University of Pennsylvania Finding Aids

Edward Sculley Bradley (1897-1987) was a scholar, author, educator, and administrator at the University of Pennsylvania. Bradley was considered an international expert on American poet Walt Whitman (1819-1892), editing several important editions of the poet's Leaves of Grass. He was also a general editor and contributed to the 14-volume Collected Writings of Walt Whitman from 1961 to 1984, and was a trustee of the Walt Whitman Foundation. He was instrumental in Penn acquiring numerous important literary collections, including the Walt Whitman collection. This collection of articles, books, journals, essays, newsletters, exhibition information, catalogs, pamphlets, and publications of the Walt Whitman Fellowship (including event information and papers) was compiled by Bradley.

Harry Mathews (1930-2017) is an experimental poet and prose writer. Mathews is well known for authoring several highly acclaimed novels; co-founding and co-editing the literary magazine, Locus Solus; and for his membership in the French avant-garde literary society, Olipo. The collection documents Mathews’ professional life, and to a lesser extent, his personal life and includes drafts, typescripts, and corrected typescripts of Mathews' prose and poetry; publicity and promotion resulting from his literary work; research files probably used for writing his books; teaching and workshop records; writings by others; extensive correspondence which is restricted from use unless permission is granted by Mathews; and a small amount of audio visual material as well as several computer files.