Letters, References and Notes (1848-1855) 
Relating to Anne Marsh (Marsh Caldwell)

The following is a listing of letters, references and general notes, from 1847-1855, relating to Anne Marsh (Marsh-Caldwell) and her family, in particular her husband Arthur Marsh.  For notes relating to other years please go to Letters, References and Notes (1780-1874).

Business letter to Arthur Marsh.  This letter was found inside an item of old family furniture.  It is assumed that there is no great significance to the content.  The letter reads as follows:

Saint Peters Chambers A . . . 
15th March 1849
A.C. Marsh Esq.
Eastbury near Watford Herts
Dear Sir
We are in receipt of your . . . of yesterday and in accordance with your directions have given instructions for the . . .  . . .  . . . to be forwarded by Parcels Delivery to Dr Holland  Grosvener Street.  Enclosed is note of expenses thence Amount £0.18.0  We have had no communication respecting the above from Mr Delmans  who could obtain no . . . without reference to us and although the . . . has been reported some days we did not decree it necessary to trouble you upon the subject until the package was discharged and had been subjected to the usual Customhouse formalities.
The Sum of £1.4.6 Charges in a . . . package is we find duly at your . . . in the 15th . . .
We remain dear Sir
Yours faithfully
JR Thomson & Co

Note of charges
Customs Duty 3/6 Dockrate 2/6 Clearing 2/6 £0.8.6
Railway to and from West Indian Docks and Porterage £0.2.0
Freight at Cape 70 Medway £0.7.6
£0.18.0

1 February 1850.  Revised agreement on Copyright between Anne Marsh and Richard Bentley regarding "History of the Reformation in France" and "Norman's Bridge".  British Library 46615f216.  The agreement reads as follows:

Memorandum.  It is hereby agreed by and between the undersigned parties for an agreement bearing date 6th August 1846 that . . . much of the aforesaid agreement as promised for the payment of fifty pounds on the sale of 500 copies of a work by Mrs Marsh published by Mr Richard Bentley in March 1847 in two volumes . . . entitled a History of the Reformation in France shall be cancelled and is accordingly declared null and void; and it is hereby agreed for the consideration hereinafter stated that no further payment whatsoever shall be made by Mr R Bentley to Mrs Marsh in respect of the aforesaid work during the term of duration of the copyright provided and agreed in the aforesaid agreement and as determined the duration of the copyright of a novel written by Mrs Marsh for Mr R Bentley and first published by him in June 1847 under the title of Norman's Bridge shall be cancelled and is accordingly declared null and void and in lieu thereof and for the consideration herein after provided to be paid, it is hereby agreed that the copyright of and in the said novel shall belong to and be the property of the said Richard Bentley from the time of the first publication thereof until the expiration of 5 years from the present date provided always that the said novel be printed only in the form adopted in Mr Bentley's Edition published in December 1849.  And the undersigned Mr Bentley hereby agreed to pay and the undersigned Mrs Marsh agree to receive as consideration for the aforesaid considerations the sum of Fifty Guineas to be paid on her account into the Banking hands of Sir Claud Scott snr. Cavendish Square on the 5th instant.  Also 20 copies of the History of the Reformation in France in 2 Vols 8vo bound in cloth with five guineas worth of any of Mr R Bentley's publications that shall be selected by Mrs Marsh and twenty copies of Norman's Bridge in one Vol. And in 8vo bound in cloth to be supplied to Mrs Marsh by Mr Bentley without charge.
In witness thereof the undersigned parties have hereunto set their hands this 1st day of February 1850.
Anne Marsh.

8 February 1850.  Receipt on black edged letter paper from Anne Marsh to Richard Bentley.  The document is written by Anne and signed by her.  British Library 46652f29.  The receipt reads as follows:

Eastbury Feb 8th 1850
Sir
I beg to acknowledge the receipt of £52.10. paid in to the account at Sir Samuel Scott's bank, as per advice received today.
Anne Marsh
Richard Bentley Esq
Will Mr Bentley be so good as to send his Catalogue to 22 North Audley Street, where it will be dispatched to Eastbury to choose the works from.

Extract of a letter from Mrs EC Gaskell to Louis Hachette, dated 17 March 1855.  I understand this is taken from "Further Letters of Mrs Gaskell".  The extract reads as follows:

Dear Sir,
I have written out what I thought you would like to know about the novels by living writers.  I have told you there as well as I could the place that the different novelists hold in England.  But as most of them are more or less known to me personally, and as I have told you very frankly what I think of their books, I am sure I may rely on your not allowing anyone to see this paper but your self.

Mrs Marsh Eastbury Harrow near London.
This lady has written about thirty novels, one or two of which are very good; three or four tolerable, and the rest forgotten as soon as read.  She writes for money and writes far too quickly her first novel was published among . . . about 20 years ago, and is very fine and dramatic.  It is called "The Two Old Men's Tales", 2 Vols.  Seven or eight years afterwards she wrote "Emilia Wyndham".

27 June 1862.  A letter from Garcin de Tassy to Anne Marsh Caldwell noting his appreciation of her work.  This is possibly Joseph Héliodore Sagesse Vertu Garcin de Tassy (1794-1878) the French orientalist.  The letter reads:

Versailles 19 Rue des réservoirs

June 27th 1862

Dear Madame

Must I apologise for writing to you?  But I cannot help not to do so.  Let me then explain to you the reason.

My wife & I are, as usual, in summer, at Versailles where we generally spend about three months.  A Miss Danlion daughter of a General has let this year, as well as last year, to us her apartment being in a watering place and, as she is most learned & knowing with the English and German language, she has a good library in which I have found among many other good books 'Lettice Arnold' by the author of 'Emilia Wyndham'.  Directly I took it and I read it with the utmost delight.  It appears to me truly a "chef d'ceuvr".  It is so interesting, so beautifully written, so much interpreted with excellent hints, so a faithful picture of the good manners of old England which I like so much, so edifying, for it is better than the best sermon.  How many times have I wept reading those admirable pages!  How much probable are your writings, & . . . other English novels of the same kind to our infamous, as you say rightly French novels, unfortunately translated into English to corrupt your good youth, like ours.

I have also read with pleasure some of your quotations & even I have copied one which probably I shall have the opportunity of quoting in my next speech.

Accept then I pray my best and very sincere compliment upon so capital a writing.  Probably you have a Lettice in your family.

This year I have not in Versailles any English or American acquaintances but in Paris I continue to have many.  As for good Mrs Walsh I went to pay to her a visit before leaving Paris, but I did not find her at home & I was told that she is in a watering place.  In some weeks time I shall not fail to call at her house in order to get news about her.

If ever I am able to be serviceable either to you or to your friends you may depend upon me, dear Madame, and in the mean time believe me

Most respectfully & faithfully yours

Garcin de Tassy.

If you have any information to add to what is listed please contact me on jj@jjhc.info

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