About the George Finlay Papers
The George Finlay Papers contain materials created by and related to the British Historian and Philhellene George Finlay, his father John Finlay, Greek-American Philhellene George Jarvis, and British Philhellene Captain Frank Abney Hastings, dating from 1791 to 1949. Most of the collection consists of George Finlay’s meticulous records of his travels, personal and official correspondence, his personal expenditures, copious memoranda on strategy and on military and political organisation, journal entries, maps, facetiae, scrapbooks, personal notes on people—Greeks and others—and on revolutionary events, newspaper cuttings mainly on Greece and international affairs, as well as Finlay’s original manuscripts of the History of the Greek Revolution (1861) as well as corrected proofs of Finlay’s other published works.
Also included are the papers of Finlay’s father, John, two journals of Greek American philhellene, George Jarvis, and those of Finlay’s fellow British philhellene, Captain Frank Abney Hastings. The Hastings papers, which Finlay purchased in 1830, include personal and official correspondence, ship’s logs, notes that he took on board or ashore, as well as memoranda on strategy and on the naval organisation of the revolutionary forces. Collectively, these records reveal a great deal about the character, motivations, ideas, as well as the military and political judgements of these British individuals, as well as of many others, both British and Greek, with whom they interacted during the Greek War of Independence as well as many of Finlay's other interests, such as Classical and Byzantine history, natural history and politics.
Frances Power Cobbe to George Finlay. Newbridge House, Malahide, Co. Dublin, 8 November 1858. Gratitude for kindnesses received in Athens. Spent summer in Florence with 'the nice literary people there', Brownings, Trollopes, etc. With an old paper enclosure.
Frances Power Cobbe to George Finlay. Red Lodge House, Bristol, 7 April 1859. Personal news. Discussion of parliamentary reform.
Professor John S. Blackie to George Finlay. 43 Castle St., Edinburgh, 28 April [1859]. University reform; Whig and Tory policies and Reform Bills. B's publication last year [1858] On Beauty; superficial attitude of present generation towards learning and 'John Bull naturally holds all philosophy in abhorrence'. European politics.
Johann Georg von Hahn to George Finlay. Syros, 12 June 1859. Thanks him for letter from Constantinople (in German, Gothic script).
Charles Eynard Eynard to George Finlay. Beaulieu, 6 August 1859. Invitation to visit him and arrangements to meet him (in French).
James Clyde to George Finlay. Ayr, 26 August 1859. To introduce Mr. Malcolm C. Taylor who is visiting Athens. C has become Foreign Master in Dollar Institution. With an old paper enclosure.
Sir Patrick Colquhoun to George Finlay. Corfu, 26 December 1859. Arranges to support George Finlay's membership of Athenaeum. Criticism of lonian assembly and Dandolo, 'a more barefaced and thorough blackguard does not exist; he knows no Greek and no grammar, translates literally from the Italian . . .'.
George Finlay to Achille Postolakas. Athens, 27 December 1859. 'Carbon' copy of letter asking for genuine medallions shown here in place of a false one sent him.
Abijah Keith to George Finlay. Monpelier, U.S.A., 15 April ? 1860. re Byron's sword, purchased by his father-in-law, Col. J. P. Miller, now in his possession; asks George Finlay if he knows of existence of second sword. With old paper enclosure.
Charles Thomas Newton to George Finlay. Rome, 6 May 1860. Incomplete state of index of Corpus of Byzantine authors; can find no reference to Halicarnassus Museum or Cnidus. Can George Finlay supply information on Caria in Byzantine authors?
William W. Lloyd to George Finlay. 77 Snow Hill, London, E.G., 16 May 1860. Met George Finlay last autumn in Lucerne. Informs him of two restorations made by him in the eastern pediment of the Parthenon (figure of Night or Selene, charioteer of horses) and in the east pediment (statute of Nike).
Reference to Cockerell's work on temples of Aegina and Phigaleia, with appendix by L on system of proportion used in their design.
24 September 1860. Baron von Prokesch-Osten's daughter's wedding (printed). With old paper enclosure.
William George Clark to George Finlay. Trinity College, Cambridge, 11 November 1860. Introduces the Revd. H. A. Munro who is making a tour of Greece. With original envelope.
H. A. Munro to George Finlay. Constantinople, 23 April 1861. Description of M's itinerary from Athens to Constantinople through Greek mainland. Stays with Noel in Euboea and Colquhoun in Corfu. Visit to Troy and criticism of Leake's views. Impression of Constantinople.
Sir Richard Church to George Finlay. 20 (? 29) November 1861. C declines further discussion of list of heroes of Greek Revolution proposed by George Finlay. With old paper enclosure and copied inscription.
Lord Dufferin to George Finlay. Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, 4 December 1861. Expresses thanks for promised picture and for receipt of George Finlay's History of the Greek Revolution. With old paper enclosure.
George Finlay to (? Foreign Office). Athens, 8 December 1861. On behalf of Mrs. Leeves, George Finlay points out mis-statement in Foreign Office List concerning the late Revd. Henry D. Leeves, first chaplain of British Legation in Greece.
Strack to George Finlay. 19 May 1862. 'Mr. S. has the honour to communicate to Mr. George Finlay the successful delivery of his friend Lady Athens by a little temple in the neighbourhood of the theatre of Dionysos this morning the 19th May.' With old paper enclosure.
Carl Wescher to George Finlay. Avenue de la Bourdonnais, 75, Paris, 31 August 1863. Regrets failure to return Buondelmonte and second volume of Hamilton due to unexpected departure from Athens. Will bring them with him in October (in French).
Charles Thomas Newton to George Finlay. British Museum, 2 September 1863. Regrets cannot furnish Hopf with medieval inscriptions of Mytilene. Sir Frederic Madden knows of no copy of capitulation of towns in Morea. Possibilities of selling model of Parthenon in England. Proposal to bring fragments of the Lion of Cheronea to Athens to inaugurate reign of George I.
James MacGregor to George Finlay. 11 November 1863. Encloses note on volume of George Finlay's History received from James Russell who cites Sir Francis Palgrave's warm praise with a query as to whether 'what we call the feudal system' had its first origin in the Greek Empire. George Finlay ought to be in England to deal with printing of remaining volumes. Comments on political state of Danube countries.
Charles Thomas Newton to George Finlay. Hôtel des Etrangers, Athens, 19 December 1863. Thanks George Finlay for his kindness and returns books lent (with a copy of lamps and a bronze plate with inscription).
Miss Winifred M. Wyse (niece of Sir Thomas Wyse) to George Finlay. Bray, Co. Wicklow, 15 June 1864. Account of her Peloponnesian travels now in the press. Messages to Miss Grocott. Can George Finlay send her name of German scholar who opened theatre of Dionysos in 1862? George Finlay's kindness to her in Athens. State of Greece.
Charles Thomas Newton to George Finlay. British Museum, 22 July 1864. Re possible publication of Hahn's memoir on Troy in Transactions of the Royal Society of Literature. Discussion about payment of N's subscription to the Greek Ελπις. Is glad to hear of Hahn's discoveries at Bournabashi but does not believe this to be Troy.
George Finlay to G. Deville, Membre de l'Ecole Française à Athènes. Athens, 30 August 1864 'Carbon' copy requesting D to forward George Finlay's letter re book lent to J. Armingaud.
George Finlay to J. Armingaud, Membre de l'Ecole Française d'Athènes [sent to 17, rue Cassette, Paris, by G. Deville]. Athens, 30 August 1864. Requests return of his copy of Pt. I of Thomas and Tafel which A failed to send back before he left Greece 'otherwise I shall feel it a duty to take every measure in my power for obtaining justice. My arms and name are pasted in the volume'. Paper label with M. Armingaud's name and address, attached to same sheet as G. Deville (see above).
Jean-Jacques-Marc Armingaud to George Finlay. Paris, . . . 1864. The book has now been returned. Delay due to his illness in Greece when volume packed in error in his baggage. Apologizes.
Edward A. Freeman to George Finlay. 25 September 1864. Regrets any offence he may have caused by publishing George Finlay's letter in Daily News. Comments on new Greek constitution. Is reviewing Palgrave. Queries on English in Byzantine imperial guard. With old paper enclosure.
Charles Thomas Newton to George Finlay. British Museum, London, 25 November 1864. Decision of Royal Society of Literature to publish van Hahn's paper in its Transactions. Thanks George Finlay for political news.
George Finlay to Cooke. Athens, 22 December 1864. Orders for continuation of Illustrated London News, Athenaeum, Saturday Review, and Punch, and subscription to Athenaeum Club. The Times and four weekly papers from England with one from France are now sufficient (incomplete).
Sir Patrick Colquhoun to George Finlay. 3 Stratford Place, Cavendish Sq., W., 4 January 1865. C complains that he has been unjustly accused by dishonest late regent Poffandi of having caused damage to residence and grounds at St. Pantaleone. Description of renovations and improvements made by C.
Sir Patrick Colquhoun to George Finlay. 3 Stratford Pl., Cavendish Sq., W., 5 January 1865. Requests that Erskine shall present a formal complaint against Poffandi.
Johann Georg von Hahn to George Finlay. Syra, 10 January 1865. Discussion re Pergamos and Gergis. Comment on Calvert's work on Gergis (in German).
Johann Georg von Hahn to George Finlay. Syra, 17 January 1865. Discussion re Pasigraphic system from Bachmayer to Baron Testa; numerical cipher system (in German).
Johann Georg von Hahn to George Finlay. Syra, 29 January 1865. H is finishing chorographic part of his Albanian journey. Discussion of Skanderbeg's poetry and legend; topography of via Egnatia; criticism of Leake (in German).
Louis Agassiz to George Finlay. Cambridge, Mass., 20 February 1865. Requests George Finlay to send him copies or extracts from his correspondence with the late Cornelius Conway Felton, as he proposes to write memoir of F (his brother-in-law).
Charles Thomas Newton to George Finlay. British Museum, 5 March 1865. To introduce General Fox who is revisiting the Levant. 1 p.
The Revd. John Henry Hill to George Finlay. 17 April 1865. Thanks George Finlay for his two notes which he will place with his collection of 'Good Things' in his private drawer.
Johann Georg von Hahn to George Finlay. Syra, 18 August 1865. H's work; his Albanian journey now finished (in German).
John Leicester Warren to George Finlay. 32A Brook St., London, W., 1 November 1865. Discussion on coins of Achaean League. See also nos. 133, 134, 135, 138, 141, 144, and C. 17(1).
John Leicester Warren to George Finlay. 32A Upper Brook St., London, W. 1, 28 November 1865. Discussion on coins of Achaean League.
John Leicester Warren to George Finlay. 32A Upper Brook St., London, W., 5 December 1865. Discussion on coins of Achaean League.
George Finlay to Charles Thomas Newton. 7 December 1865. Discovery of Attic amphora on the road to Sounion with inscription and figure of Athena Pronoia. Detailed description, sending a sketch. Political affairs in Greece; failure to put law into execution; need for communal institutions and expenditure of revenue on objects of public utility. With old paper enclosure.
John Leicester Warren to George Finlay. Tabley, Knutsford, 12 January 1866. Discussion on coins of Achaean League.
George Finlay to Mowbray Morris. Athens, 18 January 1866. Arrangement for payment for George Finlay's letters inserted in The Times. Comment on violation of Greek constitution and administrative incapacity.
George Finlay to J. Stuart Mill. Athens, 1 February 1866. Effect of Otho's dethronement. Position of agricultural classes. Constitution of 1864 (copy incomplete).
Auguste Choisy to George Finlay. Paris, 8 February 1866. Sends a brief note on Acropolis. Gratitude for George Finlay's help during his first visit to Athens (in French). With old paper enclosure.
George Finlay to C. Veselovsky, Perpetual Secretary of the Imperial Academy of Sciences of St. Petersburg. Athens, 29 January/ 10 February 1866. Expresses appreciation of his election as Corresponding Member of the historical section of the Imperial Academy of Sciences of St. Petersburg and praises the Academy's work for Byzantine history (copy with a French translation).
Johann Georg von Hahn to George Finlay. Syra, 18 April 1866. To introduce 26-year-old Baron Seebach, Professor of Geology at Tübingen ('eine Perle unserer Jugend') (in German).
John Leicester Warren to George Finlay. 32A Brook St., Grosvenor Sq., London, W., 16 May 1866. Critical comments on the editors of Numismatic Chronicle; George Finlay's 'Thoughts on the Coinage of the Achaean League'; Freeman and the Chair [of Modern History] at Oxford.