Lady Hester Stanhope, Circa 1815
Scope and Contents
A letter in the hand of British adventurer and archaeologist Lady Hester Stanhope to her friend the author James Silk Buckingham (1786-1855). The letter is undated, but is likely to have been written sometime around 1815. Stanhope writes from Egypt, reporting on current events ranging from an outbreak of plague at Rhodes to gossip regarding Napoleon and the “quite shocking” state of politics in France. Stanhope gently scolds Buckingham for not taking her advice on various matters of decorum and dress, and offers a number of humorous anecdotes, including one about a Mr. Bankes – presumably fellow adventurer William John Bankes (1786-1855) – being mistaken for a “German quack doctor” plying his trade in Damascus. 8 pages, now flattened and under plastic. Also included is a typescript of the letter’s contents, which provides a date of 1816, but it is unclear from where this information is derived.
Dates
- Circa 1815
Conditions Governing Access
Most manuscripts collections at the Georgetown University Booth Family Center for Special Collections are open to researchers; however, restrictions may apply to some collections. Collections stored off site require a minimum of three days for retrieval. For use of all manuscripts collections, researchers are advised to contact the Booth Family Center for Special Collections in advance of any visit.
Biographical / Historical
Lady Hester Lucy Stanhope (1776-1839) was a British adventurer, writer, and amateur archaeologist, noted for her 1815 excavation of the city of Ascalon in modern-day Israel. Raised in and around the aristocratic circles of Great Britain, she quit the country for good in 1810 following the death of her brother and traveled throughout the Near and Middle East.
Extent
From the Collection: 30 Cubic Feet (68 boxes)
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
From the Collection: Latin
From the Collection: French
From the Collection: Italian
From the Collection: Welsh
From the Collection: Danish
From the Collection: Swedish
From the Collection: Spanish
From the Collection: German
From the Collection: Norwegian
From the Collection: Persian
From the Collection: Japanese
From the Collection: Russian
From the Collection: Greek, Ancient (to 1453)
Creator
- From the Collection: Scheetz, Nicholas B., 1952-2016 (Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Georgetown University Manuscripts Repository
Lauinger Library, 5th Floor
37th and O Streets, N.W.
Washington DC 20057
speccoll@georgetown.edu