Description In January 2014, Robert Boyer, emeritus professor of English at St. Norbert College,donated his W.H. Auden collection to the Miriam B. and James J. Mulva Library archives at the college. The collection includes Auden's published works, and correspondence between Boyer and the author's fellow student, Herbert Howarth.
Herbert Howarth was Boyer's teacher and dissertation director at the University of Pennsylvania. Howarth attended Oxford University where he was tutored by the same tutor of W. H. Auden, Nevill Coghill. Coghill had been the tutor of Auden ten years before Howarth for his post doctorate work.
This is the collection of their correspondence.
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W. H. Auden Postcard
W. H. Auden
Handwritten in ink postcard from W.H. Auden to Dr. Robert Boyer, regarding a date for a meeting.
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Questions for Coghill
Robert Boyer
Inside monograph Chauncer's Idea of What is Noble of contains a loose sheet of paper, with, on one side the written list of questions Boyer brought to his interview of Coghill, and on the other side a transcription of the (London) Times obituary of "Mr. Herbert Howarth Critic of Yeats Joyce and Eliot". Coghill was Howarth's tutor at Oxford, as he had been Auden's ten years earlier. Howarth was the collector's (Robert H. Boyer) teacher and dissertation director at the University of Pennsylvania.
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August 21, 1971 Coghill Letter
Nevill Coghill
Letter from Nevill Coghill to Dr. Boyer offering help with Boyer's Auden thesis.
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September 11, 1971 Coghill Letter
Nevill Coghill
Letter from Nevill Coghill to Dr. Robert Boyer regarding meeting to discuss the life of Auden
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September 20, 1971 Coghill Letter
Nevill Coghill
Letter from Nevill Coghill to Dr. Robert Boyer regarding his question concerning William James' book The Varieties of Religious Experiences.
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A. Stanley T. Fischer Letter
A. Stanley Fischer
Letter to Mr. Boyer regarding his Auden thesis from Stanley Fischer. Letter states that there is no Anglo-Saxon influence on Auden's poetry up to 1926. Fischer states that the earliest influences on Auden's poetry were Thomas Hardy, Edward Thomas, and his father's medical books.
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Robert Boyer's Dissertation Copy
Robert Boyer
Copy of the 500 word dissertation abstract, sent along with the final fair copy of the dissertation. Both would be submitted by Penn for microfilm preservation and the University of Michigan
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August 29, 1969 Letter
Herbert Howard
Herbert Howarth congratulates Dr. Boyer on the birth of his daughter (Heather) and looks forward to receiving the dissertation. Clearly not referring to the August graduation deadline.
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April 7, 1969 Letter
Herbert Howarth
Discussing/recommending a possible time-table for getting the revised draft to Howarth.
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December 3, 1969 Letter
Herbert Howarth
Herbert Howarth worries that the office is "alarmed" that they haven't yet received the "perfected" dissertation of Boyers. Refers to the microfilm contract, meaning that the dissertation has been accepted and only needs final copy from Boyer. Penn awarded Boyer the PhD in the fall semester of 1969, which without Herbert Howarth, might have never happened.
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February 4, 1969 Letter
Herbert Howarth
A second letter from Herbert Howarth, after he has heard from the second reader, Dr. Roiser, an Anglo-Saxon expert. There is quite a bit of critisism from Dr. Rosier than Dr. Boyer expected. Herbert Howarth's tone is much more formal. Dr. Boyer stated that he was guessing that Howarth shared his letter with Rosier.
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January 13, 1969 Letter
Herbert Howarth
Herbert Howarth responses to the first draft of Dr. Boyer's dissertation. He give positive feedback but states that work is need. Suggestions to keep moving forward even before the manuscript arrives back to Dr. Boyer.
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July 10, 1969 Letter
Herbert Howarth
Instructions on the fair copy of Dr. Robert Boyer's dissertation.
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July 1, 1969 Letter
Herbert Howarth
Herbert Howarth with some suggested references. He had an amazing range and memory, Boyer stated.
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July 25, 1969 Letter
Herbert Howarth
Herbert Howarth wants Dr. Boyer to finish his dissertation. He send Boyer detailed suggestions.
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March 11, 1969 Letter
Herbert Howarth
Herbert Howarth is clearly responding to Dr. Boyer's negative reaction to Dr. Rosier, and mediating between the two.
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March 4, 1969 Letter
Herbert Howarth
Boyer's five-page (typed,single spaced) letter in response to the criticisms of the first draft. Tone is defensive, plaintive, bordering on resentful. Not directed at Herbert Howarth but at Dr. Rosier.
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May 13, 1969 Letter
Herbert Howarth
Herbert Howarth encourages Dr. Boyer to go for a summer graduation, despite his misgivings.
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May 2, 1969
Herbert Howarth
From Arthur Scouten, Graduate Charman. Dr. Boyer is hoping that the second draft will be accepted so he can graduate in the summer of 1969.
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October 18, 1969 Letter
Herbert Howarth
Herbert Howarth refers to the abstract and the typescript of the dissertation. Howarth also gives instructions about logistics.
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October 24, 1969 Letter
Herbert Howarth
Herbert Howarth refers to having all the corrected pages. Gives more logistical directions.
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Craig R. Thompson Letter
Craig R. Thompson
Undated letter from the third reader, Craig R. Thompson. He has only "distinctly minor reservations." He has around 30 typos. He makes useful suggestions, which Boyer ignore, trusting Howarth would win him over
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October 17, 1968 Letter
Herbert Howarth
Working on a first draft. Suggestions for a course on Continental Novel. Boyer is now at St Norbert; dissertation in progress while teaching full time.
