Margeretta Elizabeth Perceval (1768-1851), Countess Arden was married to Charles George Perceval (1756-1840), second Baron Arden, of Arden, Warwickshire. Lord Arden was a Tory MP, (Launceston, 1780-90, Warwick, 1790-96 and Totnes, 1796-1802, when he succeeded to the peerage), a Lord of the Admiralty 1783-1801, Commissioner of the India Board 1801-03, Lord of the Bedchamber, 1804-12 and Lord Lieutenant of Surrey, 1830-40. His younger brother, Spencer Perceval, was assassinated in the House of Commons in 1812, when Prime Minister.

After his death in 1840, the dowager Countess Arden resided at St James Palace. To commemorate her husband’s life she commissioned Thomas Goff Lupton (1791-1873) to produce a mezzotint engraving, after the portrait painted of her husband by Henry Peronnet Briggs (1791-1844). A copy of Lupton’s printed engraving resides in the National Portrait Gallery (NPG D7087). Goff was the first engraving artist to successfully adopt soft steel plates in place of copper, enabling larger print runs without losing quality and clarity. As a consequence Lady Arden had produced about 100 prints which were sent out to friends and associates of her husband, including minor royals, peers, baronets, landed gentry, bishops, other clergymen and commoners . During the course of 1841-42 she received replies from the recipients, which form the first part of the bound volume (MS Add.10198/1/1-108).

The letters received by Lord Arden in 1812 (MS Add.10198/3/1-38) were written in response to receiving the gift of a mezzotint engraving from him, commemorating his late brother. The engraving was produced and published by the London engraver, Charles Turner (NPG D40155), in August, 1812, after the portrait painted by George Francis Joseph, one of two commissioned and completed in 1812, (NPG 4).

The volume was dedicated by Lady Arden as a gift to her children.