[Lord Stanhope, historian, antiquary and Tory politician.] Autograph Letter Signed to the editor of The Times, J. T. Delane, bewailing the state of Paris following the Franco-Prussian War, criticising French typography, and praising ‘Dr. Russell’.

See the two men’s entries in the Oxford DNB. 4pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged, with thin neat strip from windowpane mount adhering to the outer edges. Folded twice for postage. Writing during the Siege of Paris, he begins by thanking him ‘for the specimen of the present Paris printing. Alas how different is this blurred & blotted mass of types from the beautiful pages of typography which that brilliant city afforded! Alas too for the hopes which we expressed to each other when last we met that the war being over we might pass a few days at Paris before the present month had closed! Are there really no - no [sic] hopes at all of speedy peace?’ He was pleased to see in that day’s Times ‘the article in vindication of Dr Russell’ (Charles William Russell, President of Maynooth College). He wonders if Delane noticed that he himself gave a speech ‘in laying a foundation stone’, during which he ‘took an opportunity of bearing my testimony to Dr. Russell’s high character as well as great intelligence. This I said I could do from personal knowledge, & that I did it the rather as shewing that some of his recent statements had been called in question’. He and Lady Stanhope are ‘quite alone’ (at Chevening), ‘but expect very shortly a reinforcement of sons’. He ends with the invitation: ‘Would you like to come down for a Sunday?’