Mary Anne Atwood Papers 1882-1910

115 Pages·2017·0.13 MB·English

Mary Anne Atwood Papers1882-1910 , Ms.Atwood Page 1 of 115
John Hay Library Special Collections
Mary Anne Atwood Papers
1882-1910
John Hay Library Special Collections
Box A
Brown University
Providence, RI 02912
Tel: [phone]
email: [email protected]
Published in 2002
©Brown University Library
RIAMCO http://www.riamco.org/render.php?eadid=US-RPB-msatwood&view=title
Mary Anne Atwood Papers1882-1910 , Ms.Atwood Page 2 of 115
John Hay Library Special Collections
Collection overview
Title: Mary Anne Atwood papers
Date range: 1882-1910
Creator: Atwood, Mary Anne, 1817-1910
Extent: 2 linear feet
Abstract: The Mary Anne Atwood Papers contains about 700
letters and manuscripts for the period 1882-1910. Most of
the letters in the collection are written from M.A. Atwood
to Mme. Isabelle de Steiger. The collection also includes
other letters written and received by Atwood, manuscript
drafts and notes. According to the admirers of Mary
Anne Atwood, "Mrs. Atwood was truly an adept [of the
metaphysical tradition]. The last one." "The Atwood
material is very important for the study of a vanished
Britain, when Neo-Platonism and High Ideas influenced
the nation. But, as Mrs. Atwood says, they went in for
power and threw their spiritual heritage out the window."
Language of materials: English
Repository: John Hay Library Special Collections
Collection number: Ms.Atwood
Scope & content
The collection contains about seven hundred letters and manuscripts for the period
1882-1910 concerning theosophy, alchemy, the occult, free will, metaphysics,
neoplatonism, ontology, and philosophy. The bulk of the letters are between Mrs. Atwood
and Mme. Isabelle de Steiger.
RIAMCO http://www.riamco.org/render.php?eadid=US-RPB-msatwood&view=title
Mary Anne Atwood Papers1882-1910 , Ms.Atwood Page 3 of 115
John Hay Library Special Collections
Arrangement
The Mary Anne Atwood Papers is divided into 5 series. Four of the series contain
correspondence.
• Series 1. Letters to Mme. Isabelle de Steiger
• Series 2. Drafts of letters to various people
• Series 3. Fragments of letters to various people
• Series 4. Manuscripts
• Series 5. Letters received by Mrs. Atwood and Mme. de Steiger
Correspondence is ordered chronologically. The series containing letters received by Mrs.
Atwood and Mme. de Steiger are first grouped by the author of the letter, then ordered
chronologically. The series containing M.A. Atwood's manuscripts are grouped in the
following order: drafts, fragments, notes and copies.
Biographical Note
Born in 1817, the daughter of Thomas South, Mary Anne Atwood would author two books.
In 1846 she published (under a pen name) Early Magnetism, in its Higher Relation to
Humanity as Veiled in the Poets and the Prophets. In 1850, under her maiden name, M.A.
South, she published A Suggestive Enquiry into the Hermetic Mystery, a book which put
forth an early statement of the theory that the true goal of alchemy was spiritual perfection.
A short time later Mrs. Atwood regretted publication of this work, fearing she had revealed
too much of matters that would be better kept secret. She subsequently bought up as many
copies of the book as possible and destroyed them. Nevertheless, a few copies survived
and in 1918, some years after her death, a new edition of the work was brought out, with
an introduction by Walter Leslie Wilmshurst and memorabilia of Mrs. Atwood. A further
printing appeared in 1920, but the book remained a scarce one until 1960 when it was
again reprinted from the Wilmshurst edition by Julian Press, New York.
On both of the above works Mrs. Atwood collaborated with her father and after his death
she wrote nothing more for publication. In 1859 she married Alban Thomas Atwood, vicar
of Leake, Yorkshire. They had no children. Alban Atwood died in 1883. Mary Anne Atwood
lived out her life at Knayton Lodge, Thirsk [England]. She died on April 13, 1910. Her last
words were: "I cannot find my center of gravity."
RIAMCO http://www.riamco.org/render.php?eadid=US-RPB-msatwood&view=title
Mary Anne Atwood Papers1882-1910 , Ms.Atwood Page 4 of 115
John Hay Library Special Collections
Access & use
Access to the collection: There are no restrictions on access, except that the
collection can only be seen by prior appointment. Some
materials may be stored off-site and cannot be produced
on the same day on which they are requested.
Use of materials: All researchers seeking to publish materials from the
collections of the John Hay Library are requested
to complete a Notice of Intent to Publish, prior to
reproducing, quoting, or otherwise publishing any
portion or extract from this collection. Although Brown
University has physical ownership of the collection
and the materials contained therein, it does not claim
literary rights. It is up to the researcher to determine the
owners of the literary rights and to obtain any necessary
permissions from them.
Preferred citation: Mary Anne Atwood papers, Ms.Atwood, John Hay Library
Special Collections
Contact information: John Hay Library Special Collections
Box A
Brown University
Providence, RI 02912
Tel: [phone]
email: [email protected]
Administrative information
About the collection
Aquisition: The collection was purchased from sources in Britain in
1967.
About the finding aid
Author: Finding aid prepared by Finding aid encoded by Jamie
Radke
RIAMCO http://www.riamco.org/render.php?eadid=US-RPB-msatwood&view=title
Mary Anne Atwood Papers1882-1910 , Ms.Atwood Page 5 of 115
John Hay Library Special Collections
Encoding: This finding aid was produced using the Archivists'
Toolkit 2012-12-05
Descriptive rules: Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content
Standard (DACS)
Revisions: Revised to EAD 2002 standard by Judy Dowling,
2003-02-06
Revised to local encoding standards by Patrick Yott,
2004-12-13
Revised to local encoding standards by Jennifer Betts,
200-07-29
Revised to RIAMCO encoding standards by Karen
Eberhart, 2012-12-06
Additional information
Other information: Brown University Library catalog record for this collection:
Mary Anne Atwood Papers
Search terms
Names: Allen, George William
Atwood, Mary Anne, 1817-1910
Besant, Annie Wood, 1847-1933
Blavatsky, H. P. (Helena Petrovna), 1831-1891
De Steiger, Isabelle (Lace), 1836-1927
Maitland, Edward, 1824-1897
Massey, Charles Carleton
Müller, F. Max (Friedrich Max), 1823-1900
Peck, W
Penny, A. J. (Anne Judith), 1825?-1893
Shirley, Ralph, 1865-1946
Sinnett, A. P. (Alfred Percy), 1840-1921
Subjects: Alchemy
Mysticism
Occultism
Religion
RIAMCO http://www.riamco.org/render.php?eadid=US-RPB-msatwood&view=title
Mary Anne Atwood Papers1882-1910 , Ms.Atwood Page 6 of 115
John Hay Library Special Collections
South African War, 1899-1902
Theosophy
Types of materials: Letters (correspondence)
Occupations: Authors
RIAMCO http://www.riamco.org/render.php?eadid=US-RPB-msatwood&view=title
Mary Anne Atwood Papers1882-1910 , Ms.Atwood Page 7 of 115
John Hay Library Special Collections
Inventory
Series 1, Letters to Isabelle De Steiger, 1890-1910
1890-1894,
1895-1899,
1900-1902,
1903-1904,
1905-1910,
Container Description Date
Box 1, Atwood, Mary Anne to De Steiger, 1890
Isabelle Knayton, Thirsk (UK) January 21
autograph letter signed, 16.0 pages
Accession no: Immediate
Source of
Acquisition note
A54785 [1]
Box 1, Atwood, Mary Anne to De Steiger, 1892 March
Isabelle Knayton, Thirsk (UK) 27
autograph letter signed, 16.0 pages
Accession no: Immediate
Source of
Acquisition note
A54785 [430]
Box 1, Atwood, Mary Anne to De Steiger, 1892
Isabelle Knayton, Thirsk (UK) November
autograph letter signed, 16.0 pages 23
RIAMCO http://www.riamco.org/render.php?eadid=US-RPB-msatwood&view=title
Mary Anne Atwood Papers1882-1910 , Ms.Atwood Page 8 of 115
John Hay Library Special Collections
Accession no: Immediate
Source of
Acquisition note
A54785 [2]
Box 1, Atwood, Mary Anne to De Steiger, 1892
Isabelle Knayton, Thirsk (UK) December
autograph letter signed, 4.0 p. (inc.) 16
Accession no: Immediate
Source of
Acquisition note
A54785 [431]
Box 1, Atwood, Mary Anne to De Steiger, 1893
Isabelle Knayton, Thirsk (UK) January 13
autograph letter signed, 6.0 p. (inc.)
Accession no: Immediate
Source of
Acquisition note
A54785 [432]
Box 8, Atwood, Mary Anne to De Steiger, 1893
Isabelle Knayton, Thirsk (UK) February 4
autograph letter signed, 14.0 pages
Accession no: Immediate
Source of
Acquisition note
A54785 [695]
Box 1, Atwood, Mary Anne to De Steiger, 1893
Isabelle Knayton, Thirsk (UK) February 7
autograph letter signed, 12.0 pages
RIAMCO http://www.riamco.org/render.php?eadid=US-RPB-msatwood&view=title
Mary Anne Atwood Papers1882-1910 , Ms.Atwood Page 9 of 115
John Hay Library Special Collections
Accession no: Immediate
Source of
Acquisition note
A54785 [3]
Box 1, Atwood, Mary Anne to De Steiger, 1893 March
Isabelle Knayton, Thirsk (UK) 8
autograph letter signed, 16.0 pages
Accession no: Immediate
Source of
Acquisition note
A54785 [433]
Box 8, Atwood, Mary Anne to De Steiger, 1893 April 4
Isabelle
typescript copy, 3.0 pages
Accession no: Immediate
Source of
Acquisition note
A54785 [696]
Box 1, Atwood, Mary Anne to De Steiger, 1893 May
Isabelle Knayton, Thirsk (UK) 10
autograph letter signed, 16.0 pages
Accession no: Immediate
Source of
Acquisition note
A54785 [4]
Box 1, Atwood, Mary Anne to De Steiger, 1893 May
Isabelle Knayton, Thirsk (UK) 24
autograph letter signed, 25.0 pages
RIAMCO http://www.riamco.org/render.php?eadid=US-RPB-msatwood&view=title
Mary Anne Atwood Papers1882-1910 , Ms.Atwood Page 10 of 115
John Hay Library Special Collections
Accession no: Immediate
Source of
Acquisition note
A54785 [5]
Box 1, Atwood, Mary Anne to De Steiger, 1893 May
Isabelle Knayton, Thirsk (UK) 26
autograph letter signed, 6.0 pages
Accession no: Immediate
Source of
Acquisition note
A54785 [434]
Box 1, Atwood, Mary Anne to De Steiger, 1893 July
Isabelle Knayton, Thirsk (UK) 31
autograph letter signed, 4.0 pages
Accession no: Immediate
Source of
Acquisition note
A54785 [6]
, Atwood, Mary Anne to De Steiger, 1893 August
Isabelle Knayton, Thirsk (UK) 24
autograph letter signed, 4.0 p. (inc.)
Accession no: Immediate
Source of
Acquisition note
A54785 [7]
Box 1, Atwood, Mary Anne to De Steiger, 1894
Isabelle Knayton, Thirsk (UK) January 18
autograph letter signed, 10.0 pages
RIAMCO http://www.riamco.org/render.php?eadid=US-RPB-msatwood&view=title