The Massachusetts Medievalist on E.A. Freeman to Sarah Orne Jewett (short version: mansplaining)
Last fall, the Massachusetts Medievalist was pleased to road trip to South Berwick ME to tour the Sarah Orne Jewett house. I was also disappointed to discover that Jewett was not just a queer feminist writer but an apologist for imperialism and colonialism as well (that episode chronicled here). Some more hunting around has revealed a substantial scholarly dialogue (like this essay and this one too) about Jewett's inclinations towards racism, "race science," and imperialism, and I was disappointed all over again.
Touring through that rabbit hole led me to a letter from noted nineteenth-century historian E.A. Freeman to Jewett. Held in the archives at Colby College, it's a brief and bizarre thank-you note from the Oxford Professor who authored the six-volume The History of the Norman Conquest of England (1867-79) to the Lady Novelist who stepped out of her lane to write the popular history The Story of the Normans (1887). Transcription of the letter appears below; I don't think it makes any great contribution to historiography studies, but two important points emerge for me:
1. Freeman's handwriting is atrocious (page one of three below). I have no idea how or if SOJ took the time to decipher this letter when she received it. I've spent some hours in nineteenth-century archives and this is beyond horrible. Note that the Massachusetts Medievalist is OFTEN criticized for her penmanship, but Freeman's is exponentially worse than mine. But perhaps better if Jewett didn't actually read it, because…..
2. …."condescending" does not begin to describe Freeman's tone. After thanking Jewett for sending along her newly-published book, and complaining about the logistical challenge of receiving mail while owning two houses, he "must ask" her to rewrite a section that may contain some errors. So he's basically saying: tepid thanks for your book, and here are some mistakes you made, and I really need to point those out even though the book has already been published because it will probably sell many more copies than mine. Oh, and "please forgive me" (for being such a jerk?) but I'm thinking a lot about the Normans in Sicily right now so I couldn't help myself.
Accordingly, the Colby archive letter documents little more than nineteenth-century historian mansplaining, which I suspect was simply a common occurrence, whether or not it included racism.
Transcription w/notes below.
With enormous gratitude to Emma Henry at Lesley University Library and Valerie Eads, Samantha Seal, and the Medieval Feminist listserv for assistance with the medieval and modern names Freeman drops so casually in his atrocious handwriting; and to Patricia Burdick, director of special collections at Colby College Library, who scanned and sent the letter during COVID restrictions.
July 17th 1887
Dear Madam,
I must thank you for your book of the Normans that I found on my return here from Oxford about three weeks back. I dare say it had been waiting a good while. It is a fact that besets dwellers in two houses that, whichever one is in everything goes to the other
In my present state of mind I actually looked to the Sicilian part even before *(July 18th) Falaise and Senlac.^ I see you leave it to me, but that should not be. I touch the Normans from the Sicilian side - you should touch Sicily from the Norman side. But I must ask you to rewrite pp.139 & 140 and not call George Manickes** Maurice or place the Normans of 1040 at Amalfi instead of Melfi. I know you have been led astray in the latter case by A.H. Johnson,^^ in defiance of good old Amato who foretold the mistake 800 years back and gave warning against it. Nor does Johnson call Manickes Maurice; And that is all a jumble of Geoffrey Malaterra***; Look even at William of Apulia & you will see that it was not Manickes but Michael Dokeianos^^^ who beat Harduin**** & deprived the Normans of their pay. I am just doing all this : so I am full of it and must make my protest : so please forgive me
Believe me yours faithfully
Edward A Freeman
Notes:
*. the second sheet of the letter is re-dated to 18 July 1887.
^. French and English town names
**. Georgios Maniakis, Byzantine general active in Sicily
^^. Arthur Henry Johnson, author of The Normans in Europe
***. An eleventh-century Norman monk who lived in Italy
^^^. Succeeded Maniakis as military leader
****. Arduin the Lombard