FARQUHAR

[John Leech, Victorian artist and caricaturist who illustrated the ‘Christmas Carol’ of Charles Dickens.] Conclusion of Autograph Letter to the poet Martin Farquhar Tupper, with Signature.

Author: 
John Leech (1817-1864), Victorian artist and caricaturist who illustrated the ‘Christmas Carol’ of Charles Dickens [Martin Farquhar Tupper (1810-1889), popular and much-lampooned Victorian poet]
John Leech (
Publication details: 
No place or date.
£56.00
John Leech (

See the two men’s entries in the Oxford DNB. The present item, is on one side of an 11 x 6.5 cm slip of paper, cut from a letter and laid down on a 12.5 x 8 cm piece of card. In good condition, lightly aged. Very slightly smudged by Leech. Reads: ‘[...] very low. until I see / you Believe me / Yours Ever Faithfully / John Leech. / Martin . F. Tupper Esq / &c. &c. &c.’ See Image. Leech illustrated at least one book by Tupper (The Crock of Gold).

[Martin Farquhar Tupper critiques three poems by Walter Chalmers Smith.] Three Autograph Letters Signed (all 'Martin F. Tupper'), one to Smith and two to his publisher MacLehose, on 'Olrig Grange', 'Borland Hall' and 'Hilda Among the Broken Gods'.

Author: 
Martin Farquhar Tupper (1810-1889), poet and author, best known for his 'Proverbial Philosophy' [Walter Chalmers Smith (1824-1908), Scottish poet; James MacLehose & Sons, Glasgow publishers]
Publication details: 
Two on letterheads of Albury House, near Guildford, Surrey. 4 and 12 December 1874. The third from Western Villa, North Park, Croydon. 23 June 1878,
£150.00

Three 12mo letters in good condition, lightly aged and worn. An interesting batch of letters, in which one minor Victorian poet critiques the work of another, both to the author himself and to his publisher. The three books by Smith which are the subjects of Tupper's letters are 'Olrig Grange' (1872), 'Borland Hall' (1874) and 'Hilda Among the Broken Gods' (1878), all of which were published by the Glasgow publishers James MacLehose and Sons. ONE: Addressed 'To the unnamed Author of Olrig Grange'. 4 December 1874. On letterhead of Albury House, near Guildford. 4pp., 12mo.

[Walter Farquhar Hook, Dean of Chichester.] Three Autograph Letters Signed (one in full and two 'W F Hook') to the wife of the Birmingham attorney Josiah Corrie.

Author: 
Walter Farquhar Hook (1798-1875), Dean of Chichester, Tractarian and ecclesiastical historian [Josiah Corrie of Woodford, Moseley, Birmingham attorney]
Publication details: 
First letter from Spark Brook, 26 July 1828; second letter from St Nicholas Place, Coventry, 16 April 1829; third letter without place or date [1871?].
£60.00

The three items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper, the second letter having a few very short closed tears on fold lines. The first two signed 'W F Hook' and the third 'Walter Farquhar Hook'. ONE (26 July 1828): 2pp., 12mo. Apologising because 'waiting upon' the Corries will now be impossible, as 'Sir Robert and Lady Wilmot intend to come on a Visit': His Mother will not be able to see Sir Robert, so Hook will be 'compelled to stay at home to entertain him'. TWO (16 April 1829): 2pp., 4to. On gilt-edged bifolium.

Printed handbill anti-Catholic poem by Mary Frances Tupper of Albury, titled 'The Ritualists, Beware! They are Fooling Thee.'

Author: 
Mary Frances Tupper, daughter of the poet Martin Farquhar Tupper (1810-1889) [the Middle Hill Press of Sir Thomas Phillipps]
Publication details: 
Without date or place. [Cheltenham: Middle Hill Press, 1870.]
£150.00

On one side of a piece of wove paper, 15.5 x 9.5 cm. In fair condition, on aged paper, with one creased corner and a small nick at the head. The drop-head title is in capitals, with the second line having only the opening quotation marks (before the initial word 'BEWARE'). The poem is 29 lines long, with three seven-line stanzas followed by an eight-line one. At the foot of the poem: 'Albury. Mary Frances Tupper.' The first stanza reads 'The stamp of Rome is on their heart, | Take care! take care! | They play the Jesuits' crafty part, | Beware! beware!

Verses on the Monumental Effigy of Alice-Evelyn, The Infant-Daughter of Martin Farquhar Tupper, Esq. Sculptured as a Sleeping Child, by J. Durham, Esq. Written by R. T. for W. H. [...]'.

Author: 
R. T. [Martin Farquhar Tupper (1810-1889); Joseph Durham (1814-1877); Thomas De La Rue & Co.]
Publication details: 
London: Imprinted by Thomas De La Rue & Co. Dwelling in Bunhill Row. For Presentation to Private Friends. 1854. Not Published.'
£100.00

Printed on all four pages of a bifolium, with each leaf roughly 17.5 x 13.5 cm. Lightly creased, and with the outer pages a little grubby, but good overall. A self-consciously well-printed production, with each page encased in a black ruled border, and with an engraving of the sculpture on the front page, beneath which, 'A. C. CHISHOLM. DEL. J. DURHAM. NV.' Possibly complete in itself, but in view of the elaborate title probably a taster for a volume which, considering the fact that there is no record of this item on COPAC, was probably never printed.

Three Autograph Letters Signed (all three 'Norman Lockyer') to 'Farquhar'.

Author: 
Sir Joseph Norman Lockyer (1836-1920), English scientist and astronomer, co-discoverer of helium gas [Norman Lockyer Observatory; Harrogate]
Publication details: 
9, 11 and 19 August 1900; first letter from 16 Penywern Road, London SW; second on letterhead of the Solar Physics Observatory, South Kensington, London; third on letterhead of Marine House, Whitley, R.S.O., Northumberland.
£85.00

The first and second letters are both 12mo, 2 pp; the third is 12mo, 1 p. The first and third are good, on lightly aged paper; the second has some smoke staining to top and bottom outside corners. All text clear and entire. The letters concern Farquhar's efforts, as a 'friendly service' on Lockyer's behalf, to get a room in Harrogate. References to the Majestic and Prince of Wales hotels, and to 'Oliver' (perhaps J. A. W. Oliver?).

Autograph Letter Signed ('M. F. T.') to his printer Thomas Brettell, 25 Rupert Street, Haymarket, London.

Author: 
Martin Farquhar Tupper (1810-1889), English poet [P. T. Barnum; John Leech; Thomas Brettell; Henry William Pickersgill]
Publication details: 
Undated, but docketed 'Jan. 31 1851'.
£75.00

12mo: 2 pp. 28 lines. Good, on lightly aged paper, with unobtrusive small spike hole and traces of mounts adhering to four corners. Interesting animated letter between a Victorian author and his printer. Relates to Tupper's 'A hymn for All Nations; translated into thirty languages; nearly fifty versions; the music composed expressly by S. Sebastian Wesley.' (1851). Asks his printer to 'Attend to Hymn as within' (not present). 'We cannot help all this trouble'. Tupper has written to Dr Gavassi, but has had no answer: 'get Rossetti's as soon as you can.

Autograph Letter signed ('B. W. Proctor') to 'Mr C Schofield'.

Author: 
Bryan Waller Procter (1787-1874), English poet writing under pseudonym 'Barry Cornwall'
Publication details: 
32 Weymouth Street | 16 August 1863'.
£80.00

One page, 12mo. Very good. Docketed in pencil at head. 'I have no knowledge of Mr Tupper [presumably the poetaster Martin Farquhar Tupper, 1810-89] or of his address. I was in hopes that the madness of collecting autographs had subsided - but I am sorry to perceive, from your letter, that this is not yet the Case.'

Autograph Letter Signed to the Revd Thomas Helmore.

Author: 
Francis Edward Paget
Publication details: 
Elford Rectory | Septermber 8.' [1841?].
£65.00

Divine and author (1806-82). The recipient (1811-90) was a musical writer and composer, and the priest-ordinary of the Chapel Royal, St James's. Three pages. Poor: creased, dogeared, frayed, and with traces of previous mount adhering to blank verso of second leaf of bifoliate. He received the note and inclosure the day before. 'We have copied the beautiful Kyrie Eleeson, and I now return it with many thanks for the trouble you have so goodnaturedly taken in my behalf.' He wishes he could have been at Leeds for what 'must have been a truly gratifying sight.

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