Selig, Richard, 1929-1957. Richard Selig papers, 1935-1962: Guide.

Houghton Library, Harvard College Library

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Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138 USA

Last update on 2011 December 19

Descriptive Summary

Repository: Houghton Library, Harvard College Library, Harvard University
Location: b
Call No.: MS Am 1658
Creator: Selig, Richard, 1929-1957.
Title: Richard Selig papers,
Date(s): 1935-1962 (inclusive), 1949-1962 (bulk)..
Quantity: 5 boxes (2.5 linear ft.)
Abstract: Correspondence and various documents of American poet Richard Selig.

Acquisition Information:

*62M-50. Gift of Peter Levi, S.J. ; received: 1962.

Access Restrictions:

There are no restrictions on physical access to this material.

Preferred Citation for Publication:

Richard Selig Papers, 1935-1962 (MS Am 1658). Houghton Library, Harvard University.

Historical Note

Selig was an American poet. Educated at the University of Washington, he was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford. Returning to the U.S. in 1956, he worked in the public relations department of Western Electric. He died of Hodgkin's disease in 1957. A volume of his poems was published posthumously in 1962 by the Dolmen Press, Dublin.

Arrangement

Organized into the following series:

I. Materials concerning Richard Jay Selig and his work

II. Correspondence

A. Letters by Richard Jay Selig to various people

B. Letters to Richard Jay Selig from various people

C. Letters to Peter Levi from various people

D. Letters by other people

III. Poetry

IV. Prose

V. Notebooks and diaries

VI. College notes and term papers

VII. Miscellaneous printed works

VIII. Poetry by other authors

Scope and Content

Correspondence (including 18 letters from Stephen Spender), manuscripts of poetry and prose, notebooks and diaries, college notes and term papers. Includes correspondence of Peter Levi and his materials relating to the posthumous publication of Selig's poems, including proof copies of the book published in 1962. Also a few poems by others, including one by William Carlos Williams.

Related Material

Additional papers of Richard Selig are at Magdalen College, Oxford.

Container List

Series: I. Materials concerning Richard Jay Selig and his work
- (1) Poems by Richard Selig. Dublin: Dolmen Press, 1962. 4 proof copies.
- (2) Levi, Peter. Draft of introduction to: Poems by Richard Selig. A.MS.s. (initials); [Chipping Norton, 1958-1962] 5s. (5p.)
  With additional MS. and TS. materials relating to the introduction, 11s.
- (3) Levi, Peter Materials relating to the establishment of the corpus of Richard Jay Selig's poems to be included in the collected edition. A.MS. (unsigned); [Chipping Norton 1958-1962] 22s. (27p.) env.
  Contains chronological lists of the poems and notices of the reviews in which certain of the poems have been published.
- (4) Selig, Richard Jay, 1929-1957. [List of poems for a prospective book] A.MS. (unsigned); [New York, Oct 1957] 1s. (1p.)
  With MS. note by Peter Levi.
- (5) Hughes, John R. T. Impressions at a Poet's graveside. TS.; New York, 24 Nov 1957. 2s. (2p.)
  Also; an obituary printed in The Oxonian.
- (6) Two obituary notices for Richard Jay Selig. Bennett, Jack Arthur Walter; Clipping from London Times, 22 Oct 1957. [] TS. (unsigned, carbon); [n.p., n.d.] 1s. (2p.)
- (7) List of Richard Selig's books compiled by [John R. T. Hughs?] TS. (unsigned, carbon); [n.p., n.d.] 1s. (1p.)
- (8) Bennett, Jonathan [A critical essay on Richard Jay Selig's poems] TS.s.; [n.p., n.d.] 2s. (2p.)
  Inscribed by the author.
- (9) O'Leary, Michael J. T.L.s. to Peter Levi; New York, 7 Oct 1959. 33s. (33p.)
  Contains the author's personal recollections of his association with Richard Jay Selig.

Series: II. Correspondence
- A. Letters by Richard Jay Selig to various people
  - (10) Selig, Richard Jay, 1929-1957. A.L.s. (photostat) to Vera Craig; New York 29 Oct [1956]. 1s. (1p.)
    Concerning payment for poetry submitted to Encounter.
  - (11) Selig, Richard Jay, 1929-1957. T.L. (unsigned carbon) to J. Bradley Cumings; New York, 5 May 1957. 1s. (1p.)
  - (12) Selig, Richard Jay, 1929-1957. 4 A.L.s. to Peter Levi:
    - New York, 12 Dec 1956. 1s. (2p.)
    - New York, 23 Jan 1957. 1s. (2p.)
    - New York, 31 Mar 1957. 2s. (4p.) env.
    - New York, 2 Jun 1957. 1s. (2p.)
  - (13) [Selig, Richard Jay, 1929-1957] T.L. (unsigned) to Alice Morris; [New York] 3 Jan 1957. 1s. (1p.)
    To the editor of Harper's Bazaar concerning publication of "Diary of a Balloonist." Written under the pseudonim Samuel Andrew Watkins from Palma de Majorca.
  - (14) Selig, Richard Jay, 1929-1957. 9 A.L.s. and 2 T.L.s. (photostats) to Stephen Spender:
    - Forio d'Ischia, 30 Mar 1954. 1s. (1p.)
    - Oxford, 14 Mar 1955. 1s. (1p.)
    - Same, 8 Jun 1955. 2s. (2p.)
    - Same, 23 Oct 1955. 1s. (1p.)
    - Same, 12 May 1956. 1s. (1p.)
    - New York, 23 Dec 1956. 1s. (1p.)
    - Same, 12 Feb 1957. 1s. (1p.)
    - Same, 21 Feb 1957. 1s. (1p.)
    - Same, 10 Mar 1957. 1s. (1p.)
    - Same, 2 Apr 1957. 1s. (1p.)
    - Same, 19 Aug 1957. 1s. (1p.)
- B. Letters to Richard Jay Selig from various people
  - (15) Selig, Richard Jay, 1929-1957 14 letters from 8 unidentified correspondents, 1950-1956.
    Last three letters are from Jackson Mathews.
  - (16) Bennett, Jack Arthur Walter 2 A.L.s. to Richard Jay Selig: Oxford,
    - 20 Aug 1956. 1s. (2p.)
    - Same, 12 Apr 1957. 1s. (2p.)
  - (17) Boase, Thomas 1 A.L.s. and 1 T.L.s. to Richard Jay Selig:
    - Oxford, 11 Nov 1956. 1s. (4p.)
    - Same, 24 Jul 1957. 1s. (2p.)
  - (18) Brower, Brock T.L.s. to Richard Jay Selig; [New York?] 22 Jan 1957. 4s. (4p.)
    A criticism of Selig's Poem: The Tiger.
  - (19) Bush, John A.L.s. (John) to Richard Jay Selig; London, 16 Aug [1957] 1s. (2p.)
  - (20) Bush, William S. A.L.s. to Richard [Jay Selig]; [Port au Prince?] 23 Nov 1953. 4s. (7p.)
  - (21) Caetani, Marguerita 3 A.L.s. to Richard Jay Selig:
    - Rome, 27 Apr. 1s. (2p.)
    - Paris, 25 Jun. 1s. (1p.)
    - Same, [n.d.]. 2s. (3p.)
  - (22) Craig, Vera T.L. (unsigned, photostat) to Richard Jay Selig; [London?] 2 Nov 1956. 1s. (1p.)
  - (23) Cumings, J. Bradley, T.L.s. to Richard Jay Selig; New York, 1 May 1957. 1s. (1p.)
  - (24) Davis, B. H. T.L.s. to Richard Jay Selig; New York, 21 Feb 1957. 1s. (1p.)
    For J. F. McCrindle.
  - (25) Dickey, William H. T.L.s. to Richard Jay Selig; [Iowa City] 22 Oct 1952. 1s. (1p.)
  - (26) Fisher, John T.L.s. to [Richard Jay] Selig; New York, 11 Jul 1957. 1s. (1p.)
  - (27) Francis, John A.L.s. to Richard [Jay Selig]; Pasadena, 26 Nov 1948. 2s. (3p.)
  - (28) French, C. Clement T.L.s. to Richard Jay Selig; Pullman, 22 Dec 1952. 1s. (1p.)
  - (29) Harrison, J. B. T.L.s. to Richard Jay Selig; Seattle, 15 Jan 1956. 1s. (1p.)
  - (30) Hartley, George T.L.s. to Richard Jay Selig; Hessle, 12 May 1956. 1s. (2p.)
    With A.MS. poem by Selig on verso: chiefly I remember the mountains...
  - (31) Levi, Peter A.L.s. to Richard Jay Selig; Chipping Norton, [n.d.] 3s. (5p.)
  - (32) Lewis, Clive Staples, 1898- A.L.s. to [Richard Jay] Selig; [Oxford] 7 Jun 1954. 1s. (1p.)
  - (33) Leyerle, John A.L.s. to Richard Jay Selig; Heidelberg, 9 Aug 1957. 1s. (2p.)
  - (34) MacCrindle, Sheila 2 T.L. (photostats) to Richard Jay Selig:
    - [London?] 5 Feb 1957. 1s. (1p.)
    - Same, 21 Feb 1957. 1s. (1p.)
  - (34.1) McCrindle, J. F. T.L.s. to Richard Jay Selig; New York, 2 Aug 1956. 1s. (1p.)
  - (35) Pershina, Frank A.L.s. to [Richard Jay] Selig; [Japan?] 19 Apr 1953. 3s. (4p.)
  - (36) Roethke, Theodore, 1908- A.L.s. to Richard [Jay Selig]; [New York] 9 Jan [1954?] 1s. (2p.)
  - (37) Schroeder, Clinton P. T.L.s. to Richard Jay Selig; [South Ruislip] 30 Nov 1954. 1s. (1p.)
  - (38) Spender, Stephen, 1909- 16 A.L.s. and 2 T.L.s. to Richard Jay Selig, 1954-1957.
    - [London] 12 Mar [1954] 1s. (1p.)
    - [Same] 30 Jun [1954?] 1s. (1p.)
    - [Same] 28 Jul [1954?] 1s. (2p.)
    - [Same] 8 Jan [1955] 1s. (1p.)
    - [Same] 25 May [1955] 1s. (1p.)
    - [Same] 2 Jun 1955 1s. (1p.)
    - [Same] 11 Jul [1955] 1s. (1p.)
    - [Same] 27 Jul [1955] 1s. (2p.)
    - [London, 28 Oct 1955?] 1s. (1p.)
    - [London] 8 Nov 1955. 1s. (1p.)
    - [Same] 10 Nov [1955] 1s. (1p.)
    - [Same] 21 Nov [1955] 1s. (2p.)
    - [London 1955] 1s. (1p.)
    - [Same] 8 Oct [1956] 1s. (1p.)
    - [Same] 10 Nov [1956] 1s. (1p.)
    - [Same] Mar 19 [1957] 1s. (1p.)
    - [Same] 27 Feb [1957] 1s. (1p.)
    - [Same] 5 Apr 1957. 1s. (1p.)
  - (39) Spurling, Assia A. A.L.s. to Richard [Jay Selig]; Los Angeles, 15 Apr [1949?] 4s. (4p.)
  - (40) Spurling, David A.L.s. to Richard [Jay Selig]; [Los Angeles?] 18 Jun 1949. 4s. (4p.)
  - (41) Wehr, Wesley 3 A.L.s. to Richard [Jay] Selig:
    - San Francisco, 28 Mar 1951. 1s. (1p.)
    - Seattle, 17 May 1954. 1s. (2p.)
    - Same, 2 Aug 1954. 1s. (2p.)
- C. Letters to Peter Levi from various people
  - (42) Bell, John T.L.s. to Peter Levi; [London] 2 Dec 1958. 1s. (2p.)
    With card acknowledging receipt of poems.
  - (43) Bennett, Jack Arthur Walter A.L.s. to Peter Levi; Oxford, 13 Jun 1958. 1s. (2p.)
  - (44) Hughes, John R. T. 3 T.L.s. to Peter Levi:
    - New York, 31 Mar 1958. 1s. (2p.)
    - Same, 16 Apr 1958. 1s. (2p.)
    - Same, 25 Apr 1958. 1s. (2p.)
  - (45) MacCrindle, Sheila T.L.s. to Peter Levi; London, 20 Jan 1958. 1s. (1p.)
    With MS. note by Peter Levi.
  - (46) Monteith, Charles T.L.s. to Peter Levi; London, 24 Jul 1958. 1s. (1p.)
  - (47) Morris, Alice 2 T.L.s. to Peter Levi; New York, 23 Jan 1959. 1s. (1p.)
    Same, 11 Feb 1959. 1s. (1p.)
  - (48) Spender, Stephen, 1909 T.L.s. to Peter Levi; London, 16 Jan 1958. 2s. (2p.)
  - (49) Walter, Eugene 3 T.L.s. to Peter Levi:
    - Rome, 27 Dec 1957. 1s. (2p.)
    - Same, 6 Jan 1958. 1s. (1p.)
    - [Same, Dec 1958] 1s. (1p.)
  - (50) Selig, Mary 28 A.L.s. to Peter Levi; 1957-1962.
    - New York, 16 Oct 1957. 6s. (9p.)
    - Same, 29 Oct 1957. 1s. (2p.)
    - Same, 4 Nov 1957. 1s. (2p.)
    - Same, 7 Nov 1957. 3s. (6p.)
    - Same, 12 Nov 1957. 4s. (4p.)
    - Same, 13 Nov 1957. 1s. (2p.)
    - Same, 16 Nov 1957. 1s. (1p.)
    - Same, 18 Nov 1957. 1s. (2p.)
    - Same, 22 Nov 1957. 1s. (2p.)
    - Same, 28 Nov 1957. 1s. (1p.)
    - Aden, 20 Mar 1957. 1s. (2p.)
    - Same, 7 Apr 1957. 1s. (2p.)
    - [Same], 8 Apr 1957. 1s. (1p.)
    - Aden, 8 Jan 1958. 1s. (2p.)
    - Same, 24 Jan 1958. 1s. (2p.)
    - Same, 3 Mar 1958. 1s. (1p.)
    - Same, 14 Apr 1958. 1s. (1p.)
    - Eastbourne, 5 Aug 1958. 1s. (2p.)
    - Dublin, 8 Jul 1958. 2s. (3p.)
    - Same, 21 Jul 1958. 1s. (1p.)
    - Same, 26 Jul 1958. 3s. (5p.)
    - Same, 31 Aug1958. 1s. (2p.)
    - [n.p.] 3 Sep 1958. 1s. (1p.)
    - Dublin, 3 Sep 1958. 1s. (1p.)
    - Edinburgh, 15 Sep 1958. 1s. (2p.)
    - Same, 8 Oct 1958. 1s. (1p.)
    - Dublin, 16 Dec 1958. 1s. (2p.)
    - Same, 5 Feb 1962. 1s. (3p.)
  - (51) Wehr, Wesley 3 A.L.s. to Peter Levi:
    - Seattle, 26 Mar 1958. 1s. (2p.)
    - Same, 16 Apr 1958. 1s. (2p.)
    - [Same? n.d.] 2s. (3p.) With transcripts of: The Green Hour, To Him, poem for W. B. Yeats, Song, MS. corrections by Peter Levi.
- D. Letters by other people
  - (52) Levi, Peter 5 A.L.s. to John Lincoln Sweeney:
    - Chipping Norton [1961?] 1s. (2p.)
    - Same, 9 Apr [1962] 1s. (2p.) env.
    - Same, 3 Jul 1962. 1s. (2p.) env.
    - Same, 18 Jul 1962. 4s. (7p.)
    - Same, 17 Jan 1963. 1s. (1p.)
  - (53) Wehr, Wesley A.L.s. to Mary Selig; Seattle, 12 Sep 1958. 1s. (2p.)

Series: III Poetry
- (54.1-54.65) A. 65 A.MS. and TS. poems which the author considered unfinished. Alphabetically arranged by title and first line.
- (55-133) B. 78 A.MS. and TS. poems and fragments of poems, complete and incomplete, many of which exist in multiple copies and have been published. Alphabetically arranged by title and first line.

Series: IV. Prose
- (134-154) 20 A.MS. and TS. prose fragments, short stories and plays, unfinished and finished. Alphabetically arranged by title.

Series: V. Notebooks and diaries
- (155) Notebook containing drafts of over 60 poems and short stories. A.MS.s.; Seattle, 31 May 1952 - 19 May 1953. 76s. (153p.)
- (156) [Diary] A.MS. (unsigned); [Seattle] 15-16 Feb 1955. 15s. (31p.)
  With drafts of 3 poems.
- (157) Notebook containing diary of trip to Ireland and drafts of at least 10 poems. A.MS.s.; Oxford, 22 Aug [1956 - ?] 34s. (68p.)
- (158) Notebook containing drafts of various poems. A.MS. (unsigned); [Paris, n.d.] 19s. (38p.)
- (159) The journey began without ceremony... [first line] A.MS. (unsigned); [n.p., n.d.] 2s. (2p.)
- (160) [Diary] A.MS. (unsigned):
  - London, 1-3 Jan 1954. 1s. (2p.) With 2 poems.
  - [Greece, 1955] 1s. (1p.) Diary of a Journey to Greece.

Series: VI. College notes and term papers
- (161) Criticism, 19 Term papers written at the University of Washington. MS. and TS.; Seattle, 1949-1952. 128s.
  With extensive MS. revisions by the author and criticism by his instructors.
- (162) Notes and criticism written at Oxford University. A.MS. and TS.; Oxford, 1955-1956.

Series: VII. Miscellaneous printed works
- (163.1) Fantasy Poets. No. 23 1954.
- (163.2) Experiment. No. 7 v.7 1954, pp. 161-2.
- (163.3) New World Writing. No. 12 1957, p. 252.
- (163.4) Poetry London-New York. No. 3 v.1 1957 p. 17.
- (163.5) W. E. (Western Electric) No. 1 v.9 1957 p. 31-33.
- (163.6) Harper's Bazaar. June 1959 p. 111.
- (163.7) Four pamphlets advertising the Western Electric Group Life Insurance Program, 1957.

Series: VIII. Poetry by other authors
- (164-164.2) 3 poems sent to Richard Jay Selig;
  - Outpost on the Rhine. TS. carbon (unsigned) [n.d., n.p.] 2s. (2p.)
  - Two Aspects of the mind of Love. TS. (unsigned) [n.p.] 25 Oct 1952. 1s. (1p.)
  - New Year 1952 for R.S. TS. (unsigned) [Seattle] 31 Dec 1951. 1s. (1p.)
- (165) Dibbert, Bernard W. [Two poems] TS.; [n.p., n.d.] 2s. (2p.)
- (166) Wehr, Wesley Thanksgiving, 1951. TS.s.; [Seattle?] Nov 1951. 1s. (1p.)
  Poem sent to Richard Jay Selig.
- (167) Wehr, Wesley Two Poems TS.s.; [Seattle?] 2 Dec 1952. 1s. (1p.)
  Dedicated to Richard Jay Selig.
- (168) William, William Carlos, 1883 Gulls [poem] TS.s.; [n.p.] 11 Jul 1935. 1s. (1p.)
  With envelope on which is written a short congratulatory note.

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