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.

Letter from "Amicus" to Thomas Manning concerning his recently published Algebraic Treatise in which he corrects some of Manning's publication. "An Introduction to Arithmetic and Algebra" by Thomas Manning was published by Rivingtons in 1796. Dated 20 September [1796] Handwritten, 1 piece, 4 sides

Letter from Thomas Manning, Diss, Norfolk to John Rickman, New Palace Yard, London. He writes that he would have written earlier but Rickman's letter reached him as he was about to leave Cambridge where he had been detained by illness. The majority of the letter is take up with discussing the mathematics concerning resistance and velocity of bodies in fluids. Postmarked 26 March, 1805. Dated in another hand, [12] April, 1805. Handwritten, 1 piece, 3 sides

There are two letters:

• Draft Letter from Thomas Manning to "My Lord" in which he remembers his gratitude for his Lordship providing a letter for him to carry when he was travelling to China, in case they were attacked by the French. He now asks for letters of introduction to English residing at the Italian court as he is about to proceed to Italy in order to spend about 2 years. Dated 2 June, 1827. Handwritten, 1 piece, 1 side.
• Draft letter from Thomas Manning to "My Lord Duke" in which he thanks him for the letters of introduction and writes more of his studies in mathematics, philosophy and language. Though able to read Italian he wants to be able to attend to its pronunciation. Undated [1827] Handwritten, 1 piece, 1 side.

Thomas Manning was an inveterate note-taker, making notes about all aspects of knowledge that interested him. These notes and notebooks cover from his early mathematical and poetical musing, through his travels in China and Tibet to later concerns regarding Roman Catholic emancipation. They have been organised into various sections mainly according to their subject manner.Thus:

• TM/9/1: Notebook with inserts from time at university to later life and covering all topics.
• TM/9/2 - 5 A series of notebooks from Manning's time in China and Tibet including notes on his travels and language studies
• TM/9/6 Loose notes from Chinese period
• TM/9/7 Pocket almanacs with annotations
• TM/9/8 Poetry and Riddles
• TM/9/9 Mathematical Notes and Notebooks
• TM/9/10 Notes on Roman Catholic Emancipation

Hardcover folder with green /red marbling. The initial M is written on ink on front cover. This contains notes, some of which are still held to the cover, others are loose and include three small notebooks. They cover from Manning's time at university to his later years.

Chinese notebook, small, green cloth covered, including original pencil. Contains Chinese vocabularies; 2 sketches of Dalai Lama; shopping lists and memos; medical notes; list of English words beginning 'ab'; diary notes on leaving Lhasa; notes on literature - French, Greek, etc.; mathematical problems. Inserted are loose sheets of paper - more diary notes; numerical list.

Chinese notebook, small, green cloth covered. Contains notes of a linguistic nature in Latin, English and French. Inserted are several loose sheets of paper including a receipt in Chinese dated 1816; Latin and English notes; 2 sheets of mathematical problems, one of which is on the reverse of a letter to Thomas Manning from [Lowe Ammo] concerning payment, dated P.N. Island (Penang) 23 February 1813.

Thomas Manning was admitted to Cambridge University to study mathematics. He was very able and though did not graduate, he continued in teaching position at Cambridge for some time beforel he travelled to France to study Chinese. He was keen to develop new theorems. He published a mathematical text and corresponded with other mathematicians.

His interest in mathematics was lifelong - this subseries contains notes made on the back of letters postmarked as late as 1837.

There are both notebooks, one of which appears to be a manuscript for a book, and assorted loose notes and calculations.

Notebook with mathematical notes, diagrams and problems. Also contains philosophical musings on man and war, geometrical drawings, notes on Chinese words, diagram for creating a weigh balance, instructions to extract salt and draft lines for a poem. Handwritten in a blue paper cover notebook written from both ends. Reverse cover is missing. Cover states "Some philosophical observations in this book".