Letter from Thomas Manning to William Manning from Paris. He writes of his journey from Toulouse in the company of Madame de Serrant along the banks of the Garonne to Bordeaux, then Poitiers, Angers and by the banks of the Loire, to the magnificent chateau of Serrant which escaped damage in the revolution. He stayed a few days at the Chateau before returning to Paris but hopes that the Serrants will come to Paris shortly or he will visit them again before leaving France, He writes how Madame de Serrant could write letters of recommendation for him but knows he has no time for flirtations, therefore recommends him to be introduced to the Count de [Minnery] - an Italian of great taste in drawing. She will provide other letters as required. He adds "What you report to me from Mrs Opie would absolutely make me vain, were I mot aware that some of my friends are partial to me & my beauty too!" He claims not to have committed "the folly" yet as he has seen nothing but artists and literary men but won't promise not to be guilty of it. Handwritten, 3 sides. Dated 14th Brumaire (5 November) 1802

Letter from Thomas Manning to William Manning from Paris. He is sending the note by private hand; he still hasn't heard from his father. He is in good health and permitted to remain in Paris. Handwritten, 1 side. Dated 28 February 1804

Letter from Thomas Manning to William Manning from Paris. He writes that another autumn has come and he is still in France but he has put to good use, learning not our of books but "out of crawling things called men. - when I have seen the interior of China, I shall be a consummate politician". He is well treated by the Government but is not pleased by Dr James Crawford running away and writing an impertinent letter to the Minister of War - it caused anxiety amongst the Englishmen still in France. The grapes have ripened and are cheap; preparations for the coronation are underway for 18 brumaire (9 November). He asks his father about shooting and jokes that he should ask to go to England to shoot with him but since game is abundant in France he doesn't think that the promise of a leash of partridge would be sufficient to let the Minister of War give him a passport. Handwritten, 3 sides. Dated 27 September 1804

Letter from Thomas Manning to William Manning from Paris. He apologises for not writing sooner; he has had a peculiar state of mind, engaged in reading, that he has replied to no letters including that of Madame Serrant. He has been skating which he finds good exercise. His friend [Giming Ram] has just arrived from Italy - he needs to see people so Thomas will give up his time as a duty not as a pleasure. Paris, politically, is quite quiet with a few people being sent away. He finds out his information from George LemanTuthill. People in Paris have been ill with the gripe and when he called on a friend he met their physician who he had met on the Bury road and was glad to make his acquaintance again. He writes more about Madame de Serrant and how the death of Marquis de Vaudreuil has meant that her mother has taken up residence with her. Handwritten, 3 sides. Postmarked 16 February 1803

Letter from Thomas Manning to William Manning from Paris. He is being detained in Paris and is cross as the "old Kitchen tongs", but hoping to be able to go back to Serrant. The weather is very dry and the Seine low. There are few English in Paris "We are exceedingly well off as prisoners... Let us hope there will shortly be a peace". Building works are being carried out in Paris and other parts of the Empire; the Venus de Medicis has arrived. Handwritten, 3 sides. Dated 14th September, 1803

Letter from Thomas Manning to William Manning from Paris. He has been unwell for the last week but is leaving for a stay in Basle, Switzerland, before going to the south of France. He has letters of introduction to various people in Toulouse so will probably make his main stay there or in its neighbourhood. He writes he will never be happy until he is settled but has many things to do first. One of these is to penetrate to the interior of China - something which he deems difficult but not dangerous and will not be long term. He reassures his father that he will visit England before going to China and hopes to be able to recount his adventures in his father's parlour at Diss, on his return. Handwritten, 3 sides. Dated 13 July 1802

Letter from Thomas Manning to William Manning from Paris. He apologises for not writing sooner and blames it on lack of time. He is rising late, "something or other breaks in on my mornings, & after dinner I have a necessity of seeing somebody to talk with or I should be melancholy". He has not yet met many people and wants to meet Mr LaGrange to see a demonstration of a Theorem which no-one as yet has given a genuine demonstration. He tries to avoid mixing with the other English apart from Tuthill but has met Lord Henry Petty (Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne KG, PC, FRS, 2 July 1780 – 31 January 1863), who also brought the Irish man Mr Parnell (Henry Brooke Parnell, 1st Baron Congleton PC, 3 July 1776 – 8 June 1842). He has only seen Bonaparte at a distance at the review of troops. He has met Tom Paine (Thomas Paine,1737-1809). He subscribes to the Lyceum where there is a library, conversation room and reading room where he can read all the French journals and reviews and some English, and attend lectures all for £4 subscription. He finishes by answering points from his father's letter and saying he will write to Edward. Handwritten, 4 sides. Postmarked 1802, dated 23rd Plavoise (French republican Calendar), 12 February, 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 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

Letter from Thomas Manning (draft) to "Citoyen Consul" asking permission for an audience to give a letter from Monsieur de Serrant. Dated 7 fructidor. Handwritten, 1 piece, 1 side