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 to William Manning from Brunnen, Switzerland. He writes about his tour round Switzerland - what pleased and disappointed him. The letter resumes in Milan - he has taken a detour to visit this city. And then Geneva, which he says is full of English. He continues to recount his travels and plans to go on to Marseilles and Toulouse. Handwritten, 4 sides. Dated Brunnen, Friday 6 August [1802], Milan 12 August [1802], Geneva, 15 August [1802]
Letter from Thomas Manning to William Manning from Brennen (Brunnen), Lake Lucerne, Switzerland. He writes to his father of his trip through Switzerland, including Basle, the Rhine falls, Lucerne, Berne travelling by foot, horse and diligence. Handwritten, 3 sides. Dated Brennen Sunday 25 July [1802], Berne Friday morning 30 July [1802]
Draft Letter from Thomas Manning, desperate for a letter from this correspondent. Another hand in pencil has written "? If addressed to Lamb". Dated Friday 17 Nivoise (7 January 1803). Handwritten, 1 piece, 1 side
Letter from Thomas Manning to George Tuthill from (Runjpore), Bengal. Manning has his passport from the Rajah of Bootan (Bhutan) to travel through his country to Lhasa to see the Grand Lama. He will set off the following day. He sends his love to Tuthill' s wife, Maria, and daughter and wishes he was with his friends in England. He likes Tuthill' s plans about Medicine and about publishing a Greek Dictionary about which Manning writes that he knows a great deal about particles and prepositions, compounds and tenses which has never been published. Manning writes though he knows much, he is not keen on Fame. He asks Tuthill for news on Bonaparte's campaign. He adds a postscript about a paper he should have sent to Charles Lamb and in some boxes makes notes about Wordsworth, Coleridge and Lamb. Handwritten, 1 piece, 3 sides. Dated (in letter) 27 August 1811
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 (draft) to "Votre Excelllence" asking permission to return to England prior to his voyage to Asia for his scientific and historic studies. 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 to Samuel Ball asking whether it is still possible for him to dine with Ball that day. Dated Ginger's Hotel, Westminster Bridge, 17 March. Handwritten 1 piece, 1 side
Letter from Thomas Manning (draft) to Napoleon - Votre Majesté - to ask for the correct papers for Manning to travel to Berlin to progress his study of China. This letter is undated but because of the nature of address would suggest it was written after Napoleon's coronation on 2 December 1804. Handwritten 1 piece, 2 sides