Letter from Thomas Manning to William Manning from Paris. He has not received any letters for 6 months, nor written any except to his father. He gained permission to return to Paris and is one of the few English who have not been made prisoner of war in Verdun. He asks for his father to write as soon as he receives this letter. Handwritten, 1 side. Dated 12th January 1804

Letters from Thomas Manning to William Manning (father) and William Manning (brother) on same piece of paper. To his father he writes about finally getting a letter from his father; of cold weather in Paris for April; that he is "perfectly well & unmolested"; that Paris is calm but the trials for high treason will commence soon; not to believe surmises and conjectures in the papers pretending to come from high authority. To his brother he bemoans that he doesn't write; asks how he and his brother Edward are; how the college (Cambridge) is getting on now Dr Davy is Master. He remarks he has opportunity for studying the French character and muses on France and England and impossibility of really comparing places. Handwritten, 3 sides. Date 19th April, 1804

This correspondence covers the time that Manning spent in France, mainly in Paris and at Chateau de Serrant. It holds historical interest because Manning was held in France at the outbreak of the Napoleonic Wars and the letters include both official and personal correspondence dating from that time. They are arranged into 4 Sections:

TM/3/1 Official correspondence and documents TM/3/2 Personal Correspondence TM/3/3 Calling cards and invitations TM/3/4 Diligence information

Notification from État-Major Général, ay Quartier général, à Paris stating on the orders of the Premier Consul that Thomas Manning should leave Paris and go to Serrant. This order replaces any previous orders. Signed by A Junot. Dated 6th { ] an 11, (dated in another hand as 9 September 1803). Printed document with handwritten details. Also has in margins a note from Belville. 1 piece, 1 side

These letters are personal letters to and from Thomas Manning, many of which are from the de Vaudreuil and de Serrant family members

There are a number of calling cards and invitations for Thomas Manning whilst staying in France. Their main interest lies in the understanding some of the social circle in which he moved.

Stanislas Aignan Julien (13 April 1797 – 14 February 1873) was a French sinologist who served as the Chair of Chinese at the Collège de France for over 40 years and was one of the most academically respected sinologists in French history. This correspondence is mainly concerned with Thomas Manning trying to source Chinese books for Julien.

Letter from Thomas Manning to William Manning from Paris. He writes about his difficult journey through snow with horses falling and includes a sketch of the situation. This meant he arrived late and so was fatigued. He had walked around Paris that morning and seen the Palais Royal. He prefers Paris to London and reiterates this later in the letter. He writes abut meeting his friend Tuthill (Sir George Leman Tuthill ,1772–1835), his wife (Maria) and child (Laura Maria). The letter is written over 2 days and then re-opened to put in a note about forwarding his mail. He is considered an American by his hosts which is of benefit he states in that they expect him to live frugally. He states his address as No 165, Hotel Beauvalet, Rue de la Jussienne. Handwritten, 4 sides. Dated 8 January 1802

Letter from Thomas Manning to William Manning from Paris. He assumes that his brothers, William and Edward, have informed his father of his news from their letters but in case that William's has gone astray asks that Mr Wilkins be put down as a subscriber to Mr Denon's book on Egypt (Dominique Vivant, Baron Denon, 4 January 1747 – 27 April 1825). He writes of people he has met - Mr Taylor who took him to a Conversatione at Mr Smith's, an Englishman of fortune in Paris with his wife and sister. He found the mesdames particularly agreeable. He met a Mr White, a civil engineer, who has survived the revolution with only 3 months imprisonment under Robespierre. Mr Giliet is the name of the man he wrote about in the previous letter. Manning has become "quite a talker in societies" in order to make himself a good guest he engages in conversation with artists, mathematician. physiognomics or metaphysician to draw then out and thus please his hosts. He then writes about a plot to assassinate Bonaparte which took place on 15th Floreal (9th May) by a Colonel Fournier. The plot had been hushed up by Bonaparte so most of Paris did not know about it. He writes more about the political situation. He concludes by asking to be remembered to his friends and by remarking on his change of address. Handwritten, 4 sides, dated Monday 11 May 1802

Letter from Thomas Manning to William Manning from Paris. He is preparing to leave France but must visit Madame de Serrant before he returns to England. He suggests meeting his father in Cambridge. He wants to go there to peruse some books such as Du Haldes History of China. He reassures "do not be alarmed - different people have different lots - mine is to wander for a while". He writes about his algebra book wondering whether the 50 copies he sent to Ireland are still in Mr Arthurs' shop in Dublin. He writes about other books; about being unwell and how poor the medical knowledge is in France with people dying of being bled; the weather is very cold so there has been skating on the Seine; that people in Paris are concerned that there might be a war between England and France possibly based on Bonaparte's address to the Legislation in which he alluded to the possibility of a maritime war. Handwritten, 3 sides. Dated 17th Ventose (8th March) 1803