[Sir James George Frazer, author of 'The Golden Bough'.] Autograph Letter Signed ('J. G. Frazer') to 'Mr. Wright', regarding difficulty getting copies of his obituary of Australian anthropologist Lorimer Fison from publisher Alfred Nutt.

Sir J. G. Frazer [Sir James George Frazer] (1854-1941), Scottish anthropologist, author of 'The Golden Bough' [Alfred Trübner Nutt (1856-1910); Lorimer Fison (1832-1907), Australian anthropologist]

Published by St Keyne's Cambridge. 7 April, 1910

About this Item

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged, with two fold lines. Thin strip of stub from mount adhering to one edge. The subject of the letter is Frazer's obituary of 'the Rev. Lorimer Fison and Dr. A. W.Howitt' (their deaths being 'two heavy losses' suffered by 'Australian anthropology in particular'), published in Folklore, Vol. 20, No. 2 (Jun. 30, 1909), pp. 144-180. Frazer begins by thanking Wright 'for the copy of my article which you have succeeded in wringing from the clutches of young Mr Nutt', i.e. the publisher of 'Folklore' Alfred Nutt (himself a folklorist). Frazer complains that Nutt 'ought to know how to spell my name, as it has been in the books of his Father's firm [David Nutt & Co] since before he (I mean the son) was born'. He hopes 'the other copies will follow', and thanks Wright for his 'heroic exertions in grappling with the firm of Nutt, Father and Son'. He needs three or four more copies 'to supply the Fison family', and may be forced to 'buy complete copies of the number'. He is leaving Cambridge for 'a long holiday on the Continent', and wishes he 'could have been able to let Mrs Potts have the copies' before leaving. In a postscript he instructs Wright to send 'the other copies of the article' to 'Mrs Potts, 14 Brookside, Cambridge', Mrs Potts being 'Mr Fison's sister'. Mrs Potts 'will forward the articles to Mr Fison's family in Australia'. From the distinguished autograph collection of Richard Hunter, son of Ida Macalpine, whose collection of 7000 books relating to psychiatry is in Cambridge University Library. Macalpine and Hunter had a particular interest in the illness of King George III, and their book 'George III and the Mad Business' (1969) suggested the diagnosis of porphyria popularised by Alan Bennett in his play 'The Madness of George III'.

Seller Inventory # 21431

Bibliographic Details

• Title: [Sir James George Frazer, author of 'The Golden Bough'.] Autograph Letter Signed ('J. G. Frazer') to 'Mr. Wright', regarding difficulty getting copies of his obituary of Australian anthropologist Lorimer Fison from publisher Alfred Nutt.
• Publisher: St Keyne's Cambridge. 7 April
• Publication Date: 1910