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Two autographed letters from James Ramsay to Catherine Macaulay

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@ Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division. The New York Public Library

Description

Ramsay had lived with the Macauleys for two years at the start of his career, while he assisted Dr. George Macauley (Catherine’s husband). It was while he was a surgeon in the navy afterward that he encountered a slave ship infected with the plague, opening his eyes to the realities of slavery and setting him on his abolitionist course. The letters were written while Ramsay was living on St. Kitt’s. Catherine Macauley was by this point a noted historian, and he commends her on her work. Letter dated "June 8 1771" was "forwarded by M. Maude Downing Street"--discusses her fourth and fifth volumes of English history, and trouble with colonies ; letter dated "July 7th 1774"--discusses literary property, and publishing of American editions of her works and their effect on earnings and British Empire.
Format:
Correspondence
Created Date:
1771 07
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From Collection

Sidney Lapidus Slavery and Abolition Collection

Record Contributed By

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division. The New York Public Library

Record Harvested From

The New York Public Library