The Correspondence of R.G. Collingwood an Illustrated Guide

By Peter Johnson

R.G. Collingwood (1889-1943), like Hume before him, disapproved of the publication of his private correspondence. Nevertheless, despite Collingwood's wishes, it remains a fact that a significant number of letters have survived and are publicly available for inspection in university libraries, and elsewhere. Recently, this material has formed the basis for a number of important studies of his thought.

Collingwood's correspondence is diverse in character, written in response to difference circumstances, at different dates, and for different correspondents. When viewed as a whole, Collingwood's correspondence derives its main historical value from the evidence it provides for the more accurate dating of the composition of individual published works.

There are over 360 letters from Collingwood included in the guide. This guide is not exhaustive and other letters are certain to come to light. It is hoped that any supplementary listings will appear in future issues of Collingwood Studies.