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)
221. Letter from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read, July 01, [1949?-1965?]
- Title:
- Letter from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read, July 01, [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 reveals that she feels unpopular in certain parties for refusing to share their opinion. She also mentions her struggle to balance different aspects of Blake's writing.
- Subject:
- Poets, Literature, Modern, Authors, English, Raine, Kathleen, 1908-2003, Philosophers, Modern, Authors, English--Correspondence, Anarchists, Art historians, Critics, Scholars, Modernism (Literature), Read, Herbert, 1893-1968, Philosophers, Authors, and Poets, English
- Creator:
- Raine, Kathleen, 1908-2003
- Contributor:
- Read, Herbert, 1893-1968
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1949-07-01?/1965-07-01?
- 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 68-69
- Extent:
- 2 pages
- 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: 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.
222. Letter from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read, July 22, [1949?-1965?]
- Title:
- Letter from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read, July 22, [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 that she is still working to edit and shorten her William Blake manuscript, but vows that she will not leave Cambridge until the book is done. She also responds to Read's thoughts about metaphysical archetypes. At the end, Raine wonders how much of her Blake manuscript Read might disagree with.
- Subject:
- Poets, English, Philosophers, Authors, Poets, Raine, Kathleen, 1908-2003, Critics, Literature, Modern, Art historians, Anarchists, Philosophers, Modern, Read, Herbert, 1893-1968, Modernism (Literature), Authors, English--Correspondence, Girton College (University of Cambridge), Authors, English, and Scholars
- Creator:
- Raine, Kathleen, 1908-2003
- Contributor:
- Read, Herbert, 1893-1968
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1949-07-22?/1965-07-22?
- 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 70-73
- Extent:
- 4 pages
- Geographic Coverage:
- England--Cambridge
- Coordinates:
- 52.2, 0.11667
- 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:
- 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.
223. Letter from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read, August 29, [1949?-1965?]
- Title:
- Letter from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read, August 29, [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 gives an update on her Blake manuscript, sharing that she has written two chapters in Scotland, focusing on Blake's mythology.
- Subject:
- Scholars, Authors, Poets, English, Modernism (Literature), Raine, Kathleen, 1908-2003, Read, Herbert, 1893-1968, Anarchists, Critics, Philosophers, Modern, Art historians, Authors, English--Correspondence, Authors, English, Literature, Modern, Philosophers, and Poets
- Creator:
- Raine, Kathleen, 1908-2003
- Contributor:
- Read, Herbert, 1893-1968
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1949-08-29?/1965-08-29?
- 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 39-40
- Extent:
- 2 pages
- Geographic Coverage:
- Scotland--Kyle of Lochalsh
- Coordinates:
- 57.28387, -5.71117
- 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:
- 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.
224. Letter from Barbara Hepworth to Ludo [Margaret Read], September 14, 1949
- Title:
- Letter from Barbara Hepworth to Ludo [Margaret Read], September 14, 1949
- Description:
- Part of a collection of letters to Sir Herbert Read from Dame Barbara Hepworth (English artist and sculptor and, along with Read, a member of the modern art movement Unit One founded by Paul Nash), that span the time period of 1940 to 1965 and discuss their artistic and literary endeavors, philosophical and political views, and personal lives. Discusses Read's move to Stonegrave.
- Subject:
- Women artists, Read, Margaret Ludwig, Lady, Art historians, Authors, English--Correspondence, Poets, English, Poets, Hepworth, Barbara, 1903-1975, Art movements, Read, Herbert, 1893-1968, Authors, English, Artists, Artists--Correspondence, and Authors
- Creator:
- Hepworth, Barbara, 1903-1975
- Contributor:
- Read, Margaret Ludwig, Lady
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1949-09-14
- Rights Statement:
- In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
- License:
- Writings by Barbara Hepworth © Bowness. 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/BH 107-109
- Extent:
- 3 pages
- Geographic Coverage:
- England--St. Ives (Cornwall) and England--Cornwall (County)
- Coordinates:
- 50.20861, -5.4875 and 50.40303, -4.83416
- 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:
- correspondence and letters (correspondence)
- Archival Item Identifier:
- File: 8.61
- 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:
- 2010-06-15
- Technical Note:
- Metadata by SC.
225. Letter from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read, October 20, [1949?-1965?], [01]
- Title:
- Letter from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read, October 20, [1949?-1965?], [01]
- 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 a potential opportunity for Read's play to be performed. She also discusses a planned visit with another acquaintance.
- Subject:
- Philosophers, Modern, Critics, Read, Herbert, 1893-1968, Authors, Scholars, Art historians, Anarchists, Poets, English, Raine, Kathleen, 1908-2003, Poets, Authors, English, Modernism (Literature), Literature, Modern, Authors, English--Correspondence, and Philosophers
- Creator:
- Raine, Kathleen, 1908-2003
- Contributor:
- Read, Herbert, 1893-1968
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1949-10-20?/1965-10-20?
- 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 15-18
- Extent:
- 4 pages
- Geographic Coverage:
- England--London
- Coordinates:
- 51.50853, -0.12574
- 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:
- 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.
226. Letter from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read, October 20, [1949?-1965?], [02]
- Title:
- Letter from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read, October 20, [1949?-1965?], [02]
- 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 housing matters and says that she feels like writing poetry again. She also discusses a review she has written of Read's book "The Forms of Things Unknown".
- Subject:
- Scholars, Raine, Kathleen, 1908-2003, Anarchists, Literature, Modern, Philosophers, Art historians, Modernism (Literature), Poets, Authors, Critics, Read, Herbert, 1893-1968, Authors, English, Girton College (University of Cambridge), Authors, English--Correspondence, Poets, English, and Philosophers, Modern
- Creator:
- Raine, Kathleen, 1908-2003
- Contributor:
- Read, Herbert, 1893-1968
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1949-10-20?/1965-10-20?
- 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 84-85
- Extent:
- 2 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:
- 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.
227. Letter from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read, October 21, [1949?-1965?]
- Title:
- Letter from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read, October 21, [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 congratulates Read on his return home and expresses her feelings about Northumberland versus London.
- Subject:
- Raine, Kathleen, 1908-2003, Poets, English, Authors, English, Scholars, Philosophers, Modern, Read, Herbert, 1893-1968, Modernism (Literature), Authors, English--Correspondence, Philosophers, Critics, Poets, Literature, Modern, Anarchists, Art historians, and Authors
- Creator:
- Raine, Kathleen, 1908-2003
- Contributor:
- Read, Herbert, 1893-1968
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1949-10-21?/1965-10-21?
- 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 1-2
- Extent:
- 2 pages
- Geographic Coverage:
- England--London
- Coordinates:
- 51.50853, -0.12574
- 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:
- 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.
228. Letter from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read, October 22, [1949?-1965?]
- Title:
- Letter from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read, October 22, [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 declines Read's offer to send her to a Jungian analyst, saying that she is feeling slightly better and that financial concerns had added to her desolation. Raine also asks if Read might plead her case to get an extension for her William Blake manuscript.
- Subject:
- Anarchists, Authors, English--Correspondence, Critics, Scholars, Literature, Modern, Authors, Authors, English, Read, Herbert, 1893-1968, Philosophers, Art historians, Raine, Kathleen, 1908-2003, Poets, English, Poets, Modernism (Literature), and Philosophers, Modern
- Creator:
- Raine, Kathleen, 1908-2003
- Contributor:
- Read, Herbert, 1893-1968
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1949-10-22?/1965-10-22?
- 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 25-27
- Extent:
- 6 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.
229. Letter from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read, November 05, [1949?-1965?]
- Title:
- Letter from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read, November 05, [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 praises a play written by Read.
- Subject:
- Modernism (Literature), Art historians, Philosophers, Literature, Modern, Scholars, Anarchists, Poets, Poets, English, Critics, Read, Herbert, 1893-1968, Authors, Authors, English--Correspondence, Raine, Kathleen, 1908-2003, Philosophers, Modern, and Authors, English
- Creator:
- Raine, Kathleen, 1908-2003
- Contributor:
- Read, Herbert, 1893-1968
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1949-11-05?/1965-11-05?
- 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 3-4
- 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.
230. Letter from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read, November 28, [1949?-1965?]
- Title:
- Letter from Kathleen Raine to Herbert Read, November 28, [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 idea of love and imagination.
- Subject:
- Philosophers, Raine, Kathleen, 1908-2003, Critics, Anarchists, Poets, English, Modernism (Literature), Read, Herbert, 1893-1968, Literature, Modern, Authors, English--Correspondence, Poets, Authors, Philosophers, Modern, Authors, English, Art historians, and Scholars
- Creator:
- Raine, Kathleen, 1908-2003
- Contributor:
- Read, Herbert, 1893-1968
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1949-11-28?/1965-11-28?
- 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 5-6
- 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.