ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY **** PAGE 1
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY ON LOLA MONTEZ
Copyright Bruce Seymour
MANUSCRIPTS OF LOLA MONTEZ
Montez, Lola: ASLetter to a Mr. Evans, signed "E" saying that he will get his money back but things are tight for her right now, n.d. (“1842” in pencil by unknown hand), n.p.; Harvard Theatre Collection
I feel quite sure that this is LM’s handwriting, and the fact it is signed “E” would indicate that the 1842 date assigned to it could very well be true since at that time she was still Eliza and not Lola Montez. That would make this the oldest MS from her hand. See the microfilm in this collection and Volume 2L.
Montez, Lola: ASLetter in French, nd, np, requesting return of portrait (Paris, early 1844?) Bancroft Library
My guess is that this letter dates from early in LM’s time in Paris, but that is purely an educated guess. See Volume 4-O.
Montez, Lola: ASLetter in French, 19 August [1844?] 24 Rue de la Victoire, requesting the release to her free from of customs duties of lithographic portraits of her from Berlin, Yale Univeristy.
This probably dates from the summer of 1844, when LM is known to have been practicing dance in the rue de la Victoire. I am uncertain just what lithographic portrait she might have been receiving from Berlin. See Volume 4Q.
Montez, Lola: ASLetter in French to Fiorentino, n.d. (1845?), n.p. (Paris?), asking him to
come and see her today, "out of sight, out of mind”; last reported sold at Marburg, 1-2 June 76, current whereabouts unknown
Montez, Lola: Letter to unknown, nd, Paris?; Lilly Libary,Indiana University
See Volume 4-P. Rather insignificant.
Montez, Lola: ASLetter to Fiorentino, n.d. (May 45?), (Paris?), saying that she is going to be leaving for Spa and Mons next Monday; Prince Sforza? is due back on the 8th, full of rage and revenge; Harvard Theatre Collection
Based on the fact that LM was seen in Spa in June 1845, my guess is that this note dates from that year. See the microfilm in this collection and Volume 5P.
Montez, Lola: ASLetter to “Monsieur le Commissaire” dated 30 Mai 1846, 95 rue Neuf des Mathurins, Paris; Stadt/Uni Bibliothek, Frankfurt/M
The precise date and return address are very unusual on an LM letter. She is complaining here about being harassed by one Adele Bassolet, otherwise unknown to me. My guess is that it had something to do with debts. See Volume 8-D.
Montez, Lola: ASLetter to proprietress of the Hotel de Suede, Brussels; Homburg, 18[?] August 46; Harry Ransom Center, U of Texas at Austin
This is an important letter because it confirms LM’s affair with Leigh and gives some precision to her whereabouts in the early summer of 1846.
Montez, Lola: ASLetter to “Monsieur Du Bois, Secretaire de la legation de Holland”, nd, np; Yale University Library, Theatrical Manuscripts.
She tells Du Bois she is leaving suddenly for Stuttgart at Peel’s invitation. This letter was certainly written at Homburg late in August or early September 1846, and it establishes that she knew Peel before she went to Stuttgart and went there to join him at his invitation. See Volume 8-E.
Montez, Lola: ASLetter of 1846, 1 1/2 pages to "Mon Penny (Panny?)"; sold by Hartung and Karl, München, 2-3 Nov 77, current whereabouts unknown.
I have not seen this letter, but it is interesting that the place where she was staying in London in 1859 when she wrote the letter to Miss Mitchell now in the NYPL was owned by someone named Penny.
Montez, Lola: ASNote in French to Baron von Frays requesting return of her music for a performance in Augsburg; 22 Oct 46: California Historical Society, San Francisco, MS 1489
This letter is important in showing that LM at this point had not yet abandoned the stage and was arranging an engagement in Augsburg. But see the letter immediately below.
Montez, Lola: Note to Mons. Lippert of Augsburg, says she can't dance, but would he like tickets to Jenny Lind performance; 22 Oct 46, Munich; reference in the Harvard Theatre Collection to the sale of this item at auction, currrent whereabouts unknown
The fact LM is cancelling her performance in Augsburg the same day she wrote to Frays to get her music indicates to me that something had happened in the course of the day to tell her she didn’t need to continue her theatrical career. My guess is that during the portrait sitting at Stieler’s that day Ludwig had convinced her that he didn’t want her to leave Munich, and I suspect it was at this time that she responded with the phrase he later quoted back to her, “No puedo dejar Munic.”
Montez, Lola: Six-page letter of 5 December 1846 to Pier-Ange Fiorentino; last sold at auction in 1975; current whereabouts unknown. For the text, see Volume 8M.
Montez, Lola: Note in French to Ambroise (Havard?, proprietor of Der goldene Hirsch Hotel in Munich) begging him to forgive the girl who cleans her room; last reported sold at Marburg, 22-23 March 83; current whereabouts unknown
Montez, Lola: A note to Moritz Saphir saying she'll keep her word; 27 Mar 47, Munich; Boston Public Library.
Valentin in his history of the 1848 revolutions says that Saphir waited to call on LM until he had almost finished his visit to Munich so that he would not be ostracized. See Volume 9-L.
Montez, Lola: ASLetter to the director of Le Dimanche (Journal du Dimanche), Munich, 31 March 1847, sending him something (probably her circular biographical letter), telling him to use her portrait from “Le London Illustration,” and stating in response to his inquiry that she has nothing to say to what Mme. Azam may be saying because their principles do not conform and she is far above such pettiness.
This is the letter that was reproduced in facsimile in the original edition of Lola Montè. Aventures de la célèbre danseuse, raconnté par lui-même. It is now in the collection of the Bibliothèque National, Nouvelles Acquisitions Française 1305 LM No. 289.
Montez, Lola: Letter to La Presse, 31 March 47; Ransom Center, U of Texas at Austin
This is one of the many nearly identical letters of this date in which LM tried to settle rumors about her origins.
Montez, Lola: Letter in French to Alexandre Dumas, Munich, 14 April 1847, encouraging him to come to Munich to meet King Ludwig. Reported in the collection of Simone André-Maurois.
Part of the text of this letter is reported in “Les Trois Dumas” by André Maurois, page 232. See Volume 9-M for a copy of this page. The letter appears to indicate that not only was LM not particularly intimate with Dumas but that she didn’t know him particularly well at all, although the text indicates that she was replying to a letter Dumas had written to her.
Montez, Lola: Letter in English to an unknown gentleman thanking him for his help “the other night when I was so ill,” 10 April 1847: Uniwersytet Jagiellonski, Krakow
See microfilm in this collection.
Montez, Lola: Letter to unknown addresse inviting him to visit her at once to hear something urgent, nd, np, embossed stationery, "Tout a vous, Lola;" sold in Geneva, 1991; current whereabouts unknown
Montez, Lola: Note to Baron ? in French concerning return of passport; signed “Landsfeld”; nd, np; in the Bancroft Library
The date and addressee of this note are uncertain. The name of the baron is indecipherable. Someone has written on the back in pencil that she is requesting a passport to go to Munich to see the king. It is possible that this dates from after LM’s departure from Munich, but the uncharacteristic form of signature makes me think that it was written very shortly after she became a countess. LM very quickly adopted “Marie de Landsfeld” as her signature, and this is the only surviving signature as simply “Landsfeld.” My guess is that what she is requesting here is an internal Bavarian passport to make the trip to Leoni and other places she took in September 1847, but this is just a guess.
Montez, Lola: ASLetter of 14 September 1847, telling unknown man she declines to provide biographical information, not wishing publicity; signed “Comtesse de Landsfeld.” Harvard Theatre Collection.
One of the few instances of LM shunning publicity. See Volume 9R.
Montez, Lola: ASLetter of 25 Sept 47, Munich, to unknown man saying she will do what she can to help his protegée; sold at US auction in 1978; current whereabouts unknown
Montez, Lola: Letter of 25 Sept 47 (Munich) to attorney in Paris concerning debt for riding habit purchased by Leigh in spring of 46; facsimile in Mirecourt’s book.
The letter is not in LM’s hand but the signature is hers. See Volume 33-G.
Montez, Lola: Letter of 5 December 1847 to Mr. Meade, presenting him with a cast of her foot. This manuscript letter is tipped into the only known copy of the “Extra Illustrated Edition of A Reply to the Marquis de Papon’s....,” in the Libraries of the Pennsylvania State Universities
Perhaps this Mr. Meade was one of the Meade Brothers, photographers of NYC.
Montez, Lola: Note in French to hotel manager asking him to tell bearer the whereabouts of Peißner; dated "Bearne, 2 Mars 1848"; current whereabouts unknown.
A facsimile is in Fuchs, Volume 41, page 157
Montez, Lola: Letter in French to Eduard von Metzger, 18 March 1848, re sale of house; Harvard, Houghton Library
This is the letter to Metzger that was enclosed in LM’s letter to King Ludwig of the same day from Frankfurt.
Montez, Lola: Letter postmarked Berne, 30 March 48 to Carl Diehl, Gasthofler in Plauen Betr. Besorgung eines Briefes; Hannover Stadtarchiv (not holographic)
This is a cover letter in German, not in LM’s hand, enclosing a letter to Peißner. The letter to Peißner is lost, probably destroyed.
Montez, Lola: Note in French to Hurt-Binet, nd, np; NYPL Dance Collection at Lincoln Center
The transcript I saw at the library was very inaccurate, and I told them that. The note indicates she is unwell and will not be able to visit him as planned. It is undated.
Montez, Lola: Letter to Henry Vane concerning flight of Heald; Cadiz, 31 December 1849, in the Ransom Center, U of Texas, Austin
This note is so rough it might actually be a draft, but I doubt LM was in the habit of writing drafts. It makes some important connections: to Vane, to Hudson, to Mme. Leger,to Judge Hardwick, and gives some details about Heald’s friend, the Rev. Newbold.
Montez, Lola: Letter to Mme. Jacquand, n.d., n.p. (Paris), saying that she was sorry that she didn't find Mme. J at home but that she was able to show her lovely house and studio to her English friend; sold at Marburg, 10 Apr 1959, whereabouts unknown.
Montez, Lola: Note to Doctor D? asking him to come and saying she is feeling better; not in her hand or signature; signed "M. de Landsfeld"; Paris, 5 Nov 50; in the Bancroft collection
None of this note is in LM’s hand, but it appears to be authentic. I cannot make out the addressee’s name.
Montez, Lola: Letter to Mr. Campbell, n.d., n.p., saying she is so completely indisposed that she will not be able to attend the Hippodrome in his company; sold at Marburg, 8 Nov 57, whereabouts unknown.
Varnhagen’s diary reports an article in the Parisian press about Savile Morton throwning a Mr. Campbell down LM’s stairs inDecember 1857.
Montez, Lola: Letter to historian, (Louis Blanc?) 10 March 51: "J'ai lu avec le plus grand interet votre histoire de la revolution francaise"; sold at Marburg, 1972, whereabouts unknown.
Montez, Lola: Poem in French, written on the eve of her return to the theater; dated "Paris, 15 Sept 51" and signed "Marie de Landsfeld, Lola Montez"; location unknown; reproduced in Wilmes & Prezelin, facing page 241
See Volume 24-G. LM apparently adopted this as an album inscription, and several different copies exist. This in Wilmes & Prezelin comes from a manuscript in the Bibliothèque de l’Arsenal in Paris. The Houghton Library at Harvard has the same poem in LM’s hand in an autograph album.
Montez, Lola: Note of 24 Sept 51 (Brussels) inviting addressee to see her after her performance; sold by Karl & Faber, 4-5 May 1960, whereabouts unknown.
Montez, Lola: Note to Meade Bros; 22 Dec 51, NYC; Harvard Theatre Collection
This slip thanks Meade Brothers and dates LM’s first photo session in the US.
Montez, Lola: Note of 18 March 52 (Boston?); sold at US auction in 1976, whereabouts unknown.
Montez, Lola: Letter to Paco from Grass Valley on Sept. 14, 1853; sold at Geneva, 1987 (partial facsimile in catalog), whereabouts unknown.
This is a very important letter because it gives us the date Hull left LM and establishes that she knew Sutter and had begun settling down in Grass Valley as of this date. The catalog reproduces the final of four pages and summarizes the rest of the contents.
Montez, Lola: Poem and note to Stephen Massett; (Grass Valley, 1854?); Harvard Theatre Collection
My guess is that this dates from Massett’s visit to LM in Grass Valley in the spring of 1854, particularly because of the reference to wishing to have known a year earlier that men are deceivers. See the microfilm in this collection and Volume 28-D..
Montez, Lola: Note to Capt. (Conrad K.) Hotaling requesting $60; dated Grass Valley, 22 Nov 49, but endorsed on back 24 Nov 54; signed "Lola Montez"; in the Bancroft Collection
The misdating is curious, but the date is definitely 1854. Hotaling was in the mining business in Grass Valley.
Montez, Lola: Letter to unknown girl, nd, np (New York? 1857? to Miriam Follin?); Cornell University Library
I very strongly believe this was written to Mariam Follin in December of 1856 or in January of 1857. From that conclusion, I make the further conclusion that LM knew Burr from her first stay in NYC, since this letter mentions Burr specifically. See Volume 33-C.
Montez, Lola: ASLetter to Captain Ward, concerning having missed his visit. New York State Library, Albany.
It is hard to say when this note was written. See Volume 33H.
Montez, Lola: Note of 16 Nov 1857, American Hotel, Philadelphia; "the next world a lot hotter for my critics than they've made this one for me..." quoted in an article in the Boston Sunday Post, 28 October 1891, whereabouts unknown
LM apparently liked this phrase, since she used it in a letter to the editor of a Dublin newspaper in December of 1858.
Montez, Lola: Letter reporting she is working on “Strong-Minded Women” and will be lecturing in Baltimore and Washington. Yale University Library.
The contents make it possible to say that this letter was written from Baltimore on 19 November 1857 to Dr. Robert Shelton MacKenzie of Philadelphia. It makes clear that LM wrote her own lectures. See Volume 33I.
Montez, Lola: Reading manuscripts of seven of her lectures, undated, three volumes. Harvard Theatrical Collection.
Volume I contains “On fashion” (not in LM’s hand), and “On England” (in LM”s hand, the lecture she gave as “John Bull at Home”). Volume II contains “Gallantry”(partially in LM’s hand, with the printer’s notations from when it was prepared for publication in 1858) and “Heroines of History” (partially in LM’s hand, with the printer’s notations from preparation for publication). Volume III contains “On emigration” (in LM’s hand), and an untitled lecture, which is the one she gave in London on 15 June 1859 on slavery (in LM’s hand) and a final lecture, in LM’s hand but with a title, “On America,” that is apparently not in LM’s hand.
These are valuable for preserving the text of lectures that are otherwise lost and also for showing LM’s own corrections and changes in the manuscripts. They are clearly the copies from which LM spoke.
Montez, Lola: ASLetter from Bayard Street, “Friday,” with thanks for the flowers sent to her autobiographical lecture. Harvard Theatre Collection.
Internal evidence and the fact it is part of Mrs. Buchanan’s papers make it possible to say that this note is to Mrs. Isaac Buchanan and was written on 9 April 1858. It is valuable in dating the reacquaintance of LM and Mrs. Buchanan and for establishing that she was indeed living in Bayard Street with the Hoym family at this time, as the press had reported. See Volume 34C.
Montez, Lola: ASLetter, Edinburgh, 8 Feb 1859, to an unknown man forwarding two tickets to her lecture. Sold in Illinois in 1992, current whereabouts unknown.
Montez, Lola: ASLetter to Miss Mitchell on St. Marks Place, Manhattan, written from London on 4 April 1859.
This long letter to a young woman LM did not know is very important in establishing unequivocably the fervor and depth of her religious devotion at this time, which serves to authenticate the passages from her lost diary quoted in The Story of a Penitent. See Volume 36-C.
Montez, Lola: Letter to unknown author; London, 13 June 1859; Ransom Center, U of Texas, Austin (facsimile?)
This note is important because it gives the address of LM’s rented house in London and establishes that she was already there by this date.
Montez, Lola: Souvenir note for Lucinda Storrs; dated New York, Jan 21, 60; signed "Lola Montez"; in the Bancroft collection
The Storrs family was related to the Willis family, and one member of the Storrs family was a prominent minister.
Montez, Lola: AS souvenir note for Rosalie T. Amody, undated, Harvard Theatre Collection.
May well date from the same period as the Bancroft’s souvenir note, and shows the same religious tone. See Volume 37D and .Microfilm
Montez, Lola: Four-page ASLetter of 30 Jan 60, sold at US auction in 1966, to Dr. Robert Shelton MacKenzie of Philadelphia, partially reprinted in Boston Sunday Post of October 28,1891, whereabouts unknown.