This list provides an overview of post-1600 literary manuscripts and letters in the French language held in the British Library’s Western Manuscripts Collections. It was compiled in 1996 by Julian Conway, superintendent of the Manuscripts Reading Room. It focuses primarily on diverse manuscript material written by literary figures, with an emphasis on correspondence. It excludes the majority of writers whose primary output was not considered ‘literary’ in nature. For example, this list includes some philosophers but is not exhaustive in that area.
