Collection is open for research.
The Clark Library owns the property rights to its collections but does not hold the copyright to these materials and therefore
cannot grant or deny permission to use them. Researchers are responsible for determining the copyright status of any materials
they may wish to use, investigating the owner of the copyright, and obtaining permission for their intended publication or
other use. In all cases, you must cite the Clark Library as the source with the following credit line: The William Andrews
Clark Memorial Library, University of California, Los Angeles.
[Identification of item], Frank Harris Collection, William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, University of California, Los Angeles.
This finding aid gathers together material from multiple accessions.
The exact provenance of some materials is unclear. Other material described here originated in accessions MS.1982.004 and
MS.2010.005, as indicated in the container list.
Processed by Rebecca Fenning, March 2010. Revised April 2024.
Much of this material is also described in the finding aids for the Oscar Wilde and His Literary Circle Collection: Correspondence and Oscar Wilde and His Literary Circle Collection: Manuscripts and Miscellaneous Materials.
Frank Harris was born James Thomas Harris in Galway, Ireland, February 14, 1856. He emigrated alone to the United States in
1869 and after years of study and work both in America and on the European continent, he returned to London in 1882. Harris
become the editor of the London Evening News in 1883. In 1886, he left the Evening News for a post editing the Fortnightly
Review, which he would continue to do until 1894. From 1894 to 1898, he edited the Saturday Review. In his posts at these
publications, he became acquainted with many of the notable figures of fin-de-siècle London, including Oscar Wilde.
Harris struggled with financial stability often after this period, and moved a great deal, living in the south of France and
in London in the years before World War I. In 1915, he returned to New York, where he wrote a number of anti-British articles
as well as his volumes of Contemporary Portraits. He was the editor of Pearson's Magazine from 1915-1922 and got into many
clashes with American censors and others who found him and his work offensive. During this period, he also began dictating
his sprawling and sexually explicit memoirs, My Life and Loves, which was published in various forms (expurgated and not)
after 1922.
In 1923, he settled permanently in Nice with his longtime partner, Nellie O'Hara, who he married in 1927. He died in Nice
in 1931.
This finding aid describes the Clark Library's collection of material created by and related to Frank Harris, and includes
correspondence, manuscripts, news clippings, typescripts and proofs.
Materials in this collection are not all physically housed together, because of the different acquisition dates and because
of various organization schemes developed over time by the Clark. Box numbers listed below indicate the collection with which
each item is physically placed.
The Clark holds a great deal of material related to Frank Harris and his professional and social circles, particularly during
the 1890's. The list below is not exhaustive, but contains links to online finding aids for the papers of Oscar Wilde and
his circle, as well as to the papers of Harris's friend and colleague in the 1880s and 1890s, John Verschoyle.
Proofs -- 20th century.
Correspondence Series 1.
1895-1928, undated
Arrangement note
Correspondence is arranged alphabetically by the last name of the correspondent.
Acworth, E. Cecil, Subseries 1.
undated
Box *PR5823 H314 1918 vol. 1 (copy 3)
To Acworth
Scope and Contents note
Tipped in at the beginning of a bound volume, Clark call number *PR5823 H314 1918 vol. 1 (copy 3).
Adey, More, Subseries 2.
1895-1897
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 25
To Adey,
November 13, 1895
General Physical Description note: Telegram.
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 25
To Adey,
December 24, 1895
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 25
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 25
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 25
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 25
To Adey,
November 4, 1896
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 25
To Adey,
November 20, 1896
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 25
To Adey,
February 2, 1897
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 25
Cumberland, Gerald, Subseries 3.
1919
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 26
To Cumberland,
November 15, 1919
Davray, Henry-D., Subseries 4.
1926
Box ms Wilde 44, Folder 3
To Davray,
June 10, 1926
General Physical Description note: Typed copy of a letter dated, Mar. 1, 1926.
Douglas, Lord Alfred Bruce Subseries 5.
1925-1926
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 26
To Douglas,
March 21, 1925
General Physical Description note: Typed copy of letter, with two carbon copies
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 26
To Douglas,
June 1, 1925
General Physical Description note: Typed copy of letter, with two carbon copies
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 26
To Douglas,
July 30, 1925
General Physical Description note: Typed copy of letter, with two carbon copies
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 26
To Douglas,
August 12, 1925
General Physical Description note: Typed copy of letter, with two carbon copies
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 26
To Douglas
August 20, 1925
General Physical Description note: Typed copy of letter, with two carbon copies
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 33
To Douglas
1925 December 16
Scope and Contents
Typed copy of Harris's December 16, 1925 letter to Douglas, originally enclosed with Harris's January 8, 1926 letter to George
Sylvester Viereck (also stored in ms Wilde Box 30/Folder 33), detailing Harris's issues with Lord Alfred Douglas over his
"New Preface to the Life of Oscar Wilde."
Also includes a typed bookseller description of these letters (though the actual provenance and acquisition details of these
materials is unknown as of April 2024).
Hancock, Ernest La Touche, Subseries 6.
1916-1917
Physical Description: 2 items
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 26
To Hancock,
April 22, 1916
Box MS.2010.005, Folder 1
To Hancock,
December 31, 1917
Scope and Contents note
Friendly letter declining the use of Hancock's poems in Pearson's Magazine.
Holland, Vyvyan Beresford, Subseries 7.
1926-1927
Box ms Wilde 44, Folder 3
To Holland,
June 10, 1926
General Physical Description note: Typed copy of a letter dated, Mar. 1, 1926.
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 26
To Holland,
November 10, 1926
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 26
To Holland,
November 23, 1926
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 26
To Holland,
August 8, 1927
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 26
To Holland,
December 10, 1927
Hughes, Colonel, Subseries 8.
1920
Box *PR5823 H314n copy 3
To Hughes,
July 9, 1920
Scope and Contents note
Bound in the
New Preface to the Life and Confessions of Oscar Wilde, Clark Library call no. *PR5823 H314n copy 3
Leverson, Ada, Subseries 9.
1904-1907
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 27
To Leverson,
November 2, 1904
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 27
To Leverson,
June 1, 1907
Millard, Christopher, Subseries 10.
1913-1925
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 27
To Millard,
October 23, 1913
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 27
To Millard,
October 24, 1913
Box MS.1982.004, Folder 1
To Millard,
July 1, 1914
Scope and Contents note
Typed letter, signed.
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 27
To Millard,
July 11, 1914
Box MS.1982.004, Folder 2
To Millard,
September 19, 1916
Scope and Contents note
Typed letter, signed.
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 27
To Millard,
December 4, 1916
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 27
To Millard,
March 20, 1919
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 27
To Millard,
April 22, 1919
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 27
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 27
To Millard,
June 26, 1919
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 27
To Millard,
July 11, 1919
Box *PR5823 H314 1918 vol. 1 (copy 3)
To Millard,
August 14, 1919
Scope and Contents note
Bound in at back of *PR5823 H314 1918 vol. 1 (copy 3)
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 27
To Millard,
October 28, 1919
Box MS.1982.005, Folder 1
To Millard,
February 11, 1920
Scope and Contents note
Typed on Pearson's Magazine letterhead, signed by Guido Bruno.
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 27
To Millard,
April 21, 1920
Scope and Contents note
Telegram.
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 27
To Millard,
April 21, 1920
Box MS.1982.004, Folder 3
To Millard,
May 20, 1920
Scope and Contents note
Typed letter with holograph amendments, signed.
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 27
To Millard,
May 29, 1920
General Physical Description note: Telegram.
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 27
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 27
To Millard,
August 9, 1925
Morley, Christopher, Subseries 12.
1918
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 28
To Morley,
August 8, 1918
Plarr, Victor Gustave, Subseries 13.
1898
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 28
To Plarr,
November 30, 1898
Richards, Grant, Subseries 14.
1915-1925
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 28
To Richards,
July 6, 1915
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 28
To Richards,
September 11, 1915
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 28
To Richards,
November 13, 1916
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 28
To Richards,
October 24, 1924
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 28
To Richards,
April 3, 1925
General Physical Description note: Telegram.
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 28
To Richards,
May 22, 1925
Rosenfeld, Samuel, Subseries 15.
1925-1927
Physical Description: 10 items
Arrangement note
Arranged in chronological order.
Scope and Contents note
Letters to Dr. Samuel Rosenfeld of Philadelphia, as well as one carbon copy of a letter from Rosenfeld to Harris. Harris evidently
first contacted Rosenfeld after Florence Schmidt ordered a copy of My Life to be sent to Rosenfeld.
Box MS.2010.005, Folder 2
To Rosenfeld,
November 4, 1925
Scope and Contents note
Accompanying printed lists of publications and excerpted reviews.
Box MS.2010.005, Folder 3
To Rosenfeld,
December 3, 1925
Box MS.2010.005, Folder 4
To Rosenfeld,
January 6, 1926
Box MS.2010.005, Folder 5
From Rosenfeld,
February 11, 1926
Scope and Contents note
Very brittle carbon copy of a letter to Harris.
Box MS.2010.005, Folder 6
To Rosenfeld, accompanying a copy of Stories of Jesus the Christ (1919),
November 27, 1926
Box MS.2010.005, Folder 7
To Rosenfeld,
March 10, 1927
Box MS.2010.005, Folder 8
To Rosenfeld,
March 17, 1927
Box MS.2010.005, Folder 9
To Rosenfeld,
April 21, 1927
Box MS.2010.005, Folder 10
To Rosenfeld,
May 4, 1927
Box MS.2010.005, Folder 11
Envelope from Bennett Book Studios to Samuel Rosenfeld,
December 23, 1950
Scope and Contents note
Pencil note on envelope says "Letter Frank Harris, to La Touche."
Ross, Robert Baldwin, Subseries 16.
1913-1917
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 29
To Ross,
December 28, 1913
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 29
To Ross,
December 18, 1913
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 29
To Ross,
December 21, 1913
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 29
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 29
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 29
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 29
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 29
To Ross,
October 24, 1916
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 29
To Ross,
November 10, 1916
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 29
To Ross,
November 20, 1916
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 29
To Ross,
December 12, 1916
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 29
Schmidt, Florence, Subseries 17.
1925
Physical Description: 2 items
Arrangement note
Arranged in chronological order.
Scope and Contents note
An acquaintance of Dr. Samuel Rosenfeld's living in Paris, when she ordered copies of Harris' work from him directly.
Box MS.2010.005, Folder 12
To Schmidt,
September 16, 1925
Box MS.2010.005, Folder 13
To Schmidt,
October 8, 1925
Secker, Martin, Subseries 18.
1925
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 30
To Secker,
March 25, 1925
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 30
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 30
To Secker,
April 13, 1925
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 30
To Secker,
April 23, 1925
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 30
Turner, Reggie, Subseries 19.
1923-1928
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 30
To Turner,
October 31, 1923
General Physical Description note: With press announcement of
My Life and Loves.
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 30
To Turner,
September 9, 1924
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 30
To Turner,
March 20, 1925
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 30
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 30
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 30
To Turner,
March 11, 1928
Unknown correspondent, Subseries 20.
1919-1921
Box MS.2010.005, Folder 14
To unknown correspondent,
June 8, 1921
Scope and Contents note
On Pearson's Magazine letterhead, responding to being accused of "scurrility," and making a derogatory reference to Theodore
Dreiser, of whom the unknown correspondent is a fan.
Box MS.1982.005, Folder 2
Letter and ephemera soliciting purchases of Pearson's Magazine stock,
July 23, 1919
Scope and Contents note
Typed letter, signed, with attachments.
Viereck, George Sylvester Subseries 21.
1925-1926
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 31
To Viereck
December 1, 1925
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 33
To Viereck
1926 January 8
Scope and Contents
Typed letter signed by Harris, with "Answered George Sylvester Viereck" in blue pen signed at the bottom.
This letter details Harris's issues with Lord Alfred Douglas over his "New Preface to the Life of Oscar Wilde." Includes a
typed copy of Harris's December 16, 1925 letter to Douglas. Also includes a typed bookseller description of these letters
(though the actual provenance and acquisition details of these materials is unknown as of April 2024).
Wilde, Oscar Subseries 22.
1900
Physical Description: 1 item
Box ms Wilde 30, Folder 32
To Wilde,
September 26, 1900
Manuscripts and Proofs Series 2.
1915-1925
Box MS.2010.007
Uncorrected proofs of
The Life and Confessions of Oscar Wilde, printed for D.J. Rider,
[ca. 1915]
General Physical Description note: 530 p.
Scope and Contents note
Proofs for the D.J. Rider printing of
Oscar Wilde, which was not published.
Box MS.1982.005, Folder 3
"James Thomson: An Unknown Immortal," from Pearson's Magazine,
March 1919
Scope and Contents note
pp. 217-222.
Box H314M3 S4455
[1925]
A Second Preface to "The Life and Confessions of Oscar Wilde,"
1925
General Physical Description note: Typescript
Scope and Contents note
With holograph corrections by Lord Alfred Douglas. H314M3 S4455 [1925]
Box H314M3 S4455 [1925]a
A Second Preface to "The Life and Confessions of Oscar Wilde,"
1925
General Physical Description note: Typescript
Scope and Contents note
Clark shelfmark H314M3 S4455 [1925]a
Box MS.1982.005, Folder 4
Proofs of Volume 2, Chapter 1 of My Life,
ca. 1925
Scope and Contents note
With holograph note by Harris at the top, directing the reader to return it to him at Nice when finished reading.
