David Ricardo: Correspondence and Papers

David Ricardo (1772-1823), MP and economist, was educated partly in England, and during his twelfth and thirteenth years at an uncle's in Holland, the land of his father. He had no classical training, and was employed in his father's business at the age of 14. He married in 1793, and proceeded to set up in business for himself, making a fortune and acquiring a high reputation. Ricardo was interested in scientific movements, and was one of the original members of the Geological Society, founded in 1807. His writing on the state of currency in 1809 helped his growing reputation as an authority on economics, and led to warm friendships with Thomas Malthus and James Mill. Later pamphlets established Ricardo as a leading figure on economical questions. He published his main work, 'Principles of Political Economy and Taxation' in 1817. He bought the estate of Gatcombe Park in Gloucestershire in 1813, and retired from business in the following year. In 1819 he became the Member of Parliament for the Irish borough of Portarlington, and held the seat until his death.

The collection includes manuscripts of several of Ricardo's works, correspondence between Ricardo and James Mill, letters to Thomas Malthus ans letters to Ricardo's brother in law, J.H. Wilkinson. Also included is correspondence and papers from the twentieth-century concerning the Ricardo Papers.

The Ricardo Papers (1) were previously the property of Frank Ricardo; the Mill-Ricardo Papers (2) of C.K. Mill; the Letters to Malthus (3) of R. Malthus; and the Letters to J.H. Wilkinson (4) of Canon H.R. Wilkinson. They were presented to the Library by Piero Sraffa, 1955.

Please cite as Cambridge University Library, Department of Manuscripts and University Archives, David Ricardo: Correspondence and Papers, MS Add.7510