Lewis M. Isaacs collection of E.A. Robinson papers

Description data TOP

unitid

{"value"=>"2590", "type"=>"local_mss"}

{"value"=>"MssCol 2590", "type"=>"local_call"}

unitdate

{"type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1896/1967", "value"=>"1896-1967"}

date_inclusive_start

1896

date_inclusive_end

1967

keydate

1896

date_start

1896

date_end

1967

unittitle

{"value"=>"Lewis M. Isaacs collection of E.A. Robinson papers"}

physdesc

{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"8 linear feet (12 boxes, 1 package)"}], "supress_display"=>true}

repository

{"value"=>"<span class=\"corpname\">The New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division.</span> <div class=\"address\"> <span class=\"addressline\">Stephen A. Schwarzman Building</span> <span class=\"addressline\">Fifth Avenue at 42nd Street, New York, NY 10018-2788</span></div>"}

abstract

{"value"=>"Edwin Arlington Robinson (1869-1935) was an American poet. He lived in New York City and also worked at the MacDowell Colony in Peterborough, New Hampshire. Collection consists of the Lewis M. Isaacs (1877-1944) collection of E.A. Robinson's papers with Isaacs's correspondence pertaining to Robinson. Robinson correspondence, 1899-1935, with other writers and the Isaacs family, concerns his professional and personal life. Writings include manuscripts (some annotated by Robinson), galleys and published works in addition to drafts and notes. Unsorted papers contain Robinson's will, publishing contracts, songs by Robinson and Isaacs, essay by Isaacs, and printed matter. Isaacs correspondence, 1921-1967, is between the Isaacs family and the family, friends and acquaintances of Robinson. Many letters, ca. 1935-1940, are with prospective biographers and researchers. Photographs are of Robinson and various places and buildings associated with him. Also, drawing of Robinson and poster announcing an exhibition of his work."}

langmaterial

{"value"=>"Materials in English"}

prefercite

{"value"=>"<p>Lewis M. Isaacs collection of E.A. Robinson papers, Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library</p>"}

origination

{"value"=>"Robinson, Edwin Arlington, 1869-1935", "type"=>"persname"}

bioghist

{"value"=>"<p>Lewis M. Isaacs, (1877-1944), a lawyer, musician, and composer, and his (1878-Wife, Edith J. R. Isaacs an editor of various literary and theatrical public-1956) captions, including \"Theatre Arts Monthly\", were close friends of the poet E. A. Robinson (1869-1935). Robinson grew up in Maine, and then attended Harvard 1891-1893 as a special student; he moved to New York City in 1896, the same year that his first book of poems <em render=\"underline\">The Torrent and the Night Before</em> appeared.</p> <p>The volumes <em render=\"underline\">The Children of the Night</em> and <em render=\"underline\">Captain Craig</em> followed; attracting praise from various quarters along with patronage from Theodore Roosevelt. Robinson first met the Isaacs in 1911 at the MacDowell Colony in Peterborough, New Hampshire, an artist's retreat where the poet spent many of his summers and produced much of his work; he spent the rest of the year in New York City where he often visited the Isaacs. Isaacs became Robinson's financial advisor and eventually the joint executor of his will with Louis Ledoux, the literary executor. Robinson placed many of his manuscripts into the safe-keeping of. Isaacs who in addition collected material independently. After Isaacs death, his wife donated the collection in stages to the New York Public Library; their son continued to oversee the collection and donated a few documents which had been overlooked.</p>"}

scopecontent

{"value"=>"<p>The collection is divided into five categories; Robinson's correspondence Robinson's writings, unsorted papers, and the Isaacs' correspondence Robinson's correspondence, 1899-1935, includes letters, 1920-1935, between Robinson and Laura Richards (1850-1943), and from William Vaughn Moody (1869-1910), during the years 1899-1908; both writers were close friends of the poet. In addition there are about twenty letters, 1905-1909, to the writer Richard Watson Gilder, (1844-1909), and one to Witter Bynner, (1881-1968); notes from William James and Thornton Wilder; and letters from Theodore Roosevelt, Walter de la Mare, Mark van Doren, Robert Frost, and Robinson Jeffers, among others. Robinson's extensive correspondence with the Isaacs began in 1911 and continued until his death. In addition to many originals, there are transcripts for most letters. Robinson writes in his role as a poet; various matters of his personal and professional life are mixed with an epistolary style; frequent examples of his humor occur throughout. The writings include manuscripts, galleys, and published works. The collection incorporates over 600 pages of originals and drafts in Robinson's miniscule script, along with several typescripts and a few galleys. Many of the manuscripts ate edited with author's corrections and revisions. Among the published volumes are first editions of everything which Robinson wrote, books about the poet, some editions containing samples of the Work, and other's simply inscribed to Robinson. Robinson's contracts with his publishers and his will number among the unsorted papers; also of interest are two printed copies of two songs, one composed by Robinson With words by Louis Ledoux, the other a rendition by Isaacs of a Robinson poem; Edith Isaacs' notes to Robinson's letters, and an essay by Lewis isaacs discussing Robinson's knowledge of music; various articles, clippings of Robinsonania. Finally, there are notes and other documents from the New York Public Libraries 1948 exhibition of this collection. The Isaacs correspondence, 1921-1967, is between the Isaacs family and various friends and acquaintances of Robinson, including some of the individuals mentioned above; the correspondence begins with a 1921 letter to Edith Isaacs and ends with a 1967 letter to Lewis Isaacs, Jr both from Thornton Wilder. Other letters are between the Isaacs and Robinson's sister-in-law, Emma Robinson and Ruth Nivison his niece. Many of these documents, circa 1935-1940, are concerned with prospective biographers and researchers; the remaining correspondence is also of Robinson interest. Photographs of Robinson include photographs of the poet as a young man, including a photo-gravure print, and later photographs and photographic portraits including a 1923 photograph of a PEN club dinner in London. There is also a drawing of Robinson which appears again on a poster announcing an exhibition of his work. Other photographs include several of various places and buildings associated with Robinson.</p>"}

arrangement

{"value"=>"<p>Five series: I. Robinson Correspondence; II. Robinson Writings; III. Unsorted Papers; IV. Isaacs Correspondence; V. Photographs</p>"}

acqinfo

{"value"=>"<p>1947-1958, Received from J. R. Isaacs; Lewis, M. Isaacs, Jr.</p>"}

processinfo

{"type"=>"processing", "value"=>"<p>November 26, 1985</p>"}

extent_statement

8 linear feet (12 boxes, 1 package)

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Child components TOP

1. Robinson Correspondence [2/1]
2. Robinson Writings [5/1]
3. Unsorted Papers
4. Isaac's Correspondence
5. Photographs
6. Galleys