Autograph Letters

Victorian cartoonist and illustrator (DNB), connected with the magazine Punch. The fragment is around two inches by four, creased and discoloured. It reads 'With compliments | very truly yours. | Linley Sambourne' The signature is underlined. The reverse, one edge of which is attached to a piece of card, carries part of a list of various numbers of the magazine 'Types of British Army' in Sambourne's possession.

Politician and rugby player (DNB). The five letters all one page, 16mo, and each with two staple holes and in good condition. The autograph poem is on a printed bifoliate menu for the Cricket Society Spring Dinner (6 April 1962), 16mo, slightly discoloured. The letters relate to various Cricket Society Dinners. He agrees to attend the 1961 Spring Dinner at the Lords Tavern, but his private secretary P. Barling declines on his behalf an invitation to the autumn dinner as he is out of the country recovering from an operation.

British Tory Prime Minister (DNB). One page, 16mo, on mourning paper, creased but in good condition. The foot of the leaf, which would have borne the recipient's name, has been neatly torn away. 'My dear Sir, | We shall be very glad to see you on Monday, & the Three oclock Train will bring you here in good Time | Yrs Faithfully | Palmerston'.

British civil engineer of the Victorian period (DNB). One page, 16mo, good condition, with remains of four pieces of gummed paper still adhering to blank reverse. Expresses his sincere regret at learning of the death of his 'old friend' the correspondent's husband. 'May the God of all consolation be very present with you and your family.' According to his DNB entry Fox was strict in his religious observances.

Presumably printed for a Royal Air Force regimental reunion. Card bifoliate, 16mo, with 3 pages printed in green ink and featuring crude vignette of men in action in black ink on recto of first leaf, and with verso of second leaf reserved for autographs. Discoloured but in good condition. Recto of first leaf headed '"D" Squadron | R.A.F. Regiment O.C.T.U., Sidmouth. | 29th October, 1942 - 23rd January, 1943.' Across the opening are listed the men of nos. 13, 14, 15 and 16 flights. Among around a dozen autograph signatures in pencil or pen are those of the Squadron Commander Major J.

Scholar and collector (1909-1996). Total 3pp., 8vo, good condition. (1931) "many thanks for your note enclosing cheque for "Farrago" [?]. I wish all my debtors were as prompt." Wilson or a member of his staff has put a pencilled line diagonally through the page. ([1932]) He asks to see "the Lewis Carroll catalogue and exhibits on Monday, with a view to reporting the exhibition in next weeks' [Times] Literary / Supplement . . . ". Frank Mumby describes Wilson as "one of the outstanding booksellers of the day" (1956 ed., p.235). Two items,

Poet and biographer (La Jeunesse de Swinburne, 1837-1867. [With a bibliography.]) Four pages, 8vo, good condition. A very detailed defence of his work on Swinburne. For example, "[I] want first to assure you that there is here some misunderstanding: in my opinion, you have no real justification for speaking of" the unfair treatment I have meted out to your Father". If I have had to quote contemporary documents in which unfavourable comments are made, it's always clear that I do not profess to share those views". He has in fact suppressed material in Swinburne's correspondence with W.M.

Publisher. (TNS) One page, 4to, about the next Thackeray dinner. He has lost his "papers about the Titmarsh Club" and adds an apology in his hand. (ALS) Two pages, 8vo. He praises Ianthe Jerrold's latest poems effusively and at length, concluding that "I think we may expect her to take her place, and that no equivocal one, among the women-poets of her country." He goes on to how badly the Daily Telegraph has treated "us - you worse than me, of course, because I have still my office. He thinks they should rather have lost money in wartime than throw over loyal employees. Two items,

One page, 4to, small tears, small piece missing, dulled, fold marks, spike hole, but text readable. "If you will go to Cockburn & Cos branch at Whitehall they will pay you £5.8- I am sorry it escaped my memory. I enclose you a list of the contents of 5 vols of Old Plays which I am offered - & I wish you would tell me what they are worth./ There is also here a book dedicated to Lord with the following title Page of which I wish you would tell me the probable value[.] Englands Improvements by Sea & Land &c. By Andrew Yarranton Printed by R.

Publisher, philanthropist and author (1798-1886). Two pages, 8vo, bifoliate, good condition. "Dear Mr. Tupper,/ I hope to send you a proof tomorrow./ I am afraid we shall have to throw Foley over altogether, as we shall probably begin a new series next year in place of the "English Artists"./ I almost think we are full for the next three numbers, but if there should be space for the short articles you mention [page 2] I will let you know . . ."

One page, 4to, spike-hole, fold and other marks, text cleaar and complete. "Sir,/ Some months back, you informed me that "The Monastic Ruins of Yorkshire would be shortly ready, and you engaged to send me a copy to my Town Agent, (Jas. [underlined] Gilbert, 49 Paternoster Row) as soon as the new Edition appeared. I trust that it is now ready; and I will thank you to send me two [underlined] copies (instead of one) of the cheapest [underlined] edition, as I have no doubt I shall get a second subscriber as soon as the work can be seen . . . [signature] . . . P.S.

Irish-American writer of boys' stories (1818-1883). Two pages, 8vo, in a bold though smudged hand, text just legible. "My dear Mr Blackett / May I beg you will let me have one more copy of The Hero in spite of himself -- s[?] I only had two [underlined], and six [underlined] is the allowance usually given me. I have like all authors one or two friends who will not buy, and yet who expect to read my books."

Of Longmans, Green & Co. Ltd, publishers. Two pages, 4to, responding to Wilson's comments on prospectuses, discussing both Wilson's and Longmans' idea of who one should send them to, or how many.

Miscellaneous writer and inventor (1810-1889). Three pages, 8vo, good condition. He asks for his authorial allowance of copies to be sent to his brother's at the Palace. He nominates other people he wants copies sent to, and adds "(The United States ought to take a few copies, as I have thousands of friends there, - & the 1/4 dollar reprints wont satisfy them: a good English book is a luxury well appreciated in the land of cottonpaper & indifferent print.)" He asks for a copy to be sent to Edward Walford of "The Times" - "possibly he may give it a [worldwide?] notice.

Publisher (see Mumby, 1956 ed., p.305). Two pages, 8vo, bifoliate, good condition. Nash recalls their first meeting ("at Mc Geachy's in Glasgow") - "and I felt then that you would get to the top of your calling, because you were obviously a born bookseller wit a knowledge of literature and a splendid memory. / I am delighted to have your good wishes, and will think over your suggestion that I should write some reminiscences of the book trade".( Nash's autobiography was published in 1941.) Frank Mumby describes Wilson as "one of the outstanding booksellers of the day" (1956 ed., p.235).

Publisher. Both letters one page, 4to, good condition. (1931) He asks if an American scholar whose stay in London and studies of Coleridge have been affected by illness can have a look at a relevant book belonging to Murrays, but in a Bumpus Exhibition. He thinks the Exhibition successful and adds in ms. "The Times gives us a nice notice today".

Publisher (1902?-1970). One page each, 4to. In one he discusses someone's sighting of ghosts (about which O'Donnell has written and the possibility of reprinting O'Donnell's work on werewolves in Penguin. In the other he briefly gives information about his family and anticipates an announcement with regard to the Bodley Head "in the New Year". The letter has the stamp of the "Receiver", so the announcement may well refer to the company's financial difficulties (see W.E. Williams, "Allen Lane", p.41 "bankruptcy" of Bodley Head).

Publisher. One page, 8vo, bery good condition. "Dear Mr Wilson, / You were indeed kind to give me so much of your valuable Time today, and to take so much Trouble over our projected list. I learnt a great deal on how to write 'copy' for books, and advice from you with your store of experience is immensely valuable to a young beginner like myself, I am indeed grateful . . ." This must have been in the publishing company's early days. They later learned enough to reject "Animal Farm"(!) Frank Mumby describes Wilson as "one of the outstanding booksellers of the day" (1956 ed., p.235).

d.1852 (Burke). Maria Benyon m. 4th Viscount Midleton 13 June 1797 (second wife). One page, 8vo, some marking and chipping but text clear and complete. "Lady Midleton wishes to know whether Mr. Jeffery [sic] has any number of the Quarterly Review published since <"that" excised> Janry. 1815 as she has not received any - the 24th. Number completes the volume---"

Publisher and editor (formerly Hogarth Press). Total 5pp. /sides, 8vo and 12mo (the card). The eqarlier items (TNS and APCS) thanks Sewell Stokes for a piece for "The London Magazine" about George Moore on which he comments ("I'm sure it's an improvement"0 wondering if the effect of an anecdote is diluted by "the part about Ford". In the latter he asks Daniel George, writer and publisher's reader, for suggetions who should get a "Travelling Scholarship" beyond Vernon Watkins ("favoured by the anonymous donor") and Maurice Cranston ("not particularly well off"). Three items,

"Mr Burne/ 20 King Street/ Covent Garden".Two pages, c.10 x 7", chipped, part torn off, small hole, text clear.

Two pages, 7.5 x 4.5, page trimmed without obvious loss, spike-hole, text clear. "Instead of the Repository[underlined] of Arts[underlined] for November/ which is the Magazine which the Baroness Howe has taken from its first publication/ Mr Akerman [sic] has sent her a Magazine & a Bill for others of the same sort, which she has never had. She desires therefore that he will instead send her The Repository [underlined] of Arts [underlined] for November [underlined].

French writer (1805-1851). Three pages, 8vo, bifoliate, good condition. "Sir,/ I have the honor to forward you the enclosed prospectus of the "Encyclopedie du XIXe Siecle" in which the high approbation given to this work by his Holiness, and also that of the R.R.

(See Boase, Adams b. 1775 d. 1862, confidential secretary to William Pitt [for whom Lady Hester Stanhope kept house for a time], May 1804-Feb.[Note] 1806). One page, 4.5 x 10", damaged and stained but text readable, most clear. As follows: "Lady Hester Stanhope has desired me to order the Morning Post [underlined] to be sent to her at Dawlish near Teignmouth Devonshire/ Have you done anything about the Port Folios[both words underlined] which I sent for some days ago?" Byfield appears in Brown's London Publishers.

One page, 4to, fold marks, text clear and complete.

Susan Euphemia Beckford ("one of the handsomest women of her time" (quoted in DNB), 7 m. Marquis of Douglas in 1810. Two pages, somewhat grubby but text clear and complete. "The 5 Vols: of Grimms[sic] Correspondence which Mr. Clarke sent to Gros[veno]r Place for the Marchioness of Douglas are just arrived at Hamilton Palace in a Case wh.

One page plus address page conjoint, 8vo, grubby, spike-hole, small portion torn off with opening of seal not affecting text, text clear and complete. "Lady Anne Culling Smith begs Mr. Carpenter will send her down by the stage to:morrow Eveng Mrs. Riche's Nocturnal visit together with her Maid of the Hamlet & Vicar of Lansdown." Note on address page by bookseller "Lady A. Smith/ 1800".

Journalist and miniature painter (1776-1842).

Ecclesiastical architect. Signed 'Giles Gilbert Scott' beneath typewritten 'Yours sincerely,'. Neatly stuck beneath this is 'Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, R.A.' printed in copperplate (from the letterhead?). The fragment is about one inch by two and a half inches. Docketed in pencil 1935.

English poet and essayist. On the first slip: 'Winthrop M. Praed'; on the second: 'Southampton November Six | 1837'. Both slips are discoloured from pasting in autograph album.