ASSISTANT

[Beilby Porteus, Bishop of London.] Five Autograph Letters Signed (all ‘B. London’) to Thomas Maurice of the British Museum, two with detailed criticism of Maurice’s poem on Pitt the Younger.

Author: 
Beilby Porteus (1731-1809), Bishop of London [Thomas Maurice (1754-1824), Assistant Keeper of Manuscripts at the British Museum, Anglican cleric and oriental scholar]
Publication details: 
1798, 1800 (2), 1806 and 1807 (the last apparently a mistake for 1806). The first from St James’s Square, the last from Clifton, the others from Sundridge [Kent].
£250.00

See the two men’s entries in the Oxford DNB. The five items are in good condition, lightly aged, with each on a 4to bifolium, and all folded for postage. In a neat and attractive hand. The text of each letter is on the first leaf, and the first two letters are addressed by Porteus on the reverse of the second leaf, each with broken seals in red wax. In Letters Four and Five Porteus lays out his objections to Maurice’s ‘Elegy on the late Right Honourable William Pitt’, published in 1806 under the name ‘T. M.’ ONE (St James’s Square, 10 April 1898): 1p, 4to. Addressed to ‘Revd. Mr Maurice / No.

[James Smith, humorist, co-author with his brother Horace Smith of the celebrated ‘Rejected Addresses’ (1812).] Autograph Letter Signed to John Wilson Croker, regarding his post as Assistant Solicitor to the Board of Ordnance.

Author: 
James Smith (1775-1839), humorist, co-author with his brother Horace Smith [Horatio Smith] (1779-1849) of the ‘Rejected Addresses’ (1812) [John Wilson Croker (1780-1857), politician and diarist]
Publication details: 
‘18 Austin Friars [London] / 26 June 1826’.
£120.00

See his entry, and those of his brother and the recipient, in the Oxford DNB. 3pp, 4to. Bifolium. The letter had been torn in half, with loss of a strip of paper from the second leaf, resulting in damage to a couple of words from the valediction; it has been carefully repaired with archival tape, and is otherwise in fair condition, lightly aged, with slight fading of the ink on the first page. The large signature ‘James Smith’ is clear and undamaged. Addressed to ‘J. W. Croker Esq’. An interesting letter, casting light on the workings of the Georgian civil service.

[Richard Garnett, biographer and poet.] Autograph Letter Signed ('R. Garnett') to 'Mrs. Epps', regarding the forthcoming visit of her party to the British Museum.

Author: 
Richard Garnett (1835-1906), biographer and poet, Assistant Keeper of Printed Books in the British Museum
Publication details: 
On letterhead of the British Museum [London]. 'Saturday' [no date].
£56.00

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, aged and spotted. Reads: 'Dear Mrs. Epps, | I shall be very glad to see you and your party this afternoon; or, if I am not able to be with you, an assistant shall meet you in the hall at 3.'

[ Edward Mason Wrench, MVO, FRCS. ] Cyclostyled pamphlet describing a holiday 'Trip to Cornwall | Oct. 1890', intended for family members. In facsimile of Wrench's handwriting and signature ('Ed. M. Wrench'), with numerous illustrations by him.

Author: 
Edward Mason Wrench (1833-1912), of Baslow, Assistant Surgeon, 34th Regiment of Foot [ Cornwall, 1890 ]
Publication details: 
No place [ tour of 'Oxford, Swindon, Exeter, Torquay, Plymouth, Truro & Falmouth']. 5 to 22 October 1890.
£100.00

20pp., 12mo. On ten 26.5 x 21 cm numbered leaves, nine of them printed on one side only and the seventh with the text duplicated in error by being printed on both sides. Each leaf folded once, and the ten leaves stitched up to make a 21 x 13.25 cm booklet. The text written around a total of 20 illustrations by the author (including 'a covered market cart' in Oxford; 'Uncle Mervyn's Pajamas'; 'a Performing Elephant'; 'Rougemont', 'The Logan Stone', 'The Armed Knights & Enys Dodnan Rocks at The Lands End', the Clifton Suspension Bridge). In good condition, lightly aged and worn.

[Richard Rathbun, Assistant Secretary, the Smithsonian Institution.] Typed Letter Signed ('R. Rathbun') to Charles Anthony, Junior, in Argentina, regarding 'the sending of packages [...] through the International Exchange Service'.

Author: 
Richard Rathbun (1852-1918), 'Assistant Secretary, in charge of the National Museum' [The National Museum of Natural History (The Smithsonian Institution), Washington, U.S.A.]
Publication details: 
On letterhead of the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, U.S.A. 28 September 1909.
£80.00

2pp., 4to. In fair condition, on aged paper, with minor staining from paper clip at head of first leaf. Anthony's letter to Dr L. O. Howard, Secretary of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, 'has been referred to the Smithsonian Institution for reply concerning the sending of packages to you through the International Exchange Service'. He sets out the state of affairs regarding the sending of 'three packages, contents unknown' to Anthony at the Town Hall, East London, Cape Colony. The final paragraph concerns publications sent to Anthony in Argentina.

[James F. L. Wood, Assistant Manager, Society for the Suppression of Mendicity.] Manuscript confidential report (signed 'Exd. R Ferguson') to A. J. B. Beresford Hope, on nine cases of begging letters sent from the Lisson Grove area of London.

Author: 
James F. L. Wood, Assistant Manager, Society for the Suppression of Mendicity [Mendicity Society] [Sir Alexander James Beresford Beresford Hope (1820-1887), Conservative politician; R. Ferguson]
Publication details: 
On letterhead of the Begging Letter Department, Mendicity Office, Red Lion Square. 3 April 1856.
£56.00

3pp., folio. Bifolium on grey paper. Addressed on reverse of second leaf to 'A. J. B. Beresford Hope | Esq | Arklow House', with Penny Red stamp and postmarks. In good condition, on aged paper, with some discoloration to the reverse of the second leaf. Printed in red at the head of the first page: 'THIS REPORT IS STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL.

Autograph Note Signed ('Fred Slade') to 'My dear Bee'.

Author: 
Lt-Gen. Frederick George Slade (1851-1910), Royal Artillery, Assistant Adjutant-General, Woolwich Arsenal
Publication details: 
24 February 1899; on letterhead of the Chief Staff Office, Woolwich.
£38.00

12mo, 1 p. 6 lines. Clear and complete. Fair, on aged and slightly grubby paper, with strip of glue from mount on blank reverse, which has laid down on it a ten-line biographical newspaper cutting referring to Slade ('[...] one of the youngest major-generals on the Staff in the Army [...] His most recent appointment was that of Assistant Adjutant-General at Woolwich'). He is sending 'a missed lot of Soldiers autographs. Some that you already have may be useful in exchanging for others'.

Syndicate content