Autograph Letter Signed "Vassall Holland", Whig politician, to Francis Palgrave, historian, father of the anthologist, concerning his project to publish National Records.

Four pages, cr. 8vo, good conditon. "I have to thank you for your letter & enclosure. You give me too much credit for knowledge & research when you imagine that any opinion of mine on such subjects as those your outline embraces, would carry any authority with it - I have however no difficulty in saying that such a plan if completed would be a great acquisition to Constitutional research & very useful to those who are employed in it - with respect to the Speaker's difficulties ('?) I can form no judgement of them, as I have not the vote of Parliament & the instruction to the Commission here - Speaking from general principles & innaccurate recollection I should say that any work undertaken by the direction of Parliament must be confined to publick documents & records & to such comments or elucidations of them as Parliament itself or a Committee of members appointed for that purpose, should approve - I cannot conceive that the work of individuals such as the works of Fortescue & Modus [?] [Parliament?] could form any part of a publication under the authority of Parliament - Indeed it seems to me that those two works are so generally known & are at present of so easy access that a reprint of them would add more to the bulk than the value of your Collection - The same remark is perhaps applicable to other articles under your 6th. head & I have some doubts whether you can in any way combine the two objects of a literary & popular work, & a republication of records under the authority of the legislature - Translations of the records & critical notes, or extracts from antient writers in elucidation of the text seem to me as much as would be permitted in such a publick work & indeed as much as could reasonably be required by those for whose use it was intended, - your 3rd. 4th. & 5th. divisions would be very valuable and perhaps some enquiry into the origin of the Courts of Justice besides those into the Court & Hundreds {?] & County & town Courts, would be desirable - The origin of the Authority of the Privy Council, or Council of advice would also be curious - On the whole I can only repeat that the work which you propose, though a great would be a very useful undertaking & an acquisition to all persons engaged in constitutional researches - I am Sir..." Note: "In 1822, he had suggested publishing the national records which suggestion was approved, and from 1827 to 1837, he edited a series of volumes. These historical documents focused on medieval history. His works include A History of England (1831), The Rise and Progress of the English Commonwealth (1832), An Essay on the Original Authority of the King's Council (1834), Truths and Fictions of the Middle Ages: the Merchant and the Friar (1837) and The History of Normandy and England (1851-64, four volumes). The last two volumes of this work were published after his death."