Correspondence

Component identifier:

Series 2

Content Summary:

This series consists of correspondence received by Smith. It contains correspondence from the 1983 instalment and the 2004 instalment of correspondence has been added to this series and comprises Folders 85-107.

The 2004 instalment of correspondence arrived in 11 envelopes and plastic bags, with each bundle being placed into archival folders. The order of each bundle has been maintained and, where titles have been created by Smith, these too have been retained. Where correspondence is not titled, a title has been applied by the archivist. The folders have been arranged into alphabetical order.

The series contains correspondence from friends, colleagues, students as well as other general correspondence. Folders 85-107 cover a range of topics, from letters from Smith's children and other family members to correspondence to Smith as Quadrant editor. A large component of the correspondence consists of offers for Smith to contribute to anthologies, dictionaries, and other literary projects; or friends, colleagues and students asking him to read and comment on their poetry. Many of the letters are written to both Vivian and his wife, Sybille.

There is a list of principal correspondents found in this series (see attached Appendix - under 'Related Documentation tab). The first part of the appendix relates to correspondence of Smith's editorship of Quadrant (Files 31-33); the second part of the appendix is titled 'Partial listing of Smith correspondence' (Files 51-78) and the third part of the appendix lists the main correspondents from the 2004 instalment (Files 85-107).

Immediate source of acquisition:

The papers arrived to the Library in a number of different instalments. Three instalments relating to the Palmer material were donated to the Library in 1974, 1977 and 1979. In 1983 20 boxes were acquired from Dr Smith; and in 2004 a further instalment of three boxes was donated to the Library under the Cultural Gifts Program.

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