Berkeley

‘The Beautiful Lady Craven’: Elizabeth Margravine of Brandenburg-Ansbach-Bayreuth playwright travel writer and source of scandal. Three Autograph Letters Signed one asking ‘Mrs. Roe’ to look out for flannel and a mantua maker.

rif. 24510 — No dates or places. A friend of Horace Walpole she was described by Boswell after a dinner with her and Dr Johnson as ‘the beautiful gay and fascinating Lady Craven’. See her entry in the Oxford DNB. The three items are laid down with eight other items see the end of this description on pieces of paper cut down from two leaves of an album. Somewhat discoloured with age but in fair overall condition. The recipient or recipients of the second and third letters laid down on the same piece of paper are not named although the third is written to a member of her ‘fishing gentry’. All three letters are signed ‘Elizabeth’. The second letter contains a reference to her son Keppel Richard Craven 1799-1851 who has his own entry in the Oxford DNB. ONE: Dated ‘Tuesday’. Begins: Dr. Mrs. Roe - / I’ll thank you to see in Newbury if thers sic any fine sort of flannel - Look at them as for yourself - if you can get me some Patterns - I’ll call this Evening between Six & Seven - if you know of any good Mantua Maker - & appoint her about that hour - it is something I want made for Miss Bentham - I hope you caught no cold last night’. TWO: Begins: ‘I have not had Time to thank you for the Piano - which is Dumb. Keppel is around in London - & I may Expect him any moment - & my niece Arundell - if we are not all Killed by the Thunder’. She ends by stating that she will be glad to see the receipient ‘whenever you can come to me’. THREE: Reads: ‘I am oblig’d to go to Southampton to Consult Hacket being very unwell - I return tomorrow - I have told Major Roper who remains here with his Daughter that my fishing gentry were to Come & so he will receive you as if I was at Home’. On the reverse of the piece of paper which the first letter is attached to are laid down eight items including a note in the third person by ‘Lord Redesdale on Batsford Park letterhead the 1866 signature of Lord Rollo two fragments with signature of Lord Lifford and the front of a letter said to be addressed in the autograph of Agnes Strickland. No dates or places.. unknown