Herbert Read Collection
User Collection Public
Sir Herbert Edward Read (1893-1968) was a poet, art historian, anarchist, literary critic, philosopher, prolific author, and champion of modern artists in Britain.
This collection consists of his correspondence with many important and influential individuals including Barbara Hepworth, T. S. Eliot, George Orwell among many others.
For more information and a complete list of correspondents, please visit the Special Collections fonds: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/sir-herbert-edward-read-fonds
Permalink: http://vault.library.uvic.ca/collections/07631c3d-47fa-4d81-893c-4c72e8feb6ed
Collection Details
- Items 383
- Last Updated 2025-08-05
Parent Collections (2)
Subcollections (1)
There are no visible subcollections.
Works (382)
201. Letter from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read, [1949?-1965?], [13]
- Title:
- Letter from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read, [1949?-1965?], [13]
- Description:
- Part of a collection of correspondence from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read. Raine was a British scholar and poet who was awarded the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry in 1992. The correspondence here follows Raine’s work on a book about William Blake’s mythology. Other topics include discussion of philosophical and metaphysical subjects, and references to acquaintances in literary and arts circles. In this letter, Raine invites Read for a visit, thanks him for sending a book and some poems, and responds to the Nobel awards with "utter disgust".
- Subject:
- Poets, English, Authors, Anarchists, Authors, English, Poets, Literature, Modern, Philosophers, Modern, Philosophers, Raine, Kathleen, 1908-2003, Scholars, Art historians, Critics, Authors, English--Correspondence, Read, Herbert, 1893-1968, and Modernism (Literature)
- Creator:
- Raine, Kathleen, 1908-2003
- Contributor:
- Read, Herbert, 1893-1968
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1949/1965
- Rights Statement:
- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
- License:
- Use of this material is permitted for research and private study purposes only. For all other uses, contact University of Victoria Special Collections and University Archives.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
- Identifier:
- HR/KR 92-93
- Extent:
- 2 pages
- Geographic Coverage:
- England--London
- Coordinates:
- 51.50853, -0.12574
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- Handwritten in blue ink.
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- Herbert Read Collection
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- correspondence and letters (correspondence)
- Archival Item Identifier:
- File: 9.40
- Fonds Title:
- Sir Herbert Read fonds
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC100
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collections finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/sir-herbert-edward-read-fonds
- Date Digitized:
- 2022-10-11
- Technical Note:
- Scanning and metadata by Rowan O'Brian and additional metadata by SC.
202. Letter from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read, [1949?-1965?], [14]
- Title:
- Letter from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read, [1949?-1965?], [14]
- Description:
- Part of a collection of correspondence from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read. Raine was a British scholar and poet who was awarded the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry in 1992. The correspondence here follows Raine’s work on a book about William Blake’s mythology. Other topics include discussion of philosophical and metaphysical subjects, and references to acquaintances in literary and arts circles. In this letter, Raine invites Read for a visit soon and says that Cecil Collins would also like to see him.
- Subject:
- Authors, Poets, Authors, English, Raine, Kathleen, 1908-2003, Scholars, Poets, English, Philosophers, Art historians, Modernism (Literature), Anarchists, Authors, English--Correspondence, Read, Herbert, 1893-1968, Critics, Philosophers, Modern, and Literature, Modern
- Creator:
- Raine, Kathleen, 1908-2003
- Contributor:
- Read, Herbert, 1893-1968
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1949/1965
- Rights Statement:
- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
- License:
- Use of this material is permitted for research and private study purposes only. For all other uses, contact University of Victoria Special Collections and University Archives.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
- Identifier:
- HR/KR 94-95
- Extent:
- 2 pages
- Geographic Coverage:
- England--London
- Coordinates:
- 51.50853, -0.12574
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- Handwritten in blue ink.
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- Herbert Read Collection
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- correspondence and letters (correspondence)
- Archival Item Identifier:
- File: 9.40
- Fonds Title:
- Sir Herbert Read fonds
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC100
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collections finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/sir-herbert-edward-read-fonds
- Date Digitized:
- 2022-10-11
- Technical Note:
- Scanning and metadata by Rowan O'Brian and additional metadata by SC.
203. Letter from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read, [1949?-1965?], [15]
- Title:
- Letter from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read, [1949?-1965?], [15]
- Description:
- Part of a collection of correspondence from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read. Raine was a British scholar and poet who was awarded the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry in 1992. The correspondence here follows Raine’s work on a book about William Blake’s mythology. Other topics include discussion of philosophical and metaphysical subjects, and references to acquaintances in literary and arts circles. In this letter Raine responds to the difficult news in Read's most recent letter.
- Subject:
- Critics, Authors, English, Modernism (Literature), Anarchists, Scholars, Poets, English, Read, Herbert, 1893-1968, Raine, Kathleen, 1908-2003, Philosophers, Poets, Authors, Literature, Modern, Art historians, Philosophers, Modern, and Authors, English--Correspondence
- Creator:
- Raine, Kathleen, 1908-2003
- Contributor:
- Read, Herbert, 1893-1968
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1949/1965
- Rights Statement:
- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
- License:
- Use of this material is permitted for research and private study purposes only. For all other uses, contact University of Victoria Special Collections and University Archives.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
- Identifier:
- HR/KR 98
- Extent:
- 2 pages
- Geographic Coverage:
- England--London
- Coordinates:
- 51.50853, -0.12574
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- Handwritten in blue ink.
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- Herbert Read Collection
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- letters (correspondence) and correspondence
- Archival Item Identifier:
- File: 9.40
- Fonds Title:
- Sir Herbert Read fonds
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC100
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collections finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/sir-herbert-edward-read-fonds
- Date Digitized:
- 2022-10-11
- Technical Note:
- Scanning and metadata by Rowan O'Brian and additional metadata by SC.
204. Letter from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read, [1949?-1965?], [16]
- Title:
- Letter from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read, [1949?-1965?], [16]
- Description:
- Part of a collection of correspondence from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read. Raine was a British scholar and poet who was awarded the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry in 1992. The correspondence here follows Raine’s work on a book about William Blake’s mythology. Other topics include discussion of philosophical and metaphysical subjects, and references to acquaintances in literary and arts circles. With this letter Raine encloses one from Elizabeth Bishop asking for support. Raine also gives an update on her book.
- Subject:
- Read, Herbert, 1893-1968, Philosophers, Anarchists, Modernism (Literature), Philosophers, Modern, Art historians, Critics, Literature, Modern, Authors, English, Scholars, Poets, Raine, Kathleen, 1908-2003, Authors, English--Correspondence, Poets, English, and Authors
- Creator:
- Raine, Kathleen, 1908-2003
- Contributor:
- Read, Herbert, 1893-1968
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1949/1965
- Rights Statement:
- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
- License:
- Use of this material is permitted for research and private study purposes only. For all other uses, contact University of Victoria Special Collections and University Archives.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
- Identifier:
- HR/KR 99-100
- Extent:
- 2 pages
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- Handwritten in blue ink on Cockley Moor, Dockray, Penrith, Cumberland letterhead
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- Herbert Read Collection
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- letters (correspondence) and correspondence
- Archival Item Identifier:
- File: 9.40
- Fonds Title:
- Sir Herbert Read fonds
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC100
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collections finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/sir-herbert-edward-read-fonds
- Date Digitized:
- 2022-10-11
- Technical Note:
- Scanning and metadata by Rowan O'Brian and additional metadata by SC.
205. Letter from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read, [1949?-1965?], [17]
- Title:
- Letter from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read, [1949?-1965?], [17]
- Description:
- Part of a collection of correspondence from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read. Raine was a British scholar and poet who was awarded the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry in 1992. The correspondence here follows Raine’s work on a book about William Blake’s mythology. Other topics include discussion of philosophical and metaphysical subjects, and references to acquaintances in literary and arts circles. In this letter Raine responds to criticism of her book on William Blake.
- Subject:
- Poets, English, Authors, English, Philosophers, Modern, Literature, Modern, Authors, English--Correspondence, Philosophers, Poets, Art historians, Modernism (Literature), Read, Herbert, 1893-1968, Raine, Kathleen, 1908-2003, Critics, Scholars, Anarchists, and Authors
- Creator:
- Raine, Kathleen, 1908-2003
- Contributor:
- Read, Herbert, 1893-1968
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1949/1965
- Rights Statement:
- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
- License:
- Use of this material is permitted for research and private study purposes only. For all other uses, contact University of Victoria Special Collections and University Archives.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
- Identifier:
- HR/KR 101-102
- Extent:
- 2 pages
- Geographic Coverage:
- England--London
- Coordinates:
- 51.50853, -0.12574
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- Handwritten in blue ink.
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- Herbert Read Collection
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- correspondence and letters (correspondence)
- Archival Item Identifier:
- File: 9.40
- Fonds Title:
- Sir Herbert Read fonds
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC100
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collections finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/sir-herbert-edward-read-fonds
- Date Digitized:
- 2022-10-11
- Technical Note:
- Scanning and metadata by Rowan O'Brian and additional metadata by SC.
206. Letter from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read, [1949?-1965?], [18]
- Title:
- Letter from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read, [1949?-1965?], [18]
- Description:
- Part of a collection of correspondence from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read. Raine was a British scholar and poet who was awarded the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry in 1992. The correspondence here follows Raine’s work on a book about William Blake’s mythology. Other topics include discussion of philosophical and metaphysical subjects, and references to acquaintances in literary and arts circles. In this letter Raine writes from her writing holiday in Scotland. She responds to a piece that she has read about Read and writes about philosophy and writing, referencing Jung and Freud. Raine also reflects on her relationship with the Bollingen Foundation, and about the autobiography she is writing.
- Subject:
- Critics, Authors, English, Authors, Art historians, Philosophers, Modern, Anarchists, Read, Herbert, 1893-1968, Raine, Kathleen, 1908-2003, Literature, Modern, Authors, English--Correspondence, Poets, English, Modernism (Literature), Philosophers, Scholars, and Poets
- Creator:
- Raine, Kathleen, 1908-2003
- Contributor:
- Read, Herbert, 1893-1968
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1949/1965
- Rights Statement:
- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
- License:
- Use of this material is permitted for research and private study purposes only. For all other uses, contact University of Victoria Special Collections and University Archives.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
- Identifier:
- HR/KR 107-110
- Extent:
- 4 pages
- Geographic Coverage:
- Scotland--Canna
- Coordinates:
- 57.06108, -6.55025
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- Handwritten in blue ink.
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- Herbert Read Collection
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- correspondence and letters (correspondence)
- Archival Item Identifier:
- File: 9.40
- Fonds Title:
- Sir Herbert Read fonds
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC100
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collections finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/sir-herbert-edward-read-fonds
- Date Digitized:
- 2022-10-11
- Technical Note:
- Scanning and metadata by Rowan O'Brian and additional metadata by SC.
207. Letter from Olaf Stapledon to Herbert Read, January 03, 1949
- Title:
- Letter from Olaf Stapledon to Herbert Read, January 03, 1949
- Description:
- Part of a collection of letters between Sir Herbert Read and Olaf Stapledon (British philosopher and science fiction author). This letter is in reply to a message from the Freedom Defence Committee chaired by Read dated December 15, 1948 in which Stapledon donates money to that organization.
- Subject:
- Read, Herbert, 1893-1968, Modernism (Literature), Authors, Philosophers, Literature, Modern, Authors, English, and Stapledon, Olaf, 1886-1950
- Creator:
- Stapledon, Olaf, 1886-1950
- Contributor:
- Read, Herbert, 1893-1968
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1949-01-03
- Rights Statement:
- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
- License:
- Use of this material is permitted for research and private study purposes only. For all other uses, contact University of Victoria Special Collections and University Archives.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
- Extent:
- 1 page
- Geographic Coverage:
- England--Wirral
- Coordinates:
- 53.35832, -3.16384
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- Handwritten, signed, black ink.
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- Herbert Read Collection
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- letters (correspondence) and correspondence
- Archival Item Identifier:
- File: 7.11
- Fonds Title:
- Sir Herbert Read fonds
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC100
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collections finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/sir-herbert-edward-read-fonds
- Date Digitized:
- 2022-07-19
- Technical Note:
- Metadata by KD.
208. Letter from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read, January 18, [1949?-1965?]
- Title:
- Letter from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read, January 18, [1949?-1965?]
- Description:
- Part of a collection of correspondence from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read. Raine was a British scholar and poet who was awarded the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry in 1992. The correspondence here follows Raine’s work on a book about William Blake’s mythology. Other topics include discussion of philosophical and metaphysical subjects, and references to acquaintances in literary and arts circles. In this letter, Raine discusses the books Read has sent her.
- Subject:
- Poets, English, Philosophers, Modern, Read, Herbert, 1893-1968, Scholars, Authors, English--Correspondence, Girton College (University of Cambridge), Raine, Kathleen, 1908-2003, Art historians, Philosophers, Authors, Modernism (Literature), Poets, Anarchists, Critics, Literature, Modern, and Authors, English
- Creator:
- Raine, Kathleen, 1908-2003
- Contributor:
- Read, Herbert, 1893-1968
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1949-01-18?/1965-01-18?
- Rights Statement:
- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
- License:
- Use of this material is permitted for research and private study purposes only. For all other uses, contact University of Victoria Special Collections and University Archives.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
- Identifier:
- HR/KR 41-45
- Extent:
- 6 pages
- Geographic Coverage:
- England--Cambridge
- Coordinates:
- 52.2, 0.11667
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- Handwritten in blue ink.
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- Herbert Read Collection
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- correspondence and letters (correspondence)
- Archival Item Identifier:
- File: 9.40
- Fonds Title:
- Sir Herbert Read fonds
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC100
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collections finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/sir-herbert-edward-read-fonds
- Date Digitized:
- 2022-10-11
- Technical Note:
- Scanning and metadata by Rowan O'Brian and additional metadata by SC.
209. Letter from Lilian Bowes Lyon to Herbert Read, January 18, 1949
- Title:
- Letter from Lilian Bowes Lyon to Herbert Read, January 18, 1949
- Description:
- Part of a collection of correspondence between Sir Herbert Read and British poet Lilian Bowes Lyon. In addition to writing, Bowes Lyon was heavily involved in volunteer work in both World Wars. She also lived with Buerger’s Disease, which required her to have multiple amputations, and lead to her early death in 1949. In this letter, Bowes Lyon wishes Read a Happy New Year, then describes how a letter from him from the previous August turned up, and proceeds to respond to it in detail. She compliments the poems in it and encourages Read to visit when he is tired of London. Bowes Lyon goes on to express the challenges of chronic pain. In closing, she writes that she hopes Read's children and beechwood are all doing well.
- Subject:
- Anarchists, Poetry, Authors, English, Poets, Art historians, Authors, Bowes-Lyon, Lilian Helen, 1895-1949, Read, Herbert, 1893-1968, and Poets, English
- Creator:
- Bowes-Lyon, Lilian Helen, 1895-1949
- Contributor:
- Read, Herbert, 1893-1968
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1949-01-18
- Rights Statement:
- In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
- License:
- Use of this material is permitted for research and private study purposes only. For all other uses, contact University of Victoria Special Collections and University Archives.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
- Identifier:
- HR/LBL-25-29
- Extent:
- 6 pages
- Geographic Coverage:
- England
- Coordinates:
- 52.16045, -0.70312
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- Handwritten in black ink.
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- Herbert Read Collection
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- letters (correspondence) and correspondence
- Archival Item Identifier:
- File: 8.8
- Fonds Title:
- Sir Herbert Edward Read fonds
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC100
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collections finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/sir-herbert-edward-read-fonds
- Date Digitized:
- 2022/2023
- Technical Note:
- Scanning and metadata by Rowan O'Brian and additional metadata by SC.
210. Letter from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read, February 02, [1949?-1965?]
- Title:
- Letter from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read, February 02, [1949?-1965?]
- Description:
- Part of a collection of correspondence from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read. Raine was a British scholar and poet who was awarded the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry in 1992. The correspondence here follows Raine’s work on a book about William Blake’s mythology. Other topics include discussion of philosophical and metaphysical subjects, and references to acquaintances in literary and arts circles. In this letter Raine writes about the effects of travel on Read's poetry. She also asks for a final time about Conetti and the Bollingen Foundation.
- Subject:
- Scholars, Literature, Modern, Read, Herbert, 1893-1968, Authors, Poets, English, Anarchists, Authors, English--Correspondence, Philosophers, Philosophers, Modern, Authors, English, Modernism (Literature), Art historians, Poets, Critics, and Raine, Kathleen, 1908-2003
- Creator:
- Raine, Kathleen, 1908-2003
- Contributor:
- Read, Herbert, 1893-1968
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1949-02-02?/1965-02-02?
- Rights Statement:
- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
- License:
- Use of this material is permitted for research and private study purposes only. For all other uses, contact University of Victoria Special Collections and University Archives.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
- Identifier:
- HR/KR 96-97
- Extent:
- 2 pages
- Geographic Coverage:
- England--London
- Coordinates:
- 51.50853, -0.12574
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- Handwritten in blue ink.
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- Herbert Read Collection
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- correspondence and letters (correspondence)
- Archival Item Identifier:
- File: 9.40
- Fonds Title:
- Sir Herbert Read fonds
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC100
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collections finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/sir-herbert-edward-read-fonds
- Date Digitized:
- 2022-10-11
- Technical Note:
- Scanning and metadata by Rowan O'Brian and additional metadata by SC.