Brander Matthews Papers, 1877-1962.

Summary Information

At a Glance

Bib ID:	4078376 View CLIO record
Creator(s):	Matthews, Brander, 1852-1929.
Title:	Brander Matthews Papers, 1877-1962.
Physical description:	ca. 14,500 items (65 boxes).
Language(s):	In English
Access:	This collection has no restrictions. This collection is located on-site.  More information »

Arrangement

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into 6 series:

• Series I: Cataloged Correspondence, 1876-1926
• Series II: Writings
• Series III: Notes, 1872-1924
• Series IV: Works by Others, 1879-1923
• Series V: Personal files, 1827-1962
• Series VI: Scrapbooks

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Description

Scope and Content

Correspondence, manuscripts, documents, photographs, memorabilia, scrapbooks, and printed material. Among his correspondents represented in the collection by at least 75 items are: William Archer, Hobart C. Chatfield-Taylor, Augustin Daly, Austin Dobson, Hamlin Garland, Bronson Howard, William Dean Howells, Henry Arthur Jones, Henry Cabot Lodge and Thomas Raynesford Lounsbury. There are bound volumes of letters from Henry C. Bunner, Andrew Lang, Rudyard Kipling, Theodore Roosevelt, miscellaneous letters to Matthews, and Matthews' editorial correspondence with the North American Review. There are three boxes of manuscripts, including poems by 21 authors; essays on drama; and plays by Henry Arthur Jones, Don Marquis, and Matthews; bound volumes of manuscripts of Matthews' plays and his book, "Development for the Drama." Also included are 17 boxes of his manuscript notes for his many lectures, articles, and books; and memorabilia, primarily from the theatre and from his life at Columbia. Material on the Dunlap Society, which was devoted to printing works relating to the theater, of which Matthews was co-founder with Laurence Hutton, includes documents and correspondence, much of which is between then secretary Evert J. Wendell and members on meetings and other Society business around 1914. In addition, there are notes and correspondence of Herbert Kleinfield relating to his research on Matthews.

Series I: Cataloged Correspondence, 1876-1926

Matthews was an influential figure in the literary and dramatic worlds of New York, Paris, and London in the late nineteenth, early twentieth century. Among his correspondents represented in the collection are William Archer, Hobart C. Chatfield-Taylor, Augustin Daly, Austin Dobson, Hamlin Garland, Bronson Howard, William Dean Howells, Henry Cabot Lodge and other prominent figures from the worlds of theater, literature, politics and society. 10 linear ft.

Series II: Writings

This series contains notes, typescripts, contracts, book reviews, articles and clippings. The material is arranged chronologically within 9 subseries: Fiction, Plays, Verse, Biographies, Essays and Critiques, Pamphlets, Books edited, Introductions, Articles and Lectures. 1871-1923, 3.5 linear feet

Subseries II.1: Bibliography

Subseries II.2: Fiction

Subseries II.3: Plays

Subseries II.4: Verse

Subseries II.5: Biographies

Subseries II.6: Essays and Criticism

Subseries II.7: Pamphlets

Subseries II.8: Books edited

Subseries II.9: Introductions

Subseries II.10: Articles and Lectures

Series III: Notes, 1872-1924

This series is divided into three subseries: Author files, Subject files and Drama. It contains notes, clippings and articles on subjects in which Matthews had an interest. The notes are often written on small scraps of paper. Matthews would jot down any idea as soon as it occurred to him and throw it into a drawer "where I keep all such stray thoughts." Eventually he would organize these scraps and file them in envelopes. He considered each envelope "a story, or an essay in process of hatching." The files are arranged alphabetically within subseries. 6 linear feet

Subseries III.1: Author Files

Subseries III.2: Subject Files

Includes articles, clippings, exams and notes

Subseries III.3: Drama files

Series IV: Works by Others, 1879-1923

This series contains articles, manuscripts, poetry, essays, and autographs by other authors. 0.5 linear feet

Series V: Personal files, 1827-1962

This series contains photographs, menus, ticket stubs, club rosters, scrapbooks, and other Matthews memorabilia. It includes items Matthews used to refresh his memory when writing his autobiography These Many Years . There are also research notes from a 1961-1962 study by Herbert Kleinfeld. 2 linear feet.

Series VI: Scrapbooks

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Using the Collection

RBML

Access Restrictions

This collection has no restrictions.

This collection is located on-site.

Restrictions on Use

Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. Permission to publish material from the collection must be requested from the Curator of Manuscripts/University Archivist, Rare Book and Manuscript Library (RBML). The RBML approves permission to publish that which it physically owns; the responsibility to secure copyright permission rests with the patron.

Preferred Citation

Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Brander Matthews Papers; Box and Folder; Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Library.

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About the Finding Aid / Processing Information

Columbia University Libraries. Rare Book and Manuscript Library; machine readable finding aid created by Columbia University Libraries Digital Library Program Division

Processing Information

Papers entered 05/--/1986

Biographical materials entered 05/--/1986

Biographical material entered 05/--/1986

Irving/Stoker a.l.s. to Rolt Cataloged 08/04/1993 HR

BM essay: On the length of Cleopatra's nose. Cataloged 03/17/1994 HR

16 a.l.s. from Matthews to Clifford Smyth Cataloged 01/13/2000 HR

Machine readable finding aid generated from MARC-AMC source via XSLT conversion June 26, 2009 Finding aid written in English.

2010-02-16 Legacy finding aid created from Pro Cite.

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Subject Headings

The subject headings listed below are found in this collection. Links below allow searches at Columbia University through the Archival Collections Portal and through CLIO, the catalog for Columbia University Libraries, as well as ArchiveGRID, a catalog that allows users to search the holdings of multiple research libraries and archives.

All links open new windows.

Additional Creators

Heading	CUL Archives: Portal	CUL Collections: CLIO	Nat'l / Int'l Archives: ArchiveGRID
Columbia University.--Dramatic Museum.	Portal	CLIO	ArchiveGRID

Genre/Form

Heading	CUL Archives: Portal	CUL Collections: CLIO	Nat'l / Int'l Archives: ArchiveGRID
Photoprints	Portal	CLIO	ArchiveGRID

Subjects

Heading	CUL Archives: Portal	CUL Collections: CLIO	Nat'l / Int'l Archives: ArchiveGRID
American literature.	Portal	CLIO	ArchiveGRID
Archer, William, 1856-1924.	Portal	CLIO	ArchiveGRID
Bunner, H. C. (Henry Cuyler), 1855-1896.	Portal	CLIO	ArchiveGRID
Chatfield-Taylor, H. C. (Hobart Chatfield), 1865-1945.	Portal	CLIO	ArchiveGRID
Columbia University.--Dept. of English and Comparative Literature.	Portal	CLIO	ArchiveGRID
Daly, Augustin, 1838-1899.	Portal	CLIO	ArchiveGRID
Dobson, Austin, 1840-1921.	Portal	CLIO	ArchiveGRID
Garland, Hamlin, 1860-1940.	Portal	CLIO	ArchiveGRID
Henderson, Harold Gould.	Portal	CLIO	ArchiveGRID
Howard, Bronson, 1842-1908.	Portal	CLIO	ArchiveGRID
Howells, William Dean, 1837-1920.	Portal	CLIO	ArchiveGRID
Irving, Henry, Sir, 1838-1905.	Portal	CLIO	ArchiveGRID
Jones, Henry Arthur, 1851-1929.	Portal	CLIO	ArchiveGRID
Kelinfield, Herbert L.	Portal	CLIO	ArchiveGRID
Kipling, Rudyard, 1865-1936.	Portal	CLIO	ArchiveGRID
Lang, Andrew, 1844-1912.	Portal	CLIO	ArchiveGRID
Lodge, Henry Cabot, 1850-1924.	Portal	CLIO	ArchiveGRID
Lounsbury, Thomas Raynesford, 1838-1915.	Portal	CLIO	ArchiveGRID
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919.	Portal	CLIO	ArchiveGRID
Stoker, Bram, 1847-1912.	Portal	CLIO	ArchiveGRID
Theater--England--London.	Portal	CLIO	ArchiveGRID
Theater--New York (State)--New York.	Portal	CLIO	ArchiveGRID

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History / Biographical Note

Biographical Note

Author, critic, and member of the Columbia English Department Faculty from 1891-1924. Matthews was an influential figure in the literary and dramatic worlds of New York and London from the 1880s throughtout his life. He was a member of numerous social and literary organizations, serving as president of the Dunlap Society, the Modern Language Association, and the National Institute of Arts and Letters, among others.

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