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Susan Dabney Smedes Correspondence, Accession #2655,-a, Special Collections Dept., University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.
This collection was loaned to the Library by Richard H. Dabney of the University of Virginia, on April 15, 1947.
This collection, 1818(1886-1907) contains twenty letters pertaining to Memorials of a Southern Planter by Susan Dabney Smedes (1840-1913). The book is a memorial to her father, Thomas Dabney, and discusses his life and the lives of Southerners in general. The letters deal chiefly with impressions of the book and how sales are going in Great Britain. There is also a letter, July 14, 1890, from Jeanie D. Hogg to a Mrs. Mussell, concerning the latter's travels in America, Dr. Henry Anderson's estate, Mrs. Dahgleish, and news from Edingburgh, Scotland.
In addition, there is a letter, May 8, 1899, from A. D. Brydon to Richard Heath Dabney (1860-1947), University of Virginia, on behalf of "a worthy but poor family," offering to barter some books with the Randolph Coat-of-Arms as well as two autographs of John Randolph for articles of clothing. Enclosed with this plea for assistance are: an 1818 letter of John Randolph to "Mr. Carrington," concerning Randolph's feelings of respect toward Carrington's father, [Paul Carrington (1733-1818)], who recently passed away, and a falling out with him in the past; and, a franked letter cover addressed to Beverley Tucker.
There are letters, 1907 March-April, of Andrew Lang and newspaper clippings pertaining to an incident between Lang and Smedes. Lang poked fun at Smedes' book, Memorials of a Southern Planter , and the author's name in verse. Smedes' nephew, Richard Heath Dabney, a University of Virginia professor, rebutted with a verse of his own, causing Lang to apologize profusely. Apparently, Smedes was amused by the affair.
#2655-a