The Sampson Low Collection

Sampson Low (1797-1886) was a Victorian bookseller and publisher whose clients included many notable figures of the nineteenth century from Britain, North America and Europe. The Sampson Low Collection comprises two volumes of over 200 letters written by clients and friends, the majority to Sampson Low himself. The letters have been digitised and transcribed and made available online for the first time.

Image of The Sampson Low Collection
Thumbnail Type Name or title Description
preview image letterLetter from Rebecca HeyOne of the oldest letters in the collection. Rebecca Hey offers Rev Thomas Dale some written pieces...
preview image letterLetter from Richard Chenevix TrenchRichard Trench writes to Sampson Low to inform him that he declines to publish an unnamed work he...
preview image letterLetter from Robert E. LeeIn his letter Robert E. Lee responds to an offer by Sampson Low to publish his history of the...
preview image letterLetter from Robert MontgomeryRobert Montgomery writes about meeting Sampson Low to discuss the republication of his poem...
preview image letterLetter from Robert PottsIn his letter to Sampson Low, Robert Potts claims that fellow Cambridge mathematician Isaac...
preview image letterLetter from Sherard OsbornIn his letter, Sherard Osborn declines an offer from Sampson Low relating to the explorer Charles...
preview image letterLetter from Thomas Babington Macaulay, 1st Baron MacaulayThomas Babington Macaulay explains that he has not made arrangements for printing his work in...
preview image letterLetter from Thomas BinneyIn his letter Binney refers to an offer made to him by Sampson Low and two other publishers, Adam...
preview image letterLetter from Thomas Chandler HaliburtonThomas Chandler Haliburton writes from Halifax, Nova Scotia in response to letters he has received....
preview image letterLetter from Washington IrvingIn this letter from Washington Irving to his friend the publisher George Putnam at Christmas time,...
preview image letterLetter from Wilkie CollinsAn interesting letter in which Wilkie Collins talks about his personal worth and the financial...
preview image letterLetter from William GillyWilliam Gilly refers to a piece about the Waldenses he is writing for 'The Iris'. This was a...
preview image letterLetter from William Henry Giles KingstonW. H. G. Kingston accepts an offer from Sampson Low which is presumably a translation. This letter...
preview image letterLetter from William Hepworth DixonIn his letter to Sampson Low, William Hepworth Dixon offers the publisher first refusal of Lady...
preview image letterLetter from unknownOne of the oldest letters in the collection. Written by an unknown writer who assures the recipient...