Chelsea (London, England) -- Description and travel
In Manresa Road are the Chelsea Public Library and the Polytechnic for
South-west London north of the river. The latter cannot be claimed
exclusively by Chelsea, and therefore is not described in detail. The
library was opened temporarily in 1887, and by 1891 the new building was
ready. The librarian is Mr. J. H. Quinn, who has been there since the
inauguration. The rooms have, since the opening, been greatly improved,
and the library is now exceptionally interesting. On the ground-floor is
a gallery open from 3 to 9 p.m. every week-day, except Wednesday, when
the time of opening is two hours later. Here there is a collection of
water-colour paintings and old prints illustrative of old Chelsea, and
anyone who has taken any interest in the magnificent old mansions that
made Chelsea a village of palaces will be well advised to go to see what
these buildings were actually like. In the gallery also are cases
containing the Keats collection, deposited by Sir Charles Dilke during
his lifetime, but at his death to go to Hampstead, on account of the
poet's connection with that place. Here are to be seen the editions of
Shakespeare and Bacon annotated by Keats' own hands, and his
love-letters; also a letter from his publishers, abusing him furiously,
which shows how much the contemporary judgment of the poems differed from
that of posterity.
The reference-room in the library upstairs is exceptionally fine, and
especial care has been taken to make the local topographical department
as rich as possible. Among the volumes of the greatest value are Bowack's
"Middlesex," which formerly belonged to Lord Brabourne; Faulkner's
two-volume edition of "Chelsea," which has been "grangerized," and is
illustrated by innumerable portraits, letters, views, etc., and in the
process has been expanded into four large quarto volumes. There is also
the original manuscript of Faulkner's account of the Royal Military
Asylum and the Royal College and Hospital, with all the author's
corrections.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account