Autograph Letters

1p., landscape 8vo. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, with small spike-hole (not affecting text), and minor traces of previous mount on reverse, which is docketed 'J. Nourse to T. Longman, 1770.' The bill lists five items, from 'Johnsons Dicty 2 V. folio' to 'Sherwin's Tables', with the date of purchase and price, coming to a total of £14 8s 4d. The receipt at the foot of the page reads 'April 4. 1771 Received the Contents - | [signed] Thos Longman'.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. The first page headed 'Act III', and the whole tightly-written and filled with deletions, interpolations and marginal notes, providing a valuable insight into the creative process of one of Victorian England's most successful dramatists. The last page breaks off: 'Handeside confesses his own desperate attachment. Markham <...>'. 'A Sister's Penance' was a great success, with 83 performances at the Adelphi between 26 November 1866 and 2 March 1867.

2pp., 4to. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with thin strip from mount adhering to margin of verso of second leaf, which is addressed to 'Mr. M. A. Jullien de Paris.' Printed slip from nineteenth-centrury catalogue describing the item laid down on first leaf. Doane begins 'My dear Sir, | Through the medium of M. George (whom I have had the pleasure of seeing since I wrote you last) I send de la part de M. Bentham the following works'. A list of thirteen items follows, from 'Christomathia 2 vols' to 'European Magazine for April 1823'. 'Those which are marked thus * Mr. B. wd.

3pp., 4to. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed, with broken seal in black wax, on verso of second leaf, to 'James Montgomery Esqr'. 80 lines of text. He has been twice that day to Montgomery's Sheffield mansion the Mount 'to enquire about you - the first time in vain, and the second nearly so.

1p., 4to. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed on reverse, which carries traces of the wafer, to 'Colonel Bagot | Davies Street | Berkley [sic] Square | 34'. A short letter with a good, emphatic signature: 'My dear Sr. | I am very sorry you have so good a plea for absence - only remember on some future occasion that I shall not ask your Company as a favor but insist upon it as a right | ever yours | [signed] Sydney Smith | May. 12. 1842'. Perhaps concerning the same breakfast on 14 May 1842 to which Smith invited Georgiana Harcourt on 10 May 1842 (Letters, ed. N. C.

4pp., 4to. Fair, on lightly-aged paper. An important document, not least for the fact that its author discusses the building of a 'tunnel 4 or 5 miles through the [Hoosac] mountain', anticipating the commencement of the construction of the Hoosac Tunnel by 23 years. The letter is closely and neatly written, with the first page headed 'The following Results of my surveys and levels, in the valley of Deerfield River, are respectfully submitted to the Commissioners of Canals, in Massachusetts. | Viz.

1p., 4to. 15 lines. On aged and worn paper. The letter reads 'Dear Sir/ | A general meeting of all the Dramatic Authors will take place at the Garricks head in Bow Street on Monday nexxt at One o'Clock.

3pp., 12mo. Fair, on aged paper. Mathews begins by quoting contradictory passages from letters of Charles Mathews, one from Mrs Mathews' 'Memoirs of Charles Mathews, Comedian' (1839) and the other from Bunn's 'The Stage: Both before and behind the Curtain' (1840). Regarding a performance in Dublin in 1811, the letter Mrs Mathews quotes complains that, although Mathews had been led to believe

3pp., 4to. Bifolium. 57 lines. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed, on reverse of second leaf, to 'William W. Greenough | Andover | Massachusetts', with circular postmark in red ink and remains of red wax seal. Regarding 'the article on Bosworth's Anglo-Sax. Dict.', Henry writes: 'From the few first pages that I have read & the glance that I have given at the rest, I am satisfied that I shall be glad to print your article.

3pp., 4to. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with minor traces of previous mounting on reverse of second leaf. She writes 'as a stranger' to the recipient: 'the person who now addresses you is a Daughter of the late Revd. Richd. Cecil, whose works you are probably well acquainted with'. She is about to publish a book which she is 'induced to think would have a very good sale in America' and has been recommended to apply to the recipient 'as a Person likely to be willing to enter into negociation with me on the subject'.

3pp., 12mo. 55 lines, neatly and closely written. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed to 'Mr W. Shoberl.' An excellent letter, giving an experienced and knowledgable view of the state of the mid-Victorian British booktrade. Redding begins by stating that he is 'indeed concerned to hear the statement' Shoberl has communicated to him. He wishes it was in his power to forward Shoberl's wishes.

2pp., 4to. On a bifolium, with the main text on the recto of the first page, and the postscript with the address on the verso of the second. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Tipped-in onto leaf removed from an autograph album. The book he enquired after on the previous day was 'any spanish work translated into french or English Interlineally for a beginner in that language'. He has seen German and Italian books 'so translated', and will be grateful if Jones can suggest a Spanish one.

1 p, 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper, and still tipped-in onto leaf removed from album. Arranging a time at which to call on him. According to the Oxford DNB Greville moved from Grosvenor Place to Lord Granville's house in Bruton Street in 1849.

Four pages, cr. 8vo, good conditon. "I have to thank you for your letter & enclosure.

4 pp, 12mo. Bifolium. 73 lines. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper. Hood returned to England from Ostend in 1840, moving into Devonshire Lodge after trying other lodgings. A fine letter, informative, energetic and moving. Jane begins by thanking Mrs Elliot for the 'kind present to my Tom [the couple's son Thomas Hood the younger (1835-1874)]': 'I only wish you could have seen the happy boy - how proud he was - and indeed is, of his new appearance - he sends his love & best thanks. I am sorry to say he does not yet write a readable letter'.

A total of 8 pp, 4to, all on Palace Court letterheads. Dent's notes both signed 'Jock Dent.', and the copies both signed 'James Agate'. Two important, energetic and vivid letters by Agate, totalling 6 pp, 4to, defending Coward's play and his position on 'the intellectual and the popular', against the 'pseudo-intelligentsia' of the barristers Shearman and 'Jack' St John Hutchinson (1884-1942).

2 pp, 12mo. 18 lines. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Begins 'Its Alberta <(Songfeld)?> who is at 2 Lowndes Street not the undersigned - Are these cards en rêgle? [sic]' A pencil note by the recipient at the head of the first page reads 'Sent 2 June to Sumner Pl: card returned - answer does not live there.' Refers to 'Sumner Place' and 'the Coming Ball'. He wishes 'the Powers - which they aren't by the by - had let our fat friend Ismail alone just tightening the bit a little'.

1 p, 4to. On a bifolium, addressed on reverse of second leaf: 'Thursday at 11 O'Clock | Chas. Westmacott, Esqr., | 5, Clements Inn.' Fair, on creased and aged paper. Christie's note reads 'Mr Christie presents his Compts. to Mr. Westmacott. | with Mr. Westmacott's permission, the bearer of this Mr. Christie's warehouseman, will remove the Pictures to King St. | King St, | Monday Feb. 14 | 1825.' Beneath this, in another hand, Recd 69 Pictures | [signed] John Biddle'. Above Biddle's receipt, in a third hand, are the word 'Received' and 'Recd 69 [i.e. Christie & Manson?]' in pencil.

3 pp, 12mo. Bifolium. 21 lines. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Begins 'I shall really be very sorry, and I know that I speak for my chief, if you will not allow your paper to be published.' He considers it 'by far the most interesting and exhaustive of those that we have received, and its non-appearance some days ago is due to a hittch which occurred at the last moment.' He was 'so reluctant' that it should be lost, that he disregarded the 'excision that you made at my request'.

Forster's main objection is that the National Service questionnaire, sent out by the Society of Authors 'at the suggestion of the Ministry of Labour', asks members to 'give general particulars of their political opinions' (see Hansard, 25 May 1939). Four items. ONE. Priestley's letter, addressed to 'My dear Forster' by 'J. B. Priestley'. 1 p, 4to. Twenty lines. Fair, on aged paper.

4 pp, 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. The unnamed recipient appears to have been named as executor in a prvevious will of Sir Henry Bishop. Opens in dramatic style: 'I was very greatly surprised to receive a letter from you this morning, dated from Brighton, as my poor Brother, Sir Henry Bishop, had not the slightest idea that you were still an inhabitant of this world, having heard of your death some time since, in consequence of which, he made another will similar to the one in your possession, but changing the executors'.

The seven items in fair condition, on lightly-aged paper and with the last two with wear to extremities. ONE: 15 June 1929; on letterhead of Lansdowne House, Lansdowne Road, Holland Park. 1 p, 4to. Accepting a dinner invitiation. 'I wish we did not meet so seldom, and after this long gap I hope we shall see each other more often'. TWO: 10 January 1931; on letterhead as One. 2 pp, 12mo. He is 'going to work in Paris a good deal this year - and shall often have occasion to take unfinished - or finished - things - pictures drawings - small sculpture to & fro between here & Paris'.

Letter One: 2 pp, 12mo. 23 lines. Good. Docketed '3.5.26 | copd.' He thanks him for his letters, and has 'sent the verses to Sanderson'. The copies of the 'Quilter publications' that Bennett needed for the writing of an article in the 'Music Teacher' have not arrived. Asks for information on a 'volume of songs by Sibelius'. 'If they are available could they be included in the Quilter parcel'. He is 'writing about Sibelius for publication in July, & want to be as complete as possible'. Letter Two: 2 pp, 4to. 23 lines. Good, with staple holes to one corner.

2 pp, 12mo. He is only in Putney for a day, and does not expect to be able to see Schnadhorst. Sir Charles Dilke 'says that Oct. 13 is fixed for Halifax, and that he is not sure that he may not be able to go there after all'. If this is so, 'it would be best to change my day at Newport from the 13th. October'. He will tell '', and would be grateful to Schnadhorst for arranging another day.

Both items in good condition on aged paper. A dramatic, almost novelistic correspondence, regarding 'the Signora' (named in the second letter as 'Mme Sineo', who is staying at her house in Torquay and is apparently too frail to return to her London house. Letter One: Docketed 'No 1'. 12mo, 4 pp. Peard states that she has not 'written of late about the Signora. She has got fairly well again, but she does not seem to us fit to return to London, & I hear that her doctor does not think she ever will be fit.

8vo, 1 p. Good, on lightly-aged paper. A covering letter for 'the supplementary article on Buffalo' (in the 'Encyclopaedia Americana' supplements to 'Encyclopaedia Britannica', 1883-1885, the first two volumes of which Thompson was editor).

13 x 7.5 card. Fair, on aged paper, with minor creasing to one corner. Stamped and addressed on one side to 'Mr. J. Charles Davis | Proctor's Theatre | New York'. The unsigned card (with the words 'and United States' deleted from the heading) has partly printed text. Mather completes it in pencil, acknowledging the 'inquiry about Frank Forester' and stating that 'as a boy I knew him and shot with him but my recollections would be of no value'. He ends by saying that he will 'try to brush them up' on his 'return from the west'.

12mo, 1 p. Text clear and complete. On aged and creased paper. As 'Archdeacon Manning was unable to call in Clifford street' on the previous Saturday, he would like 'Messrs Stulz to finish his frock coat, & to send it to 22 Tavistock Square, not to be forwarded.' The address was the home of Manning's brother-in-law John Lavicount Anderdon.

12mo, 1 p. Fair, on lightly-aged paper. He is 'unable to make an offer for the back Vols of The Athenaeum - our stock in house being sufficient to meet demands'.

12mo, 3 pp. On bifolium. Clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper. She has 'finished the brown drawing of elves, & birds singing', and, as she is going into the country for a few days, will leave it, 'in a portfolio', at Stratton St. She asks him to 'kindly take care of it', as he has been 'good enough to do with the others. It is, as you know, a very careful & highly-finished drawing'. She asks him to have 'the delicacy of the lines reproduced, & the drawing of the limbs of the little elves, etc. very carefully & exactly rendered, otherwise the drawing wd.