St John Hankin [St. John Emile Clavering Hankin, Edwardian ?New Drama? playwright.] Two Autograph Letter Signed to actor-manager Otho Stuart, one asking to read him a ?new play?, the other asking for the return of a script.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. Stuart was at the time actor-manager of the Adelphi Theatre, London. Both items in good condition, lightly aged, and folded for postage. ONE: 3pp, 12mo (the third page carrying a postscript written lengthwise). Bifolium. Begins: ?Dear Sir / I have a new play which I should like to read to you if you would care to hear it. It is not suited to a big house & stage like the Adelphi but if you are likely to put anything up a smaller house (as in the case of Peter?s Mother) it might be worth your while to consider it.? He explains that the play contains a ?big part? for Ellen Terry?s sister Marion Terry (1852-1930), who would be ?almost indispensable? for the play?s ?satisfactory presentation?. He gives a day when he will be in London, before going ?North to look after rehearsals of The Return of the Prodigal?. Alternatively, he will be lunching at the Savile Club the following day, ?if you care to ring me up on the telephone?. The play in question is presumably 'The Cassilis Engagement', which was produced at the Imperial Theatre, London, from 10 February 1907. The part of Mrs Cassilis was not taken by Marion Terry, but by Evelyn Weeden. TWO: 1p, 12mo. Written a little over a year before he killed himself in a fit of depression (Bernard Shaw described his death as ?a public calamity?), in similar fashion to Virginia Woolf. Addressed to ?Otho Stuart Esq.? and signed ?St John Hankin?. Reads: ?You have, I think, the script of a play of mine The Two Mr Wetherbys. If you have finished with it will you be good enough to return it to me here??