1903 - 1931
Manuscript Collection Number: 212
Accessioned: Purchase, 1989
Extent: 136 items (.3 linear ft.)
Content: Correspondence, essays,
and transcripts
Access: The collection is open for research.
Processed: April 1991 by Anita
A. Wellner
Special Collections, University of Delaware Library
Newark, Delaware 19717-5267
(302) 831-2229
Irish playwright, manager, producer, director, and editor Lennox Robinson was born in Douglas, County Cork, Ireland, on October 4, 1886. He died on October 14, 1958, and was buried at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, Ireland.
The Clancy Name, Robinson’s first play, appeared at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, in1908. A year later Irish playwrights William Butler Yeats and Lady Gregory appointed him producer and manager of the Abbey Theatre. He served in this capacity until 1914 and later resumed the positions from 1919 to 1923. He was also a member of the board of directors of the Abbey until his death in 1958. While serving Abbey Theatre he was responsible for opening the Peacock Theatre in 1925 and for creating the Abbey School of Acting in 1926.
In the early 1930s, Robinson was a guest producer and lecturer at several American educational institutions, including State University of Montana, Amherst College, University of Michigan, and Carnegie Institute of Technology. Robinson was chosen in 1932 as an academician of the Irish Academy of Letters.
Robinson wrote a number of dramatic plays, including “The Whiteheaded Boy” (which garnered international praise in 1916), “The Round Table” (1922), “Crabbed Youth and Age” (1922), “Never the Time and the Place” (1924), “Patriots” (1912), “Portrait” (1926), “Ever the Twain” (1930), and “Church Street” (1935). Many of Robinson’s plays influenced other early twentieth-century Irish dramatists. Ronald G. Hoover in the Dictionary of Literary Biography notes that Lennox Robinson created many of the trends in the Irish theater during the first half of the twentieth century.
Robinson edited a number of books, including A Golden Treasury of Irish Verse, Poems by Thomas Parnell, A Little Anthology of Modern Irish Verse, The Irish Theatre, Lady Gregory’s Journals 1916-1930, and The Oxford Book of Irish Verse.
Hoover, Ronald G. “Lennox Robinson.” Dictionary of Literary Biography, Volume 10: Modern British Dramatists, 1940-1945. Detroit, Michigan: Gale Research Company, 1982. pp. 116- 121.
Contemporary Authors. Volume 120. Detroit, Michigan: Gale Research Company, 1987. pp. 309-310.
Spanning the dates 1903-1931, the Lennox Robinson papers related to John Quinn consist of editorial correspondence, transcripts of letters, and other manuscripts and material toward a proposed two-volume edition of letters written to the New York lawyer, patron of the arts, and collector John Quinn. The project was undertaken at the behest of Quinn’s sister, Mrs. Julia Quinn Anderson, who wished for a selection of Quinn’s correspondence to be published, with letters “touching lightly upon his career at the Bar and laying stress upon his friendships with Irish men and women, English and French as well, who were distinguished in the Arts.” (F27). Acting on behalf of Mrs. Anderson, New York lawyer Cornelius J. Sullivan contracted Lennox Robinson to select and edit the letters to Quinn from thirteen volumes of his correspondence that were to be deposited with his other papers in the New York Public Library.
The correspondence between Sullivan and Robinson found in F30 reveals the plans for the project and tracks the progress Robinson made in securing permissions to publish the letters from the original correspondents. Sullivan wrote, “It is my thought there will be two volumes of the letters, to be issued in a limited edition of approximately 750 copes. MacMillan will probably have charge of the publication, but Rudge, our best bookmaker, will do the printing and binding.” Accordingly, Robinson planned the first volume to include letters from Jack B. Yeats (who first introduced Quinn to many Irish friends) and Irish writers; the second volume was to include letters to Quinn from English writers, English and French artists, and James Joyce and John B. Yeats. Each group of letters was to be preceded by a short biographical note on the correspondent.
The collection is arranged in two series: I. Correspondence and Transcripts, and II. Editorial matter and Manuscripts.
The correspondence in series I. comprises letters between Lennox Robinson and various Irish and European literary figures, artists, or their estates, with transcripts of their letters to Quinn. Robinson sought permission to publish and solicited approval of the selected letters; the transcripts often bear editorial notes and corrections by the original authors of the letters. Also included are introductory notes or essays concerning the correspondents and their relationships to John Quinn. Although some of these essays were by the original correspondent, most were written by Robinson.
Series II. contains editorial and manuscript material toward the project, including a folder of correspondence between Sullivan and Robinson that documents progress from the initial contracting of Robinson in 1930 through 1931, when the project evidently failed. A telegram dating March 23, 1931 reads “… writing M[a]cMillan won’t undertake publication … .” The manuscripts in the second series include a table of contents for the two volumes, an index, an introduction, and two essays written by Robinson titled “John Quinn Among Artists” and “Other Irish Friends.”
Box -- Folder -- Contents
Series I. Correspondence and Transcripts, 1903-1930
Includes correspondence from various Irish and
European literary figures or artists to Lennox Robinson
concerning the inclusion of their correspondence with
John Quinn in an edition that Robinson was compiling.
Also included are the transcripts of selections of
their letters to John Quinn. Occasionally
introductions to a particular writer’s letters to Quinn
are included.
1 F1 Brancusi, Constanti, 1916-1923
1 item (21 pp.)
Includes a transcript of eight letters from
Brancusi to Quinn (1916-1923). The transcript bears
autograph corrections and a cover sheet.
F2 Casement, Roger, Sir, 1914-1915
2 items (36 pp.)
Includes a transcript of thirteen letters from
Casement to Quinn (1914-1915) and an introduction to
the chapter on Casement and Quinn as written by Lennox
Robinson.
F3 Colum, Padraic, 1916-1930
4 items (8 pp.)
Includes one letter from Colum to Robinson (Sep
24, 1930), a carbon of a letter from Robinson to Colum
(Oct 16, 1930), and a transcript of two letters from
Colum to Quinn (1916). The cover of the transcript
bears Robinson’s autograph note: “approved by Padraic.”
F4 Conrad, Joseph, 1912-1930
22 items (61 pp.)
Includes a carbon copy of a letter from Robinson
to Mrs. Joseph Conrad (Sep 16, 1930), a letter from
James B. Pinker & Sons to Robinson (Oct 3, 1930), a
carbon copy of a letter from Robinson to Pinker (Oct
16, 1930), a transcript of eighteen letters from Conrad
to Quinn (1912-1920), and an introduction to the Joseph
Conrad chapter, written by Robinson. The introduction
bears Robinson’s autograph revisions and the cover
bears the autograph note by Robinson: “corrected by
Pinker.”
F5 Craig, Edward Gordon, 1930
3 items (3 pp.)
Includes two letters from Craig to Robinson (Oct
13 & Nov 5, 1930), and a carbon copy of a letter from
Robinson to Craig (Sep 16, 1930).
F6 Dunoyer de Segonzac, Andre, 1918-1930
4 items (16 pp.)
Includes a letter from Dunoyer de Segonzac to
Robinson (Dec 3, 1930) with an enclosed statement about
John Quinn (2 pp.), a carbon copy of a letter from
Robinson to Dunoyer de Segonzac (Dec 5, 1930), and a
transcript of two letters from Dunoyer de Segonzac to
Quinn (1918-1922). The cover of the transcript bears
the autograph note written by Robinson: “corrected by
A. D. de S., 1st letter not omitted by de S.”
F7 Epstein, Jacob, Sir, 1911-1930
3 items (15 pp.)
Includes a letter from Robinson to Epstein (Oct
20, 1930), a letter from Mrs. Margaret Epstein to
Robinson (Nov 15, 1930), and a transcript of six
letters from Epstein to Quinn (1911-1915).
F8 Gregory, Isabella Augusta Persee, Lady, 1903-1908
1 item (5 pp.)
Includes a transcript of five letters from Lady
Gregory to Quinn (1903-1908). The transcript bears an
autograph note by Robinson.
F9 Hackett, Francis, 1930
3 items (7 pp.)
Includes two letters from Hackett to Robinson (Sep
24 & Oct 11, 1930), and a carbon copy of a letter from
Robinson to Hackett (Sep 27, 1930).
F10 Hyde, Douglas, 1905-1930
3 items (37 pp.)
Includes a letter from Hyde to Robinson (Oct 28,
1930), a transcript of sixteen letters from Hyde to
Quinn (bears autograph corrections and deletions, dated
1905-1923), and an introduction to the chapter on Quinn
and Hyde. The introduction bears autograph revisions.
F11 John, Augustus, 1909-1915
1 item (33 pp.)
Includes a transcript of twelve letters from John
to Quinn (1909-1915). The transcript bears autograph
corrections and deletions by John and Robinson. The
cover sheet bears the autograph note by Robinson:
“Corrected by A. J.”
F12 Leslie, Shane, 1916-1930
6 items (23 pp.)
Includes two letters from Leslie to Robinson (Sep
11 and 19, 1930). The September 11th letter has two
enclosures: an autograph essay by Leslie about John
Quinn and a transcript of seven letters from Leslie to
Quinn (1916-1923). Also includes two carbon copies of
letters from Robinson to Leslie (Sep 16 and 26, 1930).
F13 Lewis, Wyndham, 1930
5 items (5 pp.)
Includes a letter from Lewis to Robinson (Nov 29,
1930) and four carbon copies of letters from Robinson
to Lewis (Sep 16, October 16, Nov 4 and 15, 1930).
F14 Mitchell, Susan Langstaff, 1922-1930
3 items (10 pp.)
Includes a letter from Jane Mitchell (sister of
Susan Mitchell) to Robinson (Sep 22, 1930), a carbon
copy of a letter from Robinson to Jane Mitchell (Sep
26, 1930), and a transcript of two letters from Susan
Mitchell to Quinn (1922-1923). The transcript bears
autograph revisions by Robinson and a cover.
F15 Moore, George, 1930
1 item (1 p.)
Includes one letter from Moore to Robinson (Sep
19, 1930).
F16 Morris, May, 1910-1930
11 items (63 pp.)
Includes four letters from Morris to Robinson (Sep
13, 25, and Oct 7 & 18, 1930), three carbon copies of
letters from Robinson to Morris (Sep 16 and 26, Oct 16,
1930), and correspondence between Robinson and Longman,
Green & Co. Also includes an introduction to the
Morris chapter written by Robinson. It bears his
autograph corrections and a transcript of thirteen
letters from Morris to Quinn (1910-1916). The
transcript includes two poems by William Morris and the
cover bears the autograph note by Robinson: “Corrected
by Miss Morris.” Also some of letters in the
transcript bear his autograph note: “rejected by M. M.”
Series I. Correspondence and Transcripts (cont’d)
2 F17 O’Grady, Standish, 1906-1930
4 items (16 pp.)
Includes a letter from Margaret O’Grady (wife) to
Robinson (Sep, 1930), two carbon copies of letters from
Robinson to Margaret O’Grady (Sep 16 and 26, 1930), and
a transcript of four letters from Standish O’Grady to
Quinn (1906-1915). The transcript has a cover and
bears autograph corrections by Robinson.
F18 Pascin, Jules, 1918
3 items (8 pp.)
Includes a carbon copy of a letter from Robinson
to Pascin and two transcripts of a 1918 letter from
Pascin to Quinn with cover.
F19 Rolleston, T. W. (Thomas William), 1911-1930
3 items (10 pp.)
Includes a letter from Maud Rolleston to Robinson
(Nov 3, 1930), a carbon copy of a letter from Robinson
to Maud Rolleston (Oct 31, 1930), and a transcript of
two letters from T. W. Rolleston to Quinn (1911-1912)
with cover.
F20 Rouault, Georges, 1917-1930
11 items (29 pp.)
Includes two letters from William Aspenwall
Bradley to Robinson (Dec 3 and 10, 1930). Enclosed in
the December 10 letter is an essay about John Quinn
written in French by Rouault. Also includes a carbon
copy of Rouault’s essay, two carbon copies of letters
from Robinson to Bradley, and a transcript of five
letters from Rouault to Quinn (1917-1923).
F21 Russell, George William, (A. E.), 1903-1923
2 items (57 pp.)
Includes the introduction to the chapter of A.
E.’s letters to Quinn as written by Robinson. The
introduction is based on information from A. E. Also
includes a transcript of sixteen letters from Russell
to Quinn (1903-1923). The cover to the transcript
bears the autograph note by Robinson: “corrected by A.
E. cut by L. R.” The transcript bears autograph
corrections by A. E. and Robinson, as well as cuts made
by A. E. that are identified with his initials in the
margins.
F22 Saint-Gaudens, Augustus, 1904
2 items (5 pp.)
Includes transcripts of one letter from Saint-
Gaudens to Quinn (1904). The cover bears Robinson’s
autograph note: “o.k. out of copyright?”
Series I. Correspondence and Transcripts (cont’d)
2 F23 Stephens, James, 1913-1930
2 items (29 pp.)
Includes a carbon copy of a letter from Robinson
to Stephens (Oct 20, 1930) and a transcript of ten
letters from Stephens to Quinn, with cover (1913-1922).
F24 Synge, J. M. (John Millington), 1907-1930
5 items (20 pp.)
Includes a letter from Synge to Robinson (Sep 15,
1930) and a carbon copy of a letter from Robinson to
Synge (Sep 16, 1930). Also includes a transcript of
three letters from Synge to Quinn (1907-1908), as well
as two transcripts of letters from W.B. Yeats and Jack
Yeats to Quinn about Synge’s Playboy (1907).
F25 Yeats, Jack Butler, 1905-1930
3 items (22 pp.)
Includes a letter from Yeats to Robinson (Sep 8,
1930) and an introduction to the Jack Butler Yeats
chapter in the anthology, written by Robinson and
bearing his autograph revisions. Also includes a
transcript of eight letters from Yeats to Quinn (1905-
1919). The transcript bears autograph corrections and
deletions by Robinson and Yeats.
F26 Yeats, John Butler and W.B. (William Butler), 1930
2 items (8 pp.)
Includes an essay, “J. B. Yeats”, written by
Robinson, with his autograph corrections and cover.
Also includes an essay, “W. B. Yeats,” which describes
the relationship of Yeats to John Quinn. The essay is
based on a letter from W. B. Yeats to Robinson in 1930.
Series II. Editorial matter and Manuscripts, 1930-1931
Includes correspondence, an introduction, a table
of contents, index, and two essays to be included in
the edition.
2 F27 Sullivan, Cornelius J., 1930-1931
19 items (28 pp.)
Includes letters, telegrams, and a clipping from
Sullivan to Robinson. Also includes letters from
Robinson to Sullivan, and an introduction to the
edition. Sullivan oversaw the project at the behest of
Quinn’s sister, Mrs. Anderson.
F28 Table of Contents, Index, and Introduction, [1930]
3 items (20 pp.)
Ts with autograph corrections and notes by
Robinson.
F29 “John Quinn Among Artists,” [1930]
1 item (12 pp.)
Essay by Robinson, bearing extensive autograph
revisions and a cover.
F30 “Other Irish Friends,” [1930]
1 item (6 pp.)
Essay by Robinson, with a few autograph
corrections and a cover bearing an autograph list of
names of Irish literary figures.
F31 Unidentified material, [n.d.]
2 items (5 pp.)
Includes pages 3 and 4 of a letter bearing
autograph corrections, pages 2-4 of a short story
bearing autograph corrections, and an envelope bearing
the autograph note: “Quinn letters keep.”
Back
to the UD Special Collections Home Page
Return
to List of Manuscript Finding Aids by Title