Oldham, William, (fl.1828-1839), London hatter, speculator about philosophy and religion

Manuscript commonplace book, containing moral and mystical speculations and reportage, as well as business accounts. 1828-c.1839 (plus insert from 1903).

Oldham's speculations deal with the nature of life, love, God, language and education; inter alia he quotes Plato, Milton and Schiller, describes demonstrations of mesmerism by Baron Dupotet (Jean Du Potet de Sennevoy, 1796-1881) and is analysed by Mr. Burney, a phrenologist and physiognomist.

ff. 1r-3r: blank, apart from a few pencil notes.

ff. 3v-50v: accounts and lists of debtors and creditors, 1828-1833.

ff. 51r-52v: "Important Inward Questions to be answered from the central ground of the Inward Christian".

ff. 53r-55v: "Questions".

f. 56r: "Death".

f. 56v: blank.

ff. 57r-63r: poetry.

ff. 63v-64r: blank, headed "Botany". Some leaves torn out between these two.

ff. 64v-71r: "Questions".

ff. 71v: quotation from "Paradise Lost".

f. 72r-v: "Mr. Alcott's Schoolroom".

f. 72v (cont.)-75r: aphorisms and philosophical argument.

ff. 75v-76v: classification of qualities.

f. 77r: aphorisms and philosophical argument.

f. 77r (cont.): "Perseverence".

ff. 77v-81v: aphorisms, philosophical argument, notes and diagrams; including "Objections made against the intuitive mode of instruction taught by Pestalozzi by E. Miles" (f. 78v) (Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi, 1746-1827).

ff. 82r-86v: accounts of mesmeric demonstrations given by Baron Dupotet.

f. 87r: blank.

ff. 87v-88r: notes on education.

ff. 88v-89v: "Grammer" [sic]. Some leaves torn out after these.

ff. 90r-91r: blank.

f. 91v: "Number".

f. 92r: blank.

f. 92v: timetable of lessons.

f. 93r: notes on organisation of schools.

ff. 93v-94r: blank. Some leaves torn out between these two.

ff. 94v-95r: "Questions relating to Phrenology".

f. 95v: note on C. von Rotteck's General History of the World.

f. 96r: blank.

ff. 96v-98r: notes of the meetings of the Universal Good Society, 1837.

f. 98v: blank.

ff. 99r-106r: diagrams illustrating various qualities and their relationship to each other and to God.

f. 106v: blank.

ff. 107r-110r: aphorisms and philosophical argument on the subject of the instincts.

ff. 110v: blank.

f. 111: resolutions as to future conduct, November 1839.

ff. 112r-113: "On the Repressing of Evil".

ff. 113v-115r: "The Phrenological development and Physiognomical Temperament of Wm. Oldham from the examination of Mr. Burney 24 May 1838".

f. 115v: list of books lent.

ff. 116r-117r: blank.

ff. 117v-118r: notes on love.

ff. 118v-119r: notes on Schiller.

ff. 119v-124v: note of Plato's simile of shadows on cave walls.

f. 125r: note on sleep.

ff. 125v-131r: "Questions and Answers by a Student in Divine Realities contrasted with Questions and Answers by a Student in Realities".

ff. 131v-132r: diagrams of the relationship of various qualities.

ff. 132v-133r: philosophical notes.

ff. 133v-135r: "Gratitude".

ff. 135v-139r: "Government".

ff. 139v-140: "Education".

ff. 141r-148v: "Scraps", including analyses of the roots of words.

f. 149v: recipe for vinegar.

f. 150: blank.