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The Revd. William Gunn, (1750-1841). A collection of material to and from William Gunn, relating to the Grand Tour and Norfolk, 1774-1843
A very extensive collection of letters addressed to William Gunn (1750-1841) of Irstead and Smallburgh, Norfolk, art critic, collector and miscellaneous writer, over a period of half a century (1774-1832), including a vast correspondence relating to Norfolk and the Grand Tour of Italy, comprising some 1,004 letters bound in nine volumes, dealing with social, political and business life in Norfolk and reflecting Gunn's passion for art and antiquities, including paintings, cameos, tapestries, books and manuscripts. Also to include five volumes of diaries of the early stages of Rev. Gunn's tour of Europe in 1792-1793 and a single volume of the journal of his wife, Mrs Ann Gunn, from the year 1792. Three volumes of William Gunn's publications on art, literature and architecture researched during his tour are also incorporated into the collection. The final part consists of a selection of material, two volumes, regarding the case of Augustus Frederick d'Este in his claim for the Dukedom of Sussex, in which Rev. William Gunn was examined. The letters include sixty letters from Dawson Turner (1775-1858), botanist and antiquary, thirty eight from John Flaxman (1755-1826), sculptor and draughtsman, and his wife Ann, two from John Sell Cotman (1782-1842), architectural draughtsman and landscape painter, and letters from George Nicol, Richard Bartram, Lady Knight, Thomas Hearne, George Cubitt and many others. From correspondents in London there is news of theatre: "Kemble (Mrs Siddon's brother) will I think rank high in the Theatrick Walk, his Hamlet and Edward are Capital Performances" (T. Blofeld, 23/10/1787), exhibitions: "at the Royal Academy their (sic) is a specimen of a rising genius Wilkie by name, a Scotch youth of 18 years old who exhibits 'The Village Politicians' admirably imagined and as well executed" (M.Preston, 26/5/06), authors: "I was very well acquainted with Dr. Johnson and set a great value upon his works" (Lady Knight, 6/10/94) and new publications: "Paul's Letters to his Kinfolk... said to be by Walter Scott... for lighter reading I hear "Emma" advised" (M. Preston, 8/3/1816). Other letters refer to Cambridge University: "a degree may be taken with the least inconvenience... anyone engaged with the church is entitled to a degree at the end of ten years without any residence whatsoever", (W. Gibson, 4/6/87), tours in England: "visited Hardwicke House, I longed for Lady Walpole born Cavendish to tell us some anecdotes of that house," (J. Preston, 9/8/84), and advice to a bachelor friend about acquiring a wife "My wife has two [unmarried] sisters, one a sensible steady girl, one a bouncing wench that will romp from dawn to night", (J.Preston, 9/8/84) A large part of the correspondence relates to Norfolk and Norfolk families including the Cotmans, Hornes, Cubitts, Blofelds, Scottows, Aufreres, Catfields, Prestons, Chambers, Ordes, the Hon. Colonel Woodhouse and William Smith, and houses at Beeston, Irstead, Tooker Court, Holkham, Bracondale and Barton amongst others. "Mr Preston has demolished his house [Beeston], the poor house is almost level with the ground", news of births and deaths "Mr Boycott is dead and has left a fortune of £80,000 behind him" (Norris, 8/2/85), social gossip "Cubitt is in posession of his treasure... Young Chambers who was late of Honing has eloped with a lady of £9000 fortune to Gretna. Had he done so a little sooner he might have saved his estate" (Blofeld, 11/2/85). "King - the Jew - Husband to the noble Countess of Lanesborough... who makes no scruple to keep two wives in the most open manner" (J.Hall, 10/10/85). Mr. Preston refers to the privations caused by the naval blockade of England: "Lady Walpole tells me great retrenchments are going on in many families in Norfolk" (9/3/98). In 1822 Preston reports that "the late Lord Orford left all 5 daughters £30,000" (15/7/1822). Many letters letters also reflect national politics "Charles Fox is to give notice of his Intention to move a repeal of the Test Act" (I. Preston, 29/1/90), including Pitt's Reform Bill of 1785, social distress "insurrrections are always serious, a subscription is on foot to supply the poor with corn at a modest price... please advance a sum to relieve their distress which must be very great at the present enormous price of wheat" (J. Preston, 10/5/90), and the assassination of the Prime Minister, Spencer Percival, in 1812. In 1788 Richard Bartram reports from Leghorn on Lunardi's balloon flight: "an areal journey... is now on foot here for which a subscription for 700 Zec.es [is] requested by the undertaker & about 200 already engaged. Lunardi who ascended from Lucca last week disappointed a very gt. concourse of their inhabitants by setting off the Balloon by itself & preserving his neck for another occasion". Correspondents abroad report on the progress of French Revolutionary armies: "The Austrians will I hope save this city [Rome] from plunder, and also liberate Italy of these perturbers of publick tranquillity" and the fall of Rome: "This unfortunate ruined City... the churches, Popes, Cardinals and Prelates Palaces are entirely stripped and become public receptacles for common soldiers... These are the people that give liberty and laws to the world... rolling about in the carriages of Princes... The people... abhor and detest them... Angelica [Kaufman] is still here and most of the English artists" (R. Bartram, 11/11/96 & 16/6/98), the movements of the Royal Navy and Lord Nelson: "what a glorious well timed Victory was the 14th of Feb. & what a most gallant entrepid Hero is Nelson for the honor of Norfolk" (?M. Preston, c.Sept. 1797). G. Matcham reports receiving "a letter from Mr Nelson with [one] enclosed from the Admiral... title and estate of three thousand a year the King of Naples has bestowed on him" (29/10/99). On 14 March 1800 Mr. Preston writes "I am lately become acquainted with Lady Nelson, who appears perfectly the same character we knew her at Barton. I am told the scandal of her Lord, and Lady Hamilton, rests only with the latter, who is very desirous of making herself interesting to the Hero of the Nile... The chief conversation in all party's is scarcity, & most familys limit their Serv. to a Loaf a week, myself in the number. No Pastry, Puddings, or Cakes but what are made of Rice & Potatoes". A great number of letters reflect Gunn's passion for art and antiquities, with correspondents reporting back on purchases and shipments of antiques and art in Italy "I have purchased for you the Leghorn editions of Metastasio" (J. Hall, 10/10/85), detailing the shipment of engravings by Volpato after Raphael and casts from the antique from the Abate Dolci, and passing comment on other noblemen on the Grand Tour "The Bishop of Derry is here at present. He says he is come to enrich the artists. We know that he has the means; if he had only proper judgement to apply them" (P. Tassaert, Rome, 23/2/86). "Lord Bristol has been last winter the only comfort of artists" (W. Domeier, '97). Richard Bartram reports on the impossibility of securing copies for Gunn of paintings by Guercino or Leonardo da Vinci "as being in the apartment of the Princess Borghese" (3/8/87). Correspondence relates to introductions to the Cardinal de Zelade and Prince Rezzonico regarding access to the Vatican library. As a result of Gunn's researches in the Vatican and other libraries at Rome he published in 1803 'Extracts' from state papers of the sixteenth century, describing the ancient manner of placing England in military array, and various methods of defence adopted for its safely in periods of danger. In the Vatican Gunn discovered a tenth-century manuscript of the 'Historia Britonum', commonly ascribed to Nennius, which he printed in 1819 with an English version, facsimile of the original and notes. A letter from John Sell Cotman relates to "a figure you wished to have etched in the last plate... also a sketch of the kneeling figure, altar & cross for fig. 3... Mr Keymer in Yarmouth... to print the plates" (25/12/1812). Gunn's extensive correspondence from Dawson Turner relates in part to his research on Gothic architecture which saw light as An Inquiry into the Origin and Influence of Gothic architecture, published in 1819. Dawson Turner writes at length of staying at Holkham: "Roscoe [the librarian at Holkham] is a man in whose society I delight... the MSS when I saw them in 1817 were shabby and ragged to a degree... Now at the expense of some pains on the part of Roscoe aided by a disbursement of about £1200 from the Cokes, they are as beautiful and look as fresh as if they were quite new.... Italian literature... an autography of Leonardo... Raphael's report on the antiquities of Rome accompanied by his sketches... MSS of Livy collected by Lord Leicester... 4 missals" (15/3/1821), and later writes to Gunn "as to the Rembrandts I have heard no more respecting them... Woodburn offered £2860 for them 10 years earlier... now declines the purchase (7/4/1824). Letters from Flaxman contain lengthy discourses on Greek and Roman art, lively criticisms: "maugre the ignorance of the Jenkins's and Byre's on the subject", "Canova's two figurines Hebe & his Muse, finely worked indeed but wanting all things else, cold, tame and feelingless" (29/7/1817) give details of numerous commissions and describe his life in Rome from 1787 to 1794 and in London: "we have delivered to Mr Moir a small copy of the Madonna della Sedia... the Homer and the Herculaneum are also safely deposited", and mentions Winckelmann "I have done all in my power to get Winckelmann's Essay on Allegory - no success". He refers to stopping at Carrara, "the loss of Mr Moore the landscape painter" and work in progress "Athenas is on the point of being perfect & the drawings of Aeschylus which delight all who see them are compleat save one. Many studies are made for the monument which Flaxman will provide marble for at Carrara" (A. Flaxman, 2/7/94). John Flaxman thanks Gunn for "the print from Bastiana de St. Gallo's chiara-obscuro, it is to me a valuable & long wished for acquisition... several of the English artists are dead in consequence of the blessings of French Liberty being spread over Italy, Hamilton, Hewetson, Deane & some others have been its martyrs" (1/7/1800). From Buckingham Street Mrs Flaxman reports that "last summer Parliament voted four large monuments for St. Paul's Cathedral, for Abercrombie, Howe, Wescott & Miow. Flaxman had his choice & he commemorates the heroic deeds of Abercrombey (sic)- Old Nilus recumbent with his Crocodile & Sphinx, Sir Ralph erecting the British standard which a beautiful figure of victory is decorating with three laurel crowns.... Lord Mansfields is just put up in Westminster Abbey, getting forward with Captain Montague's (for the Abbey also)... also Captn. Millar's for St Paul's subscribed for by the officers of Ld. Nelson & Ld. Vincent's divisions" (5/1/1802). An important letter of 29 Dec.1805, the year of Nelson's death at the Battle of Trafalgar, Flaxman responds to an enquiry about a monument to Lord Nelson "not only from the general wish to honour the Hero's memory but from personal regard for him, as I was employed by him as long as he lived. I have just finished a Monument to his friend Capt. Miller who was blown up in the Theseus off the Coast of Acre, in which I was engaged by Lord Nelson, & to which he was the principal subscriber". Flaxman outlines a possible statue which "with the proper decorations, affixing, & other etceteras of expence cannot be done in the best manner for less than £4000. You will perceive that such a work must differ in its price according to whether it is a group or single statue, accompanied by Trophies or not... it is absolutely necessary I should see the places proposed to recieve it, attending to, & weighing many relative circumstances on the spot. I think a handsome column or obelisk of 40 feet high might be raised for about the same price as the Statue & pedestal before mentioned". In 1808 Cotman began work on a monument to Nelson for St. Paul's Cathedral, not finishing it until1818. Flaxman refers to "Pitt's statue for Glasgow: £1,300 in marble, Sir John Moore for Glasgow in bronze" and compares the Glasgow obelisk and Edinburgh monument as equally ineffective memorials of Nelson (30/9/1814). Flaxman writes on Saxon architecture, illustrating his letter with drawings "very ill done because I am a sculptor not an architect" (5/12/1814). One of Cotman's pupils was Mrs Turner, the wife of Mr Dawson Turner, the botanist and antiquarian. William Gunn was one of Cotman's most constant friends, as was Dawson Turner, the three being united by their taste for art and archaeology and Norfolk connections. Dawson Turner and Cotman collaborated on an important work on the architectural antiquities of Normandy. Letters from Italians the Gunns met on the Grand Tour include Antonio Gentili, l'abbate de Rocca, l'abbate Moretti, Domenicio Cherubini, Francesco Fontani, and G. Zoega "my obelisks are still unfinished. Now he [Flaxman] being gone Canova has no rivals at Rome" (30/1/95). The letters, mounted on stubs, are bound in contemporary half calf bindings with marbled sides, each 25 x 22cms. The early stages of William Gunn's "Grand Tour" around Europe are detailed in the five volumes of diaries, charting his travels in the years 1792-1793. Each volume outlines the dates and places visited by Gunn, from his departure from Irstead on May 6th 1792 to Paris, Lyons, Rome, Pompeii, Bologna, Venice, Bavaria, Bonn and, finally, The Hague on October 7th 1793. The diaries are bound uniformly in modern morocco gilt, two 18cm high by 22cm wide and three at 22cm high by 22cm wide. Mrs Ann Gunn accompanied her husband from Irstead in May 1792 and her views of their travels across the continent to Bologna during 1792 are described in her manuscript journal. This single volume is bound in later full red calf gilt, by Michael Riviére for Rev. Haughton, approximate size 16.5cm high by 11cm wide. The contents of these diaries are the subject of Michael Riviére's work "A Norfolk parson on the Grand Tour", No place, no date, 8vo, modern green cloth. The research carried out by Rev. William Gunn on his grand tour of Europe led to the publication of several works on art and architecture. Included in this collection are: Gunn, Rev. William. An inquiry into the origin and influence of Gothic architecture. London, 1819, 8vo, inscribed by the author to Rev. Haughton on title page, six engraved plates, original boards, uncut, backstrip worn, pp. 224-240 and plate I heavily foxed; Gunn, Rev. W. Cartonensia: or, an historical and critical account of the tapestries in the palace of the Vatican. London, 1832, second edition, 8vo, inscribed by the author to Rev. Haughton dated Feb 26 1841, later green cloth, backstrip sunned, corners bumped, heavy foxing; Gunn, Rev. W. The "Historia Brittonum". London, 1819, 8vo, bookplate of author on front fixed endpaper, contemporary half calf gilt, marble boards, rubbed, upper board detached, foxing. While in Rome in 1793 Rev. William Gunn carried out the secret marriage of His Majesty Prince Augustus Frederick, sixth son of His Majesty King George III, to Lady Augusta Murray, daughter of the Earl of Dunmore. This marriage was carried out without the permission of King George III and, therefore, was unlawful under the Royal Marriage Act of 1772. The couple bore two children before the separation in 1801, the only male issue being Augustus Frederick d'este, who after the annulment of the marriage was classed as illegitimate. In 1831 Augustus Frederick D'este brought forward his claim to be recognised as the legitimate son of His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex and, therefore, the rightful heir to the Dukedom of Sussex, the Earldom of Inverness and the Barony of Arklow. As a witness to the disputed marriage, Rev. William Gunn was examined, the claimant's "most important evidence" [Augustus Federick d'Este, April 16th 1844]. Rev. Gunn's role is outlined in a bound volume of various printed papers and approx 52 manuscript letters, including a letter of summons to Rev. Gunn to be examined in December 1831. The case continued for a number of years and after the death of Rev. William Gunn in 1841, his son John Gunn took up contact with the claimant. This collection further includes a printed narrative of the case issued in folio size in 1843 [some foxing] to the House of Lords, under the instruction of the claimant. In this year it was decided that even though a clergyman of that establishment carried out the contested wedding according to the rights of the Church of England it was unanimous opinion that the claim of Augustus Frederick d'Este should not stand. Also included in this collection are two publications by Rev. John Gunn (1801-1890), the son of William Gunn: Gunn, Rev John Illustrations of the Rood-screen at Barton Turf. Norwich, 1869, folio, 9 plates, original paper covers, stained, heavy foxing, disbound; Woodward, Horace Memorials of John Gunn. Norwich, 1891, 8vo, illustrations in text, 7 plates, original brown cloth gilt, beveled boards, some slight rubbing. A remarkable and comprehensive correspondence illustrating the Grand Tour and the social, domestic and political life of Norfolk over half a century. ImagesClick on thumbnails to see larger images: 
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