Letter from Thomas Manning to William Manning from Paris. He has been unwell for the last week but is leaving for a stay in Basle, Switzerland, before going to the south of France. He has letters of introduction to various people in Toulouse so will probably make his main stay there or in its neighbourhood. He writes he will never be happy until he is settled but has many things to do first. One of these is to penetrate to the interior of China - something which he deems difficult but not dangerous and will not be long term. He reassures his father that he will visit England before going to China and hopes to be able to recount his adventures in his father's parlour at Diss, on his return. Handwritten, 3 sides. Dated 13 July 1802

Letter from Thomas Manning to William Manning from Paris. He writes of his journey from Toulouse in the company of Madame de Serrant along the banks of the Garonne to Bordeaux, then Poitiers, Angers and by the banks of the Loire, to the magnificent chateau of Serrant which escaped damage in the revolution. He stayed a few days at the Chateau before returning to Paris but hopes that the Serrants will come to Paris shortly or he will visit them again before leaving France, He writes how Madame de Serrant could write letters of recommendation for him but knows he has no time for flirtations, therefore recommends him to be introduced to the Count de [Minnery] - an Italian of great taste in drawing. She will provide other letters as required. He adds "What you report to me from Mrs Opie would absolutely make me vain, were I mot aware that some of my friends are partial to me & my beauty too!" He claims not to have committed "the folly" yet as he has seen nothing but artists and literary men but won't promise not to be guilty of it. Handwritten, 3 sides. Dated 14th Brumaire (5 November) 1802

Letter from Thomas Manning to William Manning from Paris. He apologises for not writing sooner; he has had a peculiar state of mind, engaged in reading, that he has replied to no letters including that of Madame Serrant. He has been skating which he finds good exercise. His friend [Giming Ram] has just arrived from Italy - he needs to see people so Thomas will give up his time as a duty not as a pleasure. Paris, politically, is quite quiet with a few people being sent away. He finds out his information from George LemanTuthill. People in Paris have been ill with the gripe and when he called on a friend he met their physician who he had met on the Bury road and was glad to make his acquaintance again. He writes more about Madame de Serrant and how the death of Marquis de Vaudreuil has meant that her mother has taken up residence with her. Handwritten, 3 sides. Postmarked 16 February 1803

Letter from Thomas Manning to William Manning from Paris. He is preparing to leave France but must visit Madame de Serrant before he returns to England. He suggests meeting his father in Cambridge. He wants to go there to peruse some books such as Du Haldes History of China. He reassures "do not be alarmed - different people have different lots - mine is to wander for a while". He writes about his algebra book wondering whether the 50 copies he sent to Ireland are still in Mr Arthurs' shop in Dublin. He writes about other books; about being unwell and how poor the medical knowledge is in France with people dying of being bled; the weather is very cold so there has been skating on the Seine; that people in Paris are concerned that there might be a war between England and France possibly based on Bonaparte's address to the Legislation in which he alluded to the possibility of a maritime war. Handwritten, 3 sides. Dated 17th Ventose (8th March) 1803

Letter from Thomas Manning to William Manning from Paris. He is being detained in Paris and is cross as the "old Kitchen tongs", but hoping to be able to go back to Serrant. The weather is very dry and the Seine low. There are few English in Paris "We are exceedingly well off as prisoners... Let us hope there will shortly be a peace". Building works are being carried out in Paris and other parts of the Empire; the Venus de Medicis has arrived. Handwritten, 3 sides. Dated 14th September, 1803

Letter from Thomas Manning to William Manning from Paris. He has not received any letters for 6 months, nor written any except to his father. He gained permission to return to Paris and is one of the few English who have not been made prisoner of war in Verdun. He asks for his father to write as soon as he receives this letter. Handwritten, 1 side. Dated 12th January 1804

Letter from Thomas Manning to William Manning from Paris. He is sending the note by private hand; he still hasn't heard from his father. He is in good health and permitted to remain in Paris. Handwritten, 1 side. Dated 28 February 1804

Letters from Thomas Manning to William Manning (father) and William Manning (brother) on same piece of paper. To his father he writes about finally getting a letter from his father; of cold weather in Paris for April; that he is "perfectly well & unmolested"; that Paris is calm but the trials for high treason will commence soon; not to believe surmises and conjectures in the papers pretending to come from high authority. To his brother he bemoans that he doesn't write; asks how he and his brother Edward are; how the college (Cambridge) is getting on now Dr Davy is Master. He remarks he has opportunity for studying the French character and muses on France and England and impossibility of really comparing places. Handwritten, 3 sides. Date 19th April, 1804

Letter from Thomas Manning to William Manning from Paris. He writes that another autumn has come and he is still in France but he has put to good use, learning not our of books but "out of crawling things called men. - when I have seen the interior of China, I shall be a consummate politician". He is well treated by the Government but is not pleased by Dr James Crawford running away and writing an impertinent letter to the Minister of War - it caused anxiety amongst the Englishmen still in France. The grapes have ripened and are cheap; preparations for the coronation are underway for 18 brumaire (9 November). He asks his father about shooting and jokes that he should ask to go to England to shoot with him but since game is abundant in France he doesn't think that the promise of a leash of partridge would be sufficient to let the Minister of War give him a passport. Handwritten, 3 sides. Dated 27 September 1804

This correspondence covers the time that Manning spent in France, mainly in Paris and at Chateau de Serrant. It holds historical interest because Manning was held in France at the outbreak of the Napoleonic Wars and the letters include both official and personal correspondence dating from that time. They are arranged into 4 Sections:

TM/3/1 Official correspondence and documents TM/3/2 Personal Correspondence TM/3/3 Calling cards and invitations TM/3/4 Diligence information