The Quest for Corvo: An Experiment in Biography (Valancourt eClassics) Read Online Free PDF Page A

Ongania is dead; but I am not sure. Further, I ought to explain how it came about that I ever saw any manuscripts by Fr. Rolfe, and why I wrote to The Times Literary Supplement. I will do so.
    I acted from 1910 until 1925 as ‘reader’ to the firm of Chatto and Windus. During the early part of that period, two manuscripts at least by Fr. Rolfe were submitted to Chatto and Windus, and declined by them. It is my belief that these manuscripts (they were actually in the author’s handwriting) were both sent to the firm by Mr Ongania, with whom they had been lodged by Fr. Rolfe as security for money lent. The first of these, unless I am mistaken, was The Desire and Pursuit of the Whole, a beautiful but very lengthy and libellous book (libellous, at least, in my opinion, because Rolfe described his central male character as having written the work for which several lightly-described persons had received credit – as a ‘ghost’, in fact). It could not be published because of this implication. The second was a pseudo-historical novel called Hubert’s Arthur , which purported to tell the true story of the pretended blinding of Arthur by Hubert. The manuscript of this book was sent, I understood, by the author’s authority, to an American gentleman, in whose possession it presumably still is. That was the extent of my knowledge, and it was merely with the wish to place upon record that these manuscripts had at one time existed that I wrote to The Times Literary Supplement.
    Subsequent to the publication of my letter, I received a postcard from an Italian gentleman who informed me that he believed some of Rolfe’s manuscripts had been in the possession of a lady now dead. He asked for further information, which I could not give. I also had a long letter from a brother of Fr. Rolfe – an Australian schoolmaster – who said that when Rolfe died he was unable to execute the will owing, I believe, to the fact that to do so was to accept debts which he found himself unable to liquidate. He invited me to do anything possible to discover the manuscripts of Rolfe, in order that he might now benefit under the will. Messrs Chatto and Windus, at my instigation, made further inquiries, and it was discovered that other rights, specific or implied, existed. It proved impossible – or seemed to be impossible – to ascertain exactly who owned the rights in Rolfe’s unpublished works; and the matter was thereupon allowed to drop. I no longer have the Australian Mr Rolfe’s letter. I believe that in addition to this Mr Rolfe there is another brother, a barrister, who is at present in England. But just how you could get into touch with either brother, and what useful purpose would be served supposing you succeeded in doing so, I am unable to suggest. You might possibly ask Chatto and Windus if they could assist you at all; but that is the only course which occurs to me.
    I knew nothing personally of Fr. Rolfe. I once caught a glimpse of him, but no more. Nor do I know of anybody who had any acquaintance with him. Messrs Chatto and Windus published two of his novels – Don Tarquinio and Hadrian the Seventh – but this was before I began to ‘read’ for them. All I can tell you is that The Desire and Pursuit of the Whole and Hubert’s Arthur have existed in manuscript; and this, from my letter to The Times Literary Supplement, if not otherwise, you already knew. It would have been a great pleasure to me to place at your disposal any information which might have helped in the making of what I am sure will be a valuable and interesting book, and I greatly regret that I cannot do so.
    With regrets, therefore, that I should be so helpless.
    I am, Yours faithfully,
    Frank Swinnerton
     
    This letter, it will be seen, gave me several new lines of exploration. It seemed fairly clear that Messrs Chatto and Windus must know something; and I therefore called upon Mr C. H. C. Prentice, a partner, with whom I had a slight but agreeable