RIAMCO

Rhode Island Archival and Manuscript Collections Online

For Participating Institutions

John Buchan papers (Ms.Buchan)

Brown University Library

Box A
Brown University
Providence, RI 02912
Telephone: Manuscripts: 401-863-3723; University Archives: 401-863-2148
Email: Manuscripts: hay@brown.edu; University Archives: archives@brown.edu

Scope & content

John Buchan holographs at Brown University span the dates 1898 to 1939. Material about him dates as recently as 1958.

Literary manuscripts include a poem, The song of the sea captain (1905); another poem, The Shorter Catechism (Revised Version), and a short story, The riding of Ninemileburn (1912); a processed copy of a speech, The immortal memory of Robert Burns (1918); and a newspaper article, The greatest war debt (1935).

Correspondence consists of over 130 letters written by Buchan and one by his wife. A group of about 60 of these bear upon his dealings as an editor for Nelson and Sons with a literary agent, W. M. Colles, in the period 1907-1916. Another series of about 45 items are addressed to his close friend and literary collaborator Sir Henry Newbolt over the years 1918-1938. The former series provides insights into the workings of popular publishing; the latter, offer bits of information regarding Buchan's attitudes toward more serious literature.

Scattered through the correspondence are glimpses of his work in South Africa (4 March 1902) and in the Ministry of Information (26 April and 8 August 1918). There is mention of his peerage (25 May 1935) and some fond words about Canada (31 March and 30 December 1936).