Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

See the University of Virginia Library’s use policy.

Preferred Citation

Louise Greer Papers, Accession #5426,-a , Special Collections Dept., University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.

Acquisition Information

The papers of Louise Greer of Greenville, North Carolina, were given to the Rare Books Department by her sister, Flora Greer Williams of Chilhowie, Virginia, on May 10, 1968. They were transferred to the Manuscripts Department on December 4, 1987.

Biographical/Historical Information

Miss Louise Greer was a graduate of the University of Virginia and an English professor at East Carolina College, Greenville, North Carolina.

Scope and Content Information

This collection consists of the professional correspondence and research files of Miss Louise Greer, a graduate of the University of Virginia and an English professor at East Carolina College, Greenville, North Carolina, ca. 360 items (5 Hollinger boxes, 1.5 linear feet), 1851-1964, and undated.

These papers pertain to her research on Robert Browning and the publication of her book, Browning and America, by The University of North Carolina Press in Chapel Hill. Louise Greer received her Ph. D. from the University of Virginia in 1953, and her book, Browning and America is based upon research for her dissertation.

These materials include Greer's own collection of original letters to Robert Browning from Americans who admired his work, most of whom were literary figures themselves, and one original Browning letter to Percy Parks, January 12, 1887, concerning Parks' difficulty in interpreting his poetry. American correspondents writing to Robert Browning, with the dates of their letters, are listed in alphabetical order and comprise the first series of this collection.

The second series of materials include the typed manuscript, galleys, and page proofs for Browning and America . The typed setting copy of Browning and America is the one item originally accessioned as #5426. The rest of the material is part of accession #5426-a.

The third series contains the following: Greer's professional correspondence with other Browning scholars and correspondence with persons who possessed Browning material; notes for lectures about Browning to literary groups given by Greer; and photographs used as illustrations in Browning and America .

Printed materials include: printed pamphlets concerning the Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning collection at the Armstrong Browning Library, Baylor University, Waco, Texas; printed articles by other Browning scholars; The Browning Society's Papers , 1885-1891; and "Browning Songs Set to Music" by Mrs. H.H.A. Beach (1900). Also included are sheets from the stock books of Ticknor & Fields (photostatic copies) and transcripts of the Browning correspondence in Greer's collection.

American correspondents in the letters to Robert Browning collected by Louise Greer are listed alphabetically in the following paragraphs. Transcripts of these letters can be found in the research series of this collection. Correspondents who are also part of the Clifton Waller Barrett Library are designated by an asterisk* in the list.

These correspondents include: Edward Abbot (September 28, 1882 and June 6, 1884); Hamilton Aide (April 23, 1865 and March 31, 1871); Marie E. Bancroft (June 30, n.y.); Clara G. Barnard (December 15, 1887); Lawrence Barrett (June 1 & November 26, 1884; January 12, 1985; July 25, 1889; and n.d.); Robert Browning (January 12, 1887; October 23, 1868 - a photostatic copy) ; John W. Chadwick (August 9, 1887); Caroline [Chesebro ?] (August 7, 18 [n.y.]); Robert S. Chilton (December 18, 1853); James Freeman Clarke* (May 20, 1884); Joseph W. Clough ([November 11, 1879 ?] and n.d.); Hiram Corson (June 19, 1882 and December 5, 1886); Antoinette Crichton and Nettie Crichton (October 28, 1875); and George William Curtis* (May 3, 1887).

Additional correspondents include: Charlie Daniels (n.d.); Henry Eichbaum (April 12, 1878); Dana Estes (May 28, 1888); John W. Field (March 20, 1883 and July 1, 1885); Annie Fields* (November 18, 1880); James T. Fields* (August 7, 1880); Caroline Fitzgerald (August 12, 1889; n.d.); Alma Forman (January 2, 1886); Parke Godwin* (February 26, 1880); Elizabeth Porter Gould (October 19, 1880); Caskie Harrison (February 4, 1877); Paul Hamilton Hayne* (October 12, 1883); Thomas W. Higginson* (January 4, 1854 and May 11, n.y.); George Jacob Holyoake (August 16, 1884, with January 13,1885 attached); Grace Fay Hooker (May 8, 1889); Harriet G. Hosmer (April 3, [1856 ?] and n.d.); Mary H. Hull (May 10, 1889); Edward L. Jellinek (March 20, 1882); Rossiter Johnson* (October 27, 1880); and Anna T. Jones (February 1, 1882).

Other correspondents include: Charles S. Keyser (October 30, 1884); Elizabeth C. Kinney (June 5, 1879); Sara T. Kinney (February 12, 1887); George Parsons Lathrop* (March 4, 1878); Arthur Levy (February 17 and April 17, 1888); Jessie White Mario (March 20, 1862); Charles Pelham Mulvany (February 18, 1881); Charles Eliot Norton* (February 5, 1851 and July 21, September 9, November 2 & 25, 1885); James R. Osgood & Company (May 2, 1872); Elisabeth P. Peabody (June 8, 1870); Charles C. Perkins (November 14, 1880 and March 23, 1885); E.I. Phelps (n.d.); W. May Phelps (March 16, 1888); Sebastian Schlesinger (May 28, 1864); Edward Spencer (February 23, 1875); Edmund C. Stedman* (July 14, 1879); George Stewart, Jr. (March 19, 1885 and August 27, 1887); Isabella G.D. Stewart (January 10, 1888); Charles Warren Stoddard* (December 26, 1868, with poems); William Wetmore Story* (August 21 & 27, 1873; July 29, 1878; and n.d.).

Additional correspondents include: Celia Thaxter* (March 4, 1881); Emma Thompson (February 3, 1881); Theodore Tilton* (March 13, 1862; September 24, 1863; and October 20, 1880); Mrs. M.A. B. Townshend (March 3, 1888); Anna Wad (February 12, 1888); Louise C. Whitelock (January 17, 1885); Alice L. Williams (November 19, 1877); W.[F.] Wills (n.d.); Daniel Wilson (November 4, 1872); Edward O. Wolcott (January 13, 1887); Ralph K. Wood (May 20, 1889); and Katharine P. Wormeley (January 17, 1889).

Topics in this correspondence include: the effects of the Civil War upon book selling, the setback of General Rosecrans at Chickamauga, Tennessee, and the Emancipation Proclamation (September 24, 1863); Thomas Wentworth Higginson's praise for England in Italy and Sordello , and declaration that Mrs. Browning's poems are household words to every school child in Massachusetts (January 4, 1854); the request for Browning's participation in the anniversary of Margaret Fuller's birthday (June 8, 1870); G.P. Lathrop's request for a contribution to a collection of poems (March 4, 1878); and the dating of Browning's poem "My Star" by astronomical occurrences (April 12, 1878).

Other topics are: a request for Browning to supply memorabilia, poems, or a portrait of Elizabeth Barrett Browning for "The Mrs. Browning Hall" at Wellesley College (August 7 & October 19, 1880); criticism of William Wordsworth who had accepted the political appointment of poet laureate in Robert Browning's youth and about which Browning wrote the poem "The Lost Leader" (May 20, 1884); the production of A Blot in the 'Scutcheon by Lawrence Barrett (November 26, 1884; January 12, March 19, March 23, 1885; and March 16, 1888); a collection of the letters of Thomas Carlyle for the purpose of publication by Charles Eliot Norton (July 21, September 9, and November 25, 1885); the translation of some of Elizabeth Barrett Browning's poems into Danish (February 12, 1888); the International Copyright Association (May 28, 1888); a discussion of Browning's poems "Evelyn Hope" and "Saul" and Browning's portrait done by [William Page ?] (April 8, [1856 ?].

Robert Browning writes about understanding his poetry, "My poem must explain itself sufficiently or if unable to do so, must remain without any help of mine to assist in the matter - so unfitted am I, by constitution, for adding a commentary after writing the text" (January 12, 1887).

Organization

This collection was not received by the department in any particular order and so was arranged in three series: 1) Robert Browning Correspondence in Box 1; 2) Manuscripts of Browning and America in Box 2; and 3) Research Papers for Browning and America in Boxes 3-5.