[John Harris Backhouse, classical scholar and antiquary, educated at the Manchester School.] Long Autograph Letter Signed ('J. H. Backhouse'), on matters relating to Richard Montagu, Bishop of Norwich, with reference to Sir Thomas Browne and others.

See his entry in J. F. Smith, 'The Admission Register of the Manchester School'. 6pp, 12mo. Written in a neat, close hand. In fair condition, lightly aged. Folded three times. A vivid example of the methodology of the nineteenth-century English clerical antiquary. The main subject is the controversialist Richard Montagu (1577-1641), Bishop of Norwich, about whom, in January of the following year (that of his death), Backhouse would publish a letter in 'The Academy' under the title 'The Abbreviations in Bishop Mountagu's [sic] Dedication'. The recipient is not identified. The letter begins: 'My dear Sir, | Please to accept my best thanks for your Post Card. Will you kindly answer one or two more questions?' The questions relate to the 'Antiquities of Norwich', 'Hare's ed', 'the sentence in Browne about Mountagu's papers being sent to Rome'. He transcribes an entry he has found in the Bodleian Catalogue, and reports that he is 'trying also to discover Mountagu's will, to see whether he left directions about his MSS. It is possible that he may have bequeathed them to Nickson'. He states that he is 'in correspondence' with 'Mr. Foley', and gives details of two posthumous works by Montagu. He apologises for 'not returning sooner the papers you kindly sent me about Stationers' Hall'. After a Latin quotation he thanks him 'for sending me some time ago through Mr. Napier your opinion that Mountagu was not on the Committee of 1641'. A very long postscript deals with a number of related topics.