Correspondence (1901-1910) relating
to Renouf's position as professor of history and political economy at Imperial
Peiyang University (Kuo li pei yang ta hsüeh) and publication of his book, Outlines
of General History (1909); affidavits (1887-1895) regarding his primary and
secondary education; drafts (circa 1901-1910) of miscellaneous articles on Chinese and
Japanese history and culture; lecture notes, student essays, and class record used
while teaching in China (circa 1901-1910); notes, largely on natural sciences, taken
as student at Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, Md.) (1895-1899); essays written
while attending Johns Hopkins University (1896); notes and typescripts on world
history, together with ms. and typewritten drafts and page proofs (circa 1901-1907) of
his book; and other material.
Collection No.:
MC 1150
Language:
English and German
Repository:
Rutgers University Libraries.
Special Collections and University Archives
Vincent Adams Renouf, son of Edward Renouf, was born on December 15, 1876, in
Dusseldorf, Germany. Renouf spent his first seventeen years in Germany, where he
received his primary and secondary education. In 1893, he attended Johns Hopkins
University where his father was a professor of chemistry. Renouf’s studies focused
on science and history, as well as economics. He also spent some time at Harvard
studying history and international law after leaving Johns Hopkins in 1898. In 1899,
he accepted a job at the Roxbury Latin School in Massachusetts teaching German and
history. In 1901, he traveled to Shanghai, China, to serve as Fourth Assistant B in
the Chinese Imperial Maritime Customs service. In April 1903, he was detached from
the service and accepted a professorship offered by the Imperial Peiyang University
in Tientsin (now Tianjin University). While teaching history and political economy
at the university, he wrote the book Outline of General
History for Eastern Students that was published by Macmillan and Co. in
1908. Soon after beginning to research the population question in China, he was
struck by typhus and died ten days later on May 4, 1910. He was survived by his
German wife Lilli Pechmann Renouf and three children.
The Vincent Adams Renouf papers span the period from 1887 to 1910. They consist of a
total of 76 folders in seven boxes. Most of the material is in English, while a
small amount is in German, Chinese and Japanese. This collection is organized into
10 series and can be views as having four sections that reflect Renouf’s academic
life in Germany and at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore; his correspondence; his
life, work and research in China; and several of Mrs. Renouf letters written after
her husband’s death.
The first section, documenting Renouf’s academic studies, comprises the two series
ACADEMIC TRANSCRIPTS FROM GERMANY and PAPERS AS A STUDENT AT JOHNS HOPKINS. The
ACADEMIC TRANSCRIPTS FROM GERMANY consist of Renouf’s student records and affidavits
concerning his primary and secondary education in Germany. The PAPERS AS A STUDENT
AT JOHNS HOPKINS consist of Renouf’s class notes and essays, as well as a lecture
delivered before the historical seminary of the Johns Hopkins University in 1899.
The second section, documenting Renouf’s CORRESPONDENCE, comprises the letters he
sent and received from 1901 to 1910 while he was in the U.S. and then in China.
These letters mainly have to do with his employment and published book, as well as
his research regarding China’s population.
The third section documenting Renouf’s life and work in China comprises the five
series LEGAL DOCUMENTS, PAPERS AS A PROFESSOR IN CHINA, WRITINGS, COMMONPLACE BOOK
AND MISCELLANEOUS NOTES, HOSPITAL RECEIPTS and REFERENCE MATERIALS AND EPHEMERA. The
PAPERS AS A PROFESSOR IN CHINA consist of Renouf’s lectures on history and
economics, his grade book, examination questions for students and some of his
students’ essays. Different versions of his manuscript of
Outlines of General History for Eastern Students and its galley proof and
page proof are included in the WRITINGS series.
The final part of the collection is the CORRESPONDENCE OF MADAME V.A. RENOUF from
June to August 1910.
This section provides descriptions of the materials found within each series. Each
series description is followed by a container list, which gives the titles of the
"containers" (for example, folders, volumes, or cassettes) and their locations in
the numbered boxes that comprise the collection. The availability of any digital
items from a container is indicated with a hyperlink.
Summary: Material in German documenting
Renouf’s academic transcripts, together with affidavits regarding his
primary and secondary education in Germany.
Notes: (arranged alphabetically by course
title): The notes are from various courses in history, biology, economics,
English, etc., such as American History to 1783, Development of Economic
Theories since Adam Smith, taught by Dr. Hollander, and Drama from the
Miracle Plays to the Closing of the Theatres, taught by Mr. Baker.
Essays : (grouped together by subject):
Mainly written for Renouf’s English class, the essays include titles such as
“Character Drawing and Realism in “Gammer Gurtons Needle,’” “Shakespeare’s
Striving for Unity, in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream,’” “The Source of the Best
Poetry in Peele’s David and Bethsabe” and “The
Structure of Johnson’s Comedy ‘Every Man in His Humor.’”
Lecture: The lecture, entitled
“Gambetta,” is a speech that Renouf delivered before the historical seminary
of Johns Hopkins University on May 19, 1899.
Notes
Box
Folder
1
2
American History to 1783 (Prof. Channing), 1899-1900
3
American Psychology, undated
4
[Asian History, Japan, Korea, India], 1898-1899
5
[Biology -- Various, Including Histology], 1897-1898 and undated
6
Comparative Embryology (Dr. Andrews), undated
7
Corporations (Dr. Sherwood), 1899
8
Development of Economic Theories since Adam Smith (Dr.
Hollander), 1898-1900
Box
Folder
2
1
The Drama from the Miracle Plays to the Closing of the
Theatres (Mr. Baker),
1899-1900
2
[Early European History], undated
3
English Literature, 1897
4
Germanic History to the Deposition of Charles the Fat
(Herbert B. Adams),
1898-1899
5
International Law (Prof. Strobel), 1899-1900
6
Late English History -- French Revolution, 1899-1900
7
[Miscellaneous, e.g., Modern Japan, Forestry], undated
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
within two subseries: letters received and letters sent.
Summary: Letters regarding Renouf’s job
application for a position in China with the Custom service and later for a
professorship at Tientsin University, his correspondence with Macmillan and
Co. regarding the publication details of his book Outlines of General History for Eastern Students, his
correspondence with F.G. Whittick, a friend of his trying to help him
promote his book, and his requests for information to aid his research on
China’s population issue.
In one of the letters, addressed to Sir Robert E. Bredon, then Acting
Inspector General of Customs in China, he applies for a position with the
service. In it, he briefly introduces himself, including some details of his
experience and educational background.
Also included in this series are the contracts between Renouf and the
Customs House and Tientsin University, with the details of his allowance and
salary stated.
His Correspondence with Macmillan and Co. discusses publication details of
his book Outlines of General History for Eastern
Students, as well as the possibility of publishing his book in
Egypt and Singapore as a school text.
Later, after he had begun to conduct research on the population question in
China, he sent out letters seeking information on manufacturers of
conception prevention products and books on the topic.
Summary: Two legal documents, one
concerning an agreement regarding Renouf’s furnace usage between him and
Tientsin University and the other issued by the Tientsin Land Investment Co.
Ltd. asking the Renoufs to redeem outstanding debentures by the end of 1910.
Arrangement: Arranged alphabetically within
four subseries.
Summary: Lectures, a grade book,
examinations and student essays.
Lectures: Outlines used in history and
political economy classes, such as “Elementary General History of Industry
and Commerce,” “Summary and Notes on J.S. Mill’s Principles of Political Economy ,” etc.
Grade Book : A record of the names, class
attendance and grades for his students, as well as a list of the whereabouts
of his students who had graduated.
Examinations:
Student Essays: Three papers written in
English by his Chinese students on the topic of family and women in the East
and the West. Among these items are: “On Family and Women,” by Ch’in Fen,
and “The Different Organization of Family and the Different Position of
Woman in West and East,” by Pan Cheng Shuan.
Lectures
Box
Folder
3
2
Chinese Foreign Relations, undated
3
“Elementary General History of Industry and Commerce,”
1903
4
“The Germans at the time of the Migration of Nations,”
undated
5
History, 1904
6
[Population Question in China], undated
7
“Summary of and Notes on J.S. Mill’s Principles of Political Economy, 1908
8
“W. Wilson’s The State,”
undated
Grade Book
Box
Folder
3
9
“Student Record,”
undated
Examinations
Box
Folder
3
10
January 1910
Student Essays
Box
Folder
3
11
undated [Essays on Family and Women
in the East and West],
Summary: Documentation of Renouf’s writings
while he was in China. The bulk of this series consists of two versions of
the manuscript for Outlines of General History for
Eastern Students, together with copies of the book’s galley and
page proofs. Other items present cover such topics as “Population and
Progress,” “Introduction to the Study of History” and the economy and trade
in China.
Box
Folder
3
12
[Article on Economy and Trade in China], undated
13
“Introduction to the Study of History,” undated
14-18
Outlines of General History for Eastern
Students – Manuscript (longhand),
undated
Box
Folder
4
1-2
Outlines of General History for Eastern
Students – Manuscript (mimeographed), version 1,
undated
3-5
Outlines of General History for Eastern
Students – Manuscript (mimeographed), version 2,
undated
6
Outlines of General History for Eastern
Students – Front Matter, Additions and Index,
1908
7
Outlines of General History for Eastern
Students – Galley Proof, 1908
8
Outlines of General History for Eastern
Students – Page Proof, 1908
Summary: One commonplace book [“Collection
of Quotations”] and notes on Adam Smith’s The Wealth
of Nations, on the Chinese language, on stories ideas and on the
history of New Haven and Massachusetts.
Renouf’s notes on “Ruan Hua Chih Nan” (learning official Chinese) and index
cards listing book titles are stored separately in two different boxes.
Box
Folder
4
11
Commonplace Book [“Collection of Quotations”],
1895-1902
Box
Folder
6
[Index Cards Listing Book Titles], undated
Box
Folder
4
12
[Notes on Adam Smith’s The Wealth of
Nations], undated
13
[Notes on Chinese Language, Story Notes, Etc.],
undated
14
[Notes on the History of New Haven and Massachusetts],
undated
Summary: Books used as reference materials
and miscellaneous other printed items.
The publications include titles such as “China Philosophical Society:
Organization, Provisional Constitution and Presidential Address,” “Kung Han
I Yao: Translation of Important Official Letters,” by William George Lay,
“Menschen und Berge (In China),” by H. Steinitzer, and a “List of Imperial
Post Offices” published in 1908.
Box
Folder
5
1
Cards (Visiting) for Renouf and Mrs. Renouf,
undated
Summary: Mrs. Renouf’s correspondence with
Renouf’s contacts after his death. Of the two letters written in German, one
mentions the cause of Renouf’s death.