worthy collection, with extensive revisions in his hand.
Roth, David, "A Corvo Collection," essay typescript carbon copy19554Summers, Montague, "Baron Corvo," essay typescript19414Scope and ContentsPublished in
The Times Literary Supplement, 1941 December 13.Microfilm of the Martyr Worthy collectionundated4Roth, David notes and envelopes formerly used for components of Martyr Worthy collectionundated4Black and white photographs of books and manuscript by Rolfeundated4Photograph19134Scope and ContentsSepia-toned photograph of a man, possibly Frederick Rolfe, having his portrait painted.
Series III: Printed material and tree trunk carvings1894-1978The Quest for Corvo, by A. J. A. Symonsundated5Scope and ContentsCassell and Co. publishers, not a first edition; with clippings of reviews inside front cover.
Points: Second Series, 1866-1934, by Percy H. Muir19345Scope and ContentsContains a bibliography of Frederick W. Rolfe with annotations by David Roth, pages 99-103.
Booksellers' catalogs of Rolfe items2 folders1948-1949, undated5Printed ephemera related to Rolfe and productions of Hadrian the Seventh in England3 folders1894-1973, undated5Periodicals containing articles written by Rolfe1890-1903, 19525Periodicals containing articles about Rolfe2 folders1923-19825Newspapers containing articles about Rolfe2 folders1954-19685Tree trunk carvingundated6Scope and ContentsSection of a tree trunk with carvings by Rolfe, from Seaton House, Aberdeen where he was a tutor from the Hay family.
Tree trunk carvingundated7Scope and ContentsSection of a tree trunk with carvings by Rolfe, from Seaton House, Aberdeen where he was a tutor from the Hay family.