[ Richard St John Tyrwhitt, art critic. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('R St John Tyrwhitt') to 'Mrs Paul', regarding his book 'Our Sketching Club. Letters and Studies on Landscape Art.' With a copy of the book.

Letter: 3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Laid down on the book's flyleaf. In very good condition, lightly-aged. He hears about his book 'every now & then & I suppose it goes off all right'. He advises Mrs Paul to tell her correspondent that 'she has only to go on with its lessons & exercises', and that 'The woodcuts are all meant to be copied, & a fair amount of directions is given. [...] The book is really a Manual of Drawing, & it must be always at hand if it is to be of any use.' He states that he will 'answer questions about it, from anybody who bona fide owns a copy of it: not from borrowers or circulating-library customers.' Letters to him 'must contain a distinct assertion on honour that the writer possesses a copy of the book, whether bought or received as a present'. He ends: 'I see the demand keeps up at Mudie's, but that is for the story part - whereas the book is really meant to be useful.' Book: [xii] + 374pp. Frontispiece and 37 illustrations in text. With 32pp. publishers' catalogue at rear. In original brown cloth, gilt. In fair condition, with front hinge split. The title-page states that the work is 'With an Authorised Reproduction of the Lessons and Woodcuts in Professor Ruskin's "Elements of Drawing."' Loosely inserted in the volume is a memorandum (4pp., 12mo) from Tyrwhitt's great-grandson (Thomas Colmer), dated 26 March 1979. The book is presented on the reverse of the front free endpaper by 'Dad' (i.e. Colmer) to his son 'Charlie, great, great grandson of the author', 14 September 1970. Tyrwhitt was a great admirer of Ruskin, in whose favour he withdrew his candidature for the Slade Professorship of Fine Art in 1869.