English writer, artist, and photographer (1860–1913) who was perhaps better known as Baron Corvo. A rather obscure figure in modernist literature, his influence has been discerned in novels written by Henry Harland, Ronald Firbank, Graham Greene, and Alexander Theroux. His biography by A.J.A. Symons, The Quest for Corvo, is regarded as a minor classic in the field. Rare ALS signed “F. Austin,” three pages, 4.75 x 8, 1897. Addressed from Holywell in Wales, a spirited, albeit neatly penned handwritten letter to Father Flynn, in part: “I am informed that on Ascension day at the Presbytery you spoke derogatorily of me to a Mr. C. Augustine Watts (a solicitor to whom Fr. Beauclerk referred me and who will not attend to Fr. Beauclerk’s reference) impressing the opinion that I intended to 'have a go at the Cardinal.’
Let me re-assure you that at present I have (& have not had, since I had Fr. Beauclerk’s—well—indiscretions—to attend to) the slightest intention of having 'a go at the Cardinal' for, in common with Alberto de Roliden, & other artists whom his Eminence has defrauded, I consider my affair will be more advantageously employed as a story illustrative of the morals of the dignified clergy.
I take this opportunity of informing you that I have detected a fresh example of dishonesty in one of Fr. Beauclerk's officials. Mrs. Tennant, his reverence's collector, borrowed of me Last year a Yellow Book, & a dark room lamp. She has returned neither, & she denies that she has the Yellow Book, wh. I may say was lent on the same day when she stole a negative (being a portrait of the writer which she coveted) from my late studio. It is perfectly amazing to see how Fr. Beauclerk's parishioners, on finding his reverence to condone violence and to be a flagrant and confessed liar, calumniator, & manuscript thief, conspire to imitate his vices, e.g. by collecting subscriptions for the Holywell Record, keeping the same until found out, & omitting to supply the subscribers with the Records for which they have paid. Such is the force of an evil example.
And yet Fr. Beauclerk condones their crimes & gives them high places, e.g. in processions, from which they turn to bow to us whom they have injured and whom Fr. Beauclerk, as a matter of private revenge, has deprived of our Rites.
It is also my duty to tell you that we are no longer able to conceal the fact that for four weeks Mr. & Mrs. Hochheimer & I have been living on snacks of bread & potatoes & for some days together we have had no food at all. This is known to Fr. Beauclerk…and now that some of the townspeople have discovered it, we need no longer endeavour to shield Fr. Beauclerk…The fact that Mrs. Hochheimer suffers in health…as well as of necessaries of life does not of course matter…But meanwhile the 18 counts of our indictment of Fr. Beauclerk, having passed the Vicar Apostolic & the Provincial S. J. are now being assiduously agitated in Rome where, & I can assure you, we mean to prosecute them without ceasing until we obtain either our Rights or Excommunication, but justice anyhow.” In fine condition.
In April 1895, Rolfe, then using the pseudonym ‘Mr Austin,’ arrived in Holywell to paint new banners for the town's regular Catholic processions, work commissioned by Jesuit priest Charles Sidney Beauclerk. However, it was not long before Rolfe's relations with the parish priest began to deteriorate and break down altogether when Beauclerk rejected Rolfe’s hefty payment request. Eventually, Rolfe agreed to a small fee of £50, but, as the editor and chief writer for the Holywell Record, Rolfe used his control of the publication to attack Beauclerk relentlessly. By early 1897 Rolfe used his myriad of Holywell acquaintances to join his feud with Beauclerk. The priest's position ultimately became untenable and the Jesuit Provincial decided to transfer him.
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