Helen Maria Williams letters, 1798-1820 and undated.

Collection comprises four letters written by Helen Maria Williams, two to her nephew, Athanase Laurent Charles Coquerel, one to Mrs. Joel [Ruth] Barlow, and one to an unidentified recipient. Williams provided aid for fellow republican radicals. On 22 August 1798, she wrote to her American expatriate friend Ruth Barlow. Williams hoped that Ruth's husband, the diplomat Joel Barlow, would assist James Wollstonecraft (Mary's brother), who was then in prison in Paris as a suspected spy. The letter notes Thomas Payne's [Paine's] ineffective efforts on James' behalf. Other topics in the letters include Coquerel's position, her income, the health and situation of friends and family members, and an unnamed woman she wishes to avoid. Three letters are accompanied by partial or full transcription.