Letter from Thomas Manning to William Manning from Calcutta. He writes of his frustrated attempt to get to Pekin whilst in Canton giving some of the reasons why it could not be accomplished. The suggestion has been made that it tries to go via Tibet and letters have been sent for him and he has other private letters with him. He had a good passage though was without convoy and therefore fearful of being taken in the Bay of Bengal. He has numerous dinner invitations including to Sir William Burroughs. He dined the previous evening with Mr Palmar, the Banker. "Turban on his head, beard over a foot long. all eyes staring at me". He has rented a spacious house on the circular road and justifies it by claiming it is necessary so he stays healthy and can study. There are some missionaries in Calcutta who claim to know something of the Chinese language but they have it wrong which he has tried to explain so that their translations of Confucius are map of mistakes. He is waiting to sail for Madras. Handwritten, 4 sides. Dated 28th April, 1810

Letter from Le Ministre de L'Interieur to Thomas Manning, Hotel de Paris, concerning his request for permission to see La Grammaire Chinoise. Dated 11 Pluviouse an 12 (1 February 1804). Handwritten, 1 piece, 2 sides

Letter from Thomas Manning (draft) to Général Consul. Manning writes about gaining a passport to come to France for 2 years to study for his enterprise to China. He asks that he can stay in Paris to continue his studies. He mentions Dr Hager, Conservateur des manuscripts chinois. Dated 17 Frimaire, Hotel de Paris. Handwritten, 1 piece, 4 sides

Letter from Thomas Manning (draft) to "Citoyen Consul" asking permission to be allowed to return to Paris to continue his studies in preparation for his voyage to China. Undated, handwritten, 1 piece, 4 sides

Letter from Thomas Manning (draft) to "Votre Excelllence" asking permission to return to England to see his father prior to his voyage to Asia. He has been in France to prepare himself for that voyage and those preparations are now complete. Undated. Handwritten, 1 piece, 2 sides

Letter from Martinet to Thomas Manning. He includes a letter of introduction to Etienne Pierre Ventenat, conservator at La Bibliotheque du Pantheon. Dated 26 December, 1801. Handwritten, 1 piece, 2 sides

Draft letter(s) from Thomas Manning to Madame [de Serrant] in which he writes about his desire to go to China. Undated, handwritten, 1 piece, 2 sides

These letters range from a criticism of Manning';s mathematical work to a family friend writing to William Manning regarding his concern of Thomas Manning's plan to visit China. Of particular note is a draft letter from Manning to Joseph Banks outlining the route of his Chinese studies and plans to travel to China.

Copy of a draft letter from Thomas Manning to Joseph Banks. In the letter he outlines the path he has taken to become familiar with the Chinese language including his stay in France. He writes that he had initially thought of reaching China via Russia. But now asks that he may be able to travel to Canton and reside there for the purpose of studying the language and customs of China. Dated [1806]. Handwritten, 2 pieces, 3 sides

Thomas Manning lived in Asia from 1807-1817, mainly in Canton and Macao. But he also tried to reach the interior of China via Tibet. The correspondence covers this period and is of both official and personal nature.