Letter from Thomas Manning to William Manning from Calcutta. He writes of his frustrated attempt to get to Pekin whilst in Canton giving some of the reasons why it could not be accomplished. The suggestion has been made that it tries to go via Tibet and letters have been sent for him and he has other private letters with him. He had a good passage though was without convoy and therefore fearful of being taken in the Bay of Bengal. He has numerous dinner invitations including to Sir William Burroughs. He dined the previous evening with Mr Palmar, the Banker. "Turban on his head, beard over a foot long. all eyes staring at me". He has rented a spacious house on the circular road and justifies it by claiming it is necessary so he stays healthy and can study. There are some missionaries in Calcutta who claim to know something of the Chinese language but they have it wrong which he has tried to explain so that their translations of Confucius are map of mistakes. He is waiting to sail for Madras. Handwritten, 4 sides. Dated 28th April, 1810

Letter from Thomas Manning (draft) to "Votre Excelllence" asking permission to return to England to see his father prior to his voyage to Asia. He has been in France to prepare himself for that voyage and those preparations are now complete. Undated. Handwritten, 1 piece, 2 sides

Letter from Thomas Manning to the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Honorable Court of Directors of the East India Company asking for help with defraying the costs of 2 Chinese men he has brought from Canton - one, a literary Chinese, to help with his studies; the other, a native of the province of Honan, who speaks the language with the greatest purity, as a servant but also he thought would be of use to East India Company men at the College preparing to go to the factory at Canton. He estimates that the costs he will incur are £1000. Undated [1818], Handwritten, 1 piece, 3 sides

Letter from Thomas Manning (draft) to Général Consul. Manning writes about gaining a passport to come to France for 2 years to study for his enterprise to China. He asks that he can stay in Paris to continue his studies. He mentions Dr Hager, Conservateur des manuscripts chinois. Dated 17 Frimaire, Hotel de Paris. Handwritten, 1 piece, 4 sides

Letter from Stanislas Julien to Thomas Manning. He mentions M Mitchell, Sir George Tuthill, that he is pleased the M. Hankey did not sell the library of Morrison for an enormous sum. He thanks Manning for his favours and asks for more help in trying to find Chinese texts. Postmarked 4 October 1834. Handwritten in French and Chinese, 1 piece, 3 sides