Autograph Letters

Turner (1815-85; DNB) was the son of the noted botanist and autograph collector. 4 pages, 16mo. Creased, stained and grubby. Odd cross between an offer of work and a begging letter. Marked 'Private'. From their 'former relations' Hamilton feels sure Turner will assist him as he did before, when he was 'engaged in bringing out the West-End'. He hopes 'it will not be long before I can again avail myself of your facile pen for a few more of your graphic sketches of what comes under your observation.

English ecclesiastic (1729-77; DNB). 2 pages, 8vo. On paper stained and discoloured, with several small closed tears. Amusingly bad-tempered missive.

Successively Bishop of Lichfield and Archbishop of York (1826-1910). 1 page, 16mo. In good condition despite minor discolouration. 'Please send me a post card if you can the name of a book which your son had with him - with short accounts of some of the great <?> of the world's history'. Signed 'W D Maclagan'.

Dean of St Paul's Cathedral (1815-90). 4 pages, 16mo. Heavy discoloration, and rust damage from paper-clip. He is glad that he can address his correspondent as Archdeacon, praising him for having shown 'so much judgement & ability in important positions in convocation'. Goes to great lengths declining an invitation, explaining that for health reasons he intends 'to be as far as I dare get in the South, perhaps to Sicily'. Signed 'R W Church'.

Peel (1829-1912) was a Liberal politician and Speaker of the House of Commons. Primrose (1846-1923) was a Privy Councillor, Secretary to Gladstone and Speaker of the House of Commons. Both items are 3 pages, on 16mo bifoliates. Both are creased and discoloured. Between 1873 and 1874 Peel was Patronage Secretary to the Treasury. The exchange apparently concerns an election or by-election in Exeter.

1 page, 8vo. Grubby but in good condition. 'In case you have not already seen it, I beg to enclose you a leaflet relating to my new book. | I shall be grateful for any help that you can give it.' Signed 'G. E. Manwaring'. The book was 'My Friend the Admiral. The life, letters, and journals of Rear-Admiral James Burney' (Routledge, 1931).

Dean of St Paul's Cathedral (1815-90). 3 pages, 16mo. In poor condition: discoloured and with rust damage from paper clip. Begins 'My dear Mr. Prolocutor | I think the best arrangement will be for the members to meet at the Chapter House to robe, not later than 10.30'. Describes the arrangements for a procession 'to the West end of the Cathedral' and a service involving 'Holy Communion with Sermon'. Signed 'R W Church'. Apologises in a postscript for not answering sooner: 'I only got the necessary information this morning.'

English divine (1794-1868). 3 pages, 16mo. Heavily damp-damaged. Text entirely legible. 3 pages, 16mo. With attractive pencil drawing of country house, and crude plan, in pencil on blank reverse of second leaf of bifoliate (conceivably drawn by the recipient, Croker). Among his many reasons for regretting 'the haste with which I was compelled to pass thro' London' on his way to Oxford was his 'disappointment at Kensington on Saturday'.

Catholic theologian, author of 'Natural Theology' (1891). All three letters are on 16mo bifoliates. The first two are 3 pages, and the last is 2 pages. All in good condition, but all with some discolouration and closed tears, and with pin marks in one corner. All three letters concern James Martineau's 'Study of Religion' (1888). In the first letter he praises 'Dr. Martineau's great work', from which he has taken notes. 'I admire the loftiness of his mind and the elegance of his style.' He apologises for the fact that there is no reference to him in his book.

Roman Catholic cardinal-archbishop of Westminster (1802-65). Paper dimensions approximately 2 3/4 inches by 4 inches. Grubby and creased. Reads 'Yours sincerely &c | N. Wiseman'.

Preacher, politician and author (1786-1864). 3 pages, 16mo. Grubby and discoloured, with some damp damage to second leaf of bifoliate, but no loss of text. He says he is 'ashamed of having kept yr MSS so long - | I think the Analysis of Michaelis very useful - & shd think it likely to be very acceptable as a pamphlet, were it not the disgraceful fact that there is no sale for the work itself, wh is a mere drug in the trade. It is a most interesting book - to me, at least -'. Discusses Teulon's spelling of 'Scripture names'.

English author (1856-1936). 2 pages, 8vo. In good condition. As Shorter has sent his letter to Baumann's home instead of to 'the office of the paper' it will be too late to insert it that week, 'as the paper was practically made up when I left this afternoon'. There are three letters dealing with Shorter's first letter in that week's issue. As Shorter may want to reply to them he is returning the letter, 'which otherwise will be published next week'. 'A letter should reach the office (10 King St. Covent Garden) not later than noon on Wednesday.' Signed 'Arthur A. Baumann'.

Maternal grandfather of Queen Mary (1774-1850). In very good condition. Paper dimensions approximately 1 1/2 inches by 4 inches. Reads 'Adolphus Frederick. | Lt: Genl: & Col. in Chief.'

Violet Mary Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound (1889-1965), daughter of the Earl of Minto and wife of newspaper proprietor John Jacob Astor, 1st Baron Astor of Hever. 1 page, 8vo. Large coffee stain to one corner not affecting signature. She thanks her correspondent for a 'nice letter with regard to my year of office as President of the Women's Journalist Association', regretting that she was, 'in reality, so inactive a President.

Norman Mattoon Thomas (1884-1968), six-time presidential candidate for the Socialist Party. 1 page, 8vo. Not in good condition: fraying at all four edges, with loss to the last two letters of the author's surname. Letter addressed to 'Dear Comrade Snelling'. He explains in great detail the need 'to enlist support for an expansion program which has just been decided on by the National Committee of the Socialist Party [...] we have no funds to meet it [...] The program provides for a membership drive for 10,000 new members in 1933.

English actor (1843-96) under the name 'Arthur Cecil'. 1 page, dimensions 3 1/2 inches by 4 1/2 inches. In good condition though dusty. He thanks him for his kind note, and says that if he 'may keep my little contribution in reserve for a bit' he 'will certainly bear it in mind & shall hope to turn you out something before very long'. Signed 'Arthur C Blunt'.

English politician and wit (1691-1762). Some minor staining but in very good condition overall. Dimensions approximately 2 1/2 inches by 7 1/2. Signed 'Geo: Dodington' beneath, in another hand, 'Recd.

10 pages on 5 8vo leaves. In good condition, but with a few large blots. The first part of a letter by a writer who appears to be English. Straight out of B. Traven. The author wants Joan to join him and Gwen in partnership with Hamerly. 'Hamerly is down here from one of his expeditions & we became friendly through his having lived & travelled widely in the Paraguayan Chaco.

English Tory prime minister (1750-1830). On creased and grubby slip of paper, dimensions approximately 1 1/2 inches by 4 1/2, with three small glue stains from mounting on reverse. Reads 'Very faithfully yours | Robert Peel'.

Whig politician (1782-1845). 2 pages, 16mo. Dusty but in good condition. 'Dear Sir, | I have stated to Mr. Grant your desire for a for your son. But I could not express myself to him so as to make the appointment a favour to myself because I had before applied to him to give such an appointment to a friend of mine for his son, & I could not in justice withdraw this application. I stated however to him that I considered that the service you did in the Boundary Commission gave you a claim upon the Government, which my friend had not.' Signed 'Althorp'.

English essayist and biographer of Charles Lamb (1868-1938). 1 page, dimensions approximately 4 inches by 6 inches. Somewhat grubby and creased. Reads 'Feb 26| 1919 | with E V Lucas's | compliments'.

Darwin and Huxley's 'soapy Sam' (1805-73). 2 pages, 16mo. In poor condition: damp, creased and with some decay at head, though none of this affecting text. 'I hope youo do not think that I have been remiss in not replying to your last kind letter otherwise than by telling Mr Davenport to attend to you. The truth is I have been intolerably occupied. I believe I shall have Randall with me. I hope you may have asked Dr Phillimore - & I hope that the surrounding Clergy have been invited to attend on Thursday.' Signed 'S Oxon:'.

George Canning (1770-1827), English Tory politician. The frank consists of only the central part of the front of the envelope, without stamp or postmarks, dimensions approximately 2 1/2 inches by 4 inches. Reads 'To D. O'Brien Esqre | 21 Craven Street | Geo: Canning'. Affixed at the foot of the recto of a letter written by his cousin Stratford Canning (1786-1880) in the third person (2 pages, 16mo, in good condition), reading 'Lord Canning begs that in the Votes distributed tomorrow morning the 2d. Reading of the Oxford University Bill may be fixed for Thursday the 6th. July.

English divine, scholar and schoolmaster (1821-1903), Dean of Westminster. 2 pages, 16mo. In good condition except for rust stains from a paper clip. 'I am quite right am I not in <?> that I had better not trouble the Speaker about a <?> for the young Hasted Taylor? I think I gathered from you that I had better not. One word will be ample - so very much obliged to you for all the trouble which you took in writing so fully.'

English sculptor (1788-1867)(DNB), responsible for the Nelson on Nelson's Column. Both letters are discoloured by age, but otherwise in good condition. The first letter is 1 page, 16mo, cropped and mounted on a larger piece of paper. 'My Dear Sir Martin | Absence from Town will I hope be a sufficient apology for my not sooner acknowledging the receipt of your card of invitation for Wednesday next - and to state that I shall have great pleasure dining with you that day.' The second letter is 2 pages, 16mo, heavily discoloured and with remains of four wax mounts in corners and elsewhere.

Darwin and Huxley's 'soapy Sam' (1805-73). 1 page, 16mo. Dusty and discoloured, with remains of stub adhering to one edge. A hurried note, almost illegible. | My dear | Can <?> to <?> & <?> from 26 Pall at 25 to 11 | Yours affly | S Oxon'.

Author and positivist (1831-1923). 1 page, 16mo. In poor condition: grubby, creased and worn. Having returned to London 'after an absence of many months' he has found at the Athenaeum Club his correspondent's two letters. He is sorry for the delay: 'The Club has been closed for repairs & the letters were mislaid. It is quite out of my power to visit Bristol durinng the ensuing session.'

Margery Lilian Edith Turner Fisher (1913-92), English novelist. 1 page, 8vo. With two folds but in good condition overall. She is enclosing 'a rather assorted MS. of my husband's paper for the <?>' and hopes 'the delay has not been too frightful for you. | He would be grateful if you could let him have 3 proofs of the galleys as soon as they are available. | If the figure is unsatisfactory, he will get it re-drawn, but he thinks it should do all right.'

Uncle (1773-1843) of Queen Victoria, notable book collector. Paper dimensions approximately 1 1/2 inches by 2 1/2 inches. In good condition. Florid signature 'Augustus Frederick' above printed word '(Rank)' beside 'Lieutt. Coll. Com.' in manuscript, which in turn is above printed word '(Corps)' beside 'Loyal North Britons' in manuscript.

Soldier and Tory politician (1893-1996), at 6 ft 7 inches the tallest ever Member of Parliament. 1 page, 16mo. Dusty but in good condition. He asks Landa to forgive him for not having thanked him earlier for assisting him with his lecture 'The Jew in Parliament'. He is grateful for 'the extremely valuable notes which you allowed Mrs. Knollys to take, and I feel that I can face my audience with equanimity and confidence.' Pencil notes on reverse giving addresses of W. A. Rutkowski, Samuel Lipman and Aaron Samuels.