BRITISH

4pp., 12mo. Aged and worn with closed tears along fold lines. At the time BGS was in the consular service in Istanbul. The recipient (perhaps R. A. Scott Mafie) is not named, and the salutation is in Romany. The letter begins: 'I am about to feast the eve of tomorrow which is the eve of the next day by imbibing a large quantity of Whisky and Soda, first to see how much will be required to produce the desired effect. I am also streaming with a cold in the head due to a hammam last night. The Kurdish youth has left for his country: - many Kurds have been arrested & shot since you left.

John Vaughan, in his 'Winchester Cathedral, its Monuments and Memorials' (1919), describes the Philpot Window on p.303, stating that it was executed by Messrs. Powell of Whitefriars, and was 'the gift of Mrs. Alice Philpot, whose husband and son are also commemorated'. On the strength of the present illustration, Alice Philpot is quite capable of having designed the window in addition to donating it. It is on one side of a piece of laid grey tracing paper, roughly 57 x 36 cm.

1p., 4to. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. He apologises for his 'long silence', having been 'troubled by several things not connected with literature'. He expresses a desire to call on her 'some time later'. He has not been successful with her articles with Lord Beaverbrook, and thinks 'the most effective step to take would be to publish your novel first'. (Her first novel 'Cold Surge' was published by Hutchinson & Co. in 1929.) He has signed her copy of his novel 'The Polyglots', which he is returning separately.

ONE: Typed copy of will. 3pp., 4to., on three leaves. In fair condition, worn and aged. Folded into the customary packet, with the details typed on the reverse of a fourth leaf. The four leaves held together with a brass stud. Routledge ('formerly of “Ewers” Old Bursledon in the County of Southampton but now of Tjiklos Kyrenia in the island of Cyprus') declares: 'I was born at Melbourne in the year 1859. My father brought me to England at an early age. I was educated at Christ Church Oxford and studied at University College Hospital.

ONE: Typed Letter Signed from 'Roger Vansittart' to 'Sir Richard Harington, Bart., | Whitbourne Court, | Worcester.' Foreign Office; 13 April 1927. 1p., foolscap 8vo. In fair condition aged and worn. He is 'directed by Secretary Sir Austen Chamberlain to refer to your letter of the 5th instant regarding the possibility of a claim being preferred against the Mexican Government in respect of your holding in Mexican Railways'.

2pp., 4to. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged. Written in a difficult hand. Docketed on reverse of second leaf in a neat hand, explaining the context: 'Genl Thomas Graham | Stratton Street | 31 Janry 1803 | wrote him first febry that Peers could not be Commssrs of Supply | 1803 | 3 Febry wrote L[or]d Keith.' Graham's letter reads: 'There is the list – except two names wch. L[or]d Keith wishes to have inserted & the mem[orandu]m. Of wch. I have mislaid – one is the Baillie of Kinkardine [sic] for the time being I think – but it wd.

Both items in good condition, lightly aged, and both bearing the Society's stamp. ONE: 26 January 1915. 1p., 12mo. He is obliged by a previous engagement to decline the invitation 'to take the Chair for Mr. F Vincent Brooks lecture on Lithography on the 10th.', but feels the honour 'all the same'. TWO: 1 April 1915. 1p., 12mo. He would like, 'for every reason', 'to take the chair for M. Paul Lambottes lecture on C Meunier', but he will probbably be 'out of London during the first two weeks in May'.

Four interesting and evocative letters. The identity of the writer is not known. All but the third letter are addressed to 'Dearest Nonna', who appears to be married to 'George' and living in Viareggio. ONE: 30 December 1916. 2pp., 4to. 'This place is simply a nest of intrigues and I wish I had some of your dear familys clever brains to sort things out a bit & put them right. I loathe the double-faced dealing necessary to combat intrigues and am afraid I may lose my temper one day & tell them what I think of them - & that wd be fatal.

14pp., 12mo. Stapled pamphlet. In good condition, lightly aged and with a little rust spotting. At head of title, in unobtrusive contemporary hand: '29 Read 8 March 1904'. The author is not named, but is Gillett, who had authored the first of his pamphlets under the name 'W. G.' Introduction, dated 16 December 1903, states that the author's two previous pamphlets were 'well received, over two hundred and fifty thousand copies of the latter having been printed.

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged, with slight creasing along inner edge. As promised he is sending 'Rawlinson's Autograph - I send you also those of Gordon Cumming and of a man who has just been Attorney General at Hong Kong'. He concludes: 'I will look through my papers & and [sic] see if I can discover any other celebrities for you'.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, aged and worn, with traces of mount adhering to the blank reverse. The male recipient is not identified. The letter reads: 'Sir, | My memory hardly serves me so as to answer your enquiry positively. I do not recollect Robert Craufurd in Holland in '99; and I am pretty sure that Robt: Anstruther, who died at Corunna, was our Depy. Quarter Master General'. According to Bunbury's entry in the Oxford DNB, he purchased 'a captaincy in the 16th Queen's light dragoons on 16 August 1797.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged, wiht crease along one edge. The letter concerns international affairs. Regarding the United Kingdom Dilke writes: 'I think it would be quite proper for us to attempt to effect a reconciliation at any moment when it seems possible that we could be of use, and I fancy that we have made some such offer more than once, possibly along with Russia.' As it happens 'the belligerents have preferred, - which was not unnatural under the circumstances, - to avail themselves of the good offices of the United States'.

2pp., 12mo. With mourning border. In good condition, lightly aged. When Twiss 'suggested the circumstance', Sir R. Palmer 'had some doubts about the United States Courts having limited the criminal consequences of violating neutrality to the cruise [last word underlined]'. There was also 'some doubt about the effect of a sale by a <?> of a Prize Court to a third party. Twiss thinks 'it might be desirable to print & circulate the enclosed observations bearing upon those two points'.

1p., 12mo. Heavily aged and worn, with closed tear along fold line at head, and remains of mount on reverse. Horner's note, on the upper part of the paper, reads: 'Dear Sir | Be so good as admit Mr Phillips to the privileges of the Reading Room at the British Museum - | Yours faithfully | Leonard Horner | University of London | 11 Feby 1830'. Beneath this Ellis has written: 'My Dear Sir | Mr. Phillips can be admitted at the Age of Eighteen, but is not eligible for our Reading Room at present | Ever faithfully Yours | H. Ellis | L. Horner Esqr'.

2pp., 12mo. With postmarked frank (again signed 'Hardinge') addressed to 'Colonel Abbott C. B. | Addiscombe'. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. He is pleased that Abbott is 'to receive a mark of distinction from the Queen, which combines the satisfaction which your Services have given at Addiscombe [Abbott had become lieutenant-governor of Addiscombe Seminary in 1851] with those which you so efficiently & ably performed in the field in India'. He hopes to shake him at the hand 'at the Levée'.

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, lightly-aged, with slight damage on removal from album. Addressed to 'Revd. Mr. Gilpin | Cheam'. (In 1777, on becoming vicar of Boldre in the New Forest, Gilpin handed over the headmastership of Cheam School to his second son William Gilpin the younger (1757-1848).) Written with a freshness reflecting 'the particular interest' Gilpin paid to 'the theory and practice of epistolary writing', noted by Alain Kerhervé in his edition of Gilpin's letters to his grandson ('William writes to William', 2014).

2pp., 12mo. In fair condition, aged and rather dusty, with small closed tear at head. He begins by explaining that he has been 'prevented by ill health from finishing the plate confided to my care, & of waiting upon you to make you acquainted with the cause of the delay. The engraving is 'in a state of forwardness', and he is willing to let 'Mr Satchwell' give his opinion of it before he sends it to them. 'I shall prove the plate again next week, after which I shall be enabled to state the time of its completion'.

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged, with unobtrusive traces of stub. The letter begins: 'Vixere fortes antes Agamemnona, all the Earls of Derby have of late been Edwards, in 1828 the Earl of Derby was the grandfather of the present one – I have known him – the great cockfighter – and husband of Miss Farren.' He asks him not to forget to send 'the book of diplomatic sports': he is leaving for the continent the following Saturday, but will not fail to return it.

3pp., 16mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged, worn and creased. See both men's entries in the Oxford DNB.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair conditoin, aged and with central horizontal and vertical folds.The letter begins: 'What queer things people do write to you about.' On an unspecified question, Lawson doubts that Farrar 'can do anything in the matter', and thinks that 'the “Mrs. referred to in the plan is the Lady who gave £500 to the Alliance last October [...] she is worth conciliating if it can be done'. He thinks 'the Reform Bill ought to help an alliance crusade and feel – Hardly any publicans will be enfranchised by it, but numbers of their victims & their opponents'.

ONE: ACS ('R Power'). 29 Devonshire Street, London. No date. In pencil (as Item Two). Addressed to 'Mrs B. I Magraw | Ash | Canterbury'. In fair condition (as Item Two), lightly aged and worn. Begins, on the subject of a proposed children's script for BBC radio: 'Will you go ahead with Akbar? I am in a nursing Home pro. Tem – small sudden operation – septic tonsils & will be incapacitated for a fortnight.' She reassures her about the script: 'I know you'll do a good job.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium on grey paper. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased. He writes: 'It really costs me a great deal to say no to any wish that you and the Academy may express: but I do not like to alter my conclusion, at all events at present, in regard to the pictures. I hope you will not think me illiberal, but I have so great an objection to their incurring the risk of an unnecessary journey that I hope you will not ask me.'

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair conditoin, aged and with central horizontal and vertical folds.The letter begins: 'What queer things people do write to you about.' On an unspecified question, Lawson doubts that Farrar 'can do anything in the matter', and thinks that 'the “Mrs. referred to in the plan is the Lady who gave £500 to the Alliance last October [...] she is worth conciliating if it can be done'. He thinks 'the Reform Bill ought to help an alliance crusade and feel – Hardly any publicans will be enfranchised by it, but numbers of their victims & their opponents'.

32pp., 8vo. Stitched pamphlet. In fair condition, aged and spotted. In small print, with footnotes. One minor manuscript emendation.

2pp., 4to. Forty-four lines of text. She thanks her 'for returning the plays, and thte nice things you say about them'. Mitchison's entry in the Oxford DNB has no reference to her working for the BBC, but from the context of the letter it is clear that she wrote scripts for radio broadcasts for children. Regarding the BBC she suggests that Magraw writes to 'Miss Edith MacQueen, and if I were you I think I should write out one or two synopses of broadcasts which you propose to do'.

1p., 16mo. In good condition, lightly aged. With the Society's date stamp and a query in red pencil. He apologises for the delay in replying to an invitation 'to give a short course of lectures': 'I should very much like to do this at some later date but I am afraid that I have already committed myself so deeply for this next winter and spring that it will not be possible for me to do so.' He is 'very flattered indeed' by the inviation and regrets having to decline it.

2pp., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. He has learnt with 'the deepest regret' of his 'old friend's passing'., and sends his condolences. He will be unable to attend the funeral service, as he had 'a bad fall & fractured two ribs'. He concludes: 'Herman was a great fellow, & nobody will ever replace him -'. Finck's 'In the Shadows' was one of the last songs played as RMS Titanic went down.

1p., 4to. In good condition, lightly aged. Although '[w]ords at these times seem rather empty things', he feels he must write to express his sympathy on her loss: 'To know dear Herman as I knew him, was to love him - & I am ,mindful of many happy times we had together & many kindnesses he has shown me'. He asks her to be consoled by the fact that Finck 'leaves behind him a fine reputation & a grand record of service'. According to a contemporary account: 'Joseph Lewis, senior conductor of the BBC, was born in Brierly Hill Staffs, in 1878.

1p., 4to. In good condition, lightly aged. He only met Finck on a few occasions, but offers his condolences 'as a Composer of Light Music, and as a former Director of Music at a West End Theatre (Daly's)'. In his view, Finck 'surely had no superior in the art of giving pleasure to others, not only by his personality, but also by his pen.

1p., 4to. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. Offering him, following the unanimous decision of a committee meeting and on his recommendation, an honorary 'Diploma of Fellowship [...] limited to 100 members, of past-students and Professors'. Finck's song 'In the Shadows' was one of the last to be played as RMS Titanic went down.