LITERATURE

8vo: [viii] + 265 + [ii] pp. Printers slug on page following 265, followed by a full-page advertisement by Harrison Hall, Philadelphia, and Collins & Co., New York, for 'Wilson's Ornithology', dated 'Philadelphia, July 1832'. In original brown paper boards, with brown cloth spine carrying white printed label. Tight, but in poor condition, with light spotting and damp-staining. Unobtrusive repair to closed tear on reverse of title-leaf. Ownership inscription of Joseph Malcomson (mill owner of Portlaw, County Waterford) to rectos of first four leaves, including title.

On a piece of paper roughly 5.5 x 13 cm. Good firm signature (8 cm long) on lightly aged and creased paper. Reads 'Faithfully yours | [signed] Marie Corelli'. Fragment on reverse reads '<...> education nowadays <...> hope you <...> induced to <...> estimable'.

On a piece of wove paper, roughly 5 x 14.5 cm. Rough lower edge. Good, on lightly aged paper. 0.5 cm closed tear at left (not affecting signature). Paper folded once vertically. Good clear signature.

16mo: 1 p. 14 lines of text. Close hand. He is touched that Sainte-Beuve has found time, in the midst of his labours, to write a letter expressing his 'adhésion'. 'Je suis heureux de penser, en vous écrivant rue Montparnasse [Sainte-Beuve lived at no. 11], que la philosophie et l'esprit d'indépendence ont toujours un ami dans la maison de Sainte-Beuve'.

Three pages, 8vo, fold marks, chipped, pinholes and spikehole in centre, but mainly good with text clear and complete. He apologises for not writing sooner and discusses a book he has sent, firstly the binding, then the content in which the lives and deaths of the debauched Callistus and the virtuous Sophronius are contrasted, illustrated with a quotation from Young's "Night Thoughts".[viz. the scarce [Mulso, Thomas]. "Callistus: or, the man of fashion. And Sophronius: or, the country gentleman". In three dialogues.

Octavo: 190 pp. In original red cloth binding. First edition. Lacks rear free endpaper. On aged paper and in heavily worn binding. INSCRIBED by author on creased front free endpaper 'Much that is contained in this book is founded on fact | [signed] William Le Queux | Oct 1916'.

Octavo, 2 pp. 23 lines of text. Lightly discoloured and slightly creased. The letterhead gives the names of seven of the Anthology's staff, and features an illustration of a raven. Regarding a line missed (beginning 'O fool') in the printing of a poem of Zeman's, he is pleased that Zeman has been able to 'see the matter from my side', and doesn't think 'an explanatory note in our next issue would be adequate'. Zeman's poem is 'beautiful' and 'well worth reprinting'. 'As to the Soiree, in your honor, think no more about it.

8vo: [viii] + 164 pp; [iv] + 183 pp. Bound together in contemporary half calf binding, gilt, marbled boards and endpapers. A tight copy, printed on aged, spotted paper, with occasional light damp-spotting, in worn binding. Bookplate of Aemiliani Reich, on spotted, aged paper, by Gordon Browne, on front pastedown. The first volume has a four-page preface by 'S.M.F.', dated 'New York, July, 1846.' Both volumes contain eight essays.

12mo, [ii] + 235 pp. In contemporary brown-calf half-binding, with marbled boards and grey endpapers. Internally sound and tight, if a little foxed, with some wear to the extremities of the title-leaf. In worn binding with label on spine mostly worn away. The identity of the author is unknown.

4to, 12 pp. Disbound and stitched. Very good. The poem covers pp. 3-11, with five 'Notas' on p. 12. Scarce (in the Anglo-Saxon world at least): COPAC only lists a copy at the British Library. Includes a passage on Nelson and 'el feroz Britano'. No copy found in Sanish Union Catalogue etc. (accessed through German Union Catalogue).

8vo, [ii] + 8 pp. Unbound stitched pamphlet. Lightly aged, and with short closed tears at head and foot of outer leaves. Dogeared corner to rear leaf. A 116-line 29-stanza poem, beginning 'The Pilgrims loved Old England, | Their hearts fed on her sod, | Their souls clung close to England, | But closelier [sic] to God.' and ending 'And through those centuries strenuous | In services to Man, | If sometimes sadly tenuous, | We claimed, and kept the Van.' Scarce: no copy on COPAC, in the British Library or Library of Congress.

Pamphlet, [12]pp., 8vo, formerly sewn but thread missing, hence leaves loose, good condition. It advertises new works (for example, "A New Novel, by the Author of 'Guy Livingstone'") but is notable for its lists of contributing Authors and Artists, and "Classified Index of all the Principal Articles in Prose".

Original green cloth, 268pp, 8vo, corners bumped, covers marked, endpapers yellowed, contents good. First collected works [?]. Scarce: three copies listed by COPAC which also lists an edition (of the same book?) which it dates [1917 ("Dublin: Phoenix").

On one side of a piece of laid paper roughly 27 x 21 cm. Text clear and entire on aged and lightly creased paper. Chipped, with slight loss and closed tears, to extremities. Thirty-lines in Alexandrine couplets, beginning 'L'Ame du chansonnier (si l'ame est immortelle) | Doit tressaillir pieuse à votre amour fidèle.' and ending 'Gravons sur sa mémoire un souvenir profond: | Son nom n'est pas de ceux que les siècles refont.' The date and signature are in the right-hand margin, towards the bottom right-hand corner.

4to. 24 pages. In original brown printed wraps. In poor condition: paper frayed, worn and discoloured, front and back wrap separately detached. Number 97 of 350 copies. Pollock (1887-1964) was a novelist, poet and one of the founders of the Gate Theatre.

12mo (dimensions of leaf 12.5 x 9.5 cm): 22 pp. Stitched. In original brown printed card wraps (dimensions of wrap 14 x 11 cm). Edition limited to 120 copies, of which this is No. 14. Good, with light crease to front wrap.

12mo (dimensions of leaf 12.5 x 9.5 cm): 19 pp. Stitched. In original brown printed card wraps (dimensions of wrap 13 x 10 cm). Edition limited to 136 copies, of which this is No. 97. Good.

12mo (dimensions of leaf 12.5 x 9.5 cm): 10 pp. Stitched. In original brown printed card wraps (dimensions of wrap 13.5 x 10 cm). Edition limited to 120 copies, of which this is No. 23. Good.

12mo (dimensions of leaf 12.5 x 9.5 cm): 20 pp. Stitched. In original brown printed card wraps (dimensions of wrap 13.5 x 10.5 cm). Edition limited to 120 copies, of which this is No. 103. Good, in slightly bumped wraps.

12mo (dimensions of leaf 17.5 x 10.5 cm): Stitched. In original brown printed card wraps (dimensions of wrap 19 x 11.5 cm). Edition limited to 136 copies, of which this is No. 100. Good, in lightly worn and bumped wraps.

64pp., [12mo], original tan wraps restored (formerly detached and badly chipped, and recased in green paper wraps, staining and marking but contents mainly good. Title label on front mispelt (Marcus" for Marcuis"). Very scarce. I have found only one copy recorded (Harvard).

50pp., 12mo, original printed grey wraps, chipped and marked, contents good.

Pp.38 [2], 8vo, original illustrated pink wraps, yapp edges chipped, contents good. INSCRIBED BY AUTHOR to Sylvia Lynd, poet and reviewer: "Sylvia Lynd/ from Lennox/ Feb 1924." Original cast list on verso of last two pages.

Pp.109.[2], 8vo, original illustrated pink wraps, yapp edges chipped, contents good. Ownership inscription "Sylvia Lynd", poet and reviewer. Original cast list on verso of last leaf

Pagination starts at p.9 (-48), preceded by endpaper, title, and 2pp. of text, [12mo], original illus. wraps, chipped, dulled, slightly marked, some wear to top and bottom of spine, contents good.

Letter: 12mo, 1 p. Grubby and stained. He 'did not mention the Planché-affair' in his letter of the day before. Asks for his name to be put down 'for a copy of the book' [French's edition of Planché's 'Extravaganzas']. The subscription form (12mo, 1 p), heavily worn and with loss to the extremities, is laid down on the reverse of the letter. On it Merivale gives his address as 'Barton Lodge, Kingston on Thames'.

4to, 1 p. On aged, creased apper, but with text clear and entire. A small piece of paper from a bottom corner has been torn away in opening the letter, and is still present on the reverse, under a red wax seal bearing a clear impression of a lyre and the words 'Addolcire ed Maturare'. Brief communication apologising for the fact that the Literary Souvenir has not reached him sooner. 'The omission is the sin of my booksellers and not mine'. He is sending a copy with the letter, and asks him to accept his thanks, 'for your courtesy'.

12mo, 2 pp, and 8vo, 1 p. A little grubby and creased, but with text clear and entire. He is sorry that Shorter was not able to visit the Chateaux of the Loire, but hopes that 'the sea air of Dieppe' has done him good. The year before Shorter's death, Hammerton writes: 'But you must really cease this brink-of-the-grave touch! Ten years hence, from an inglenook at Knockmoroon [where Shorter would die], you will wonder why you were anticipating the "closing down" of C.K.S.

On one side of a piece of paper, dimensions 19.5 x 21 cm. Lightly creased. Presumably in response to a request for an autograph. Reads 'Is there a life before Death? | (slogan chalked on wall in Northern Ireland, 1975) | Yours sincerely | [signed] Beryl Bainbridge.' Firm sprawling signature.

Letter: 12mo, 4 pp. Bifolium. Text clear and entire, but with the outer pages grubby. He has 'no wish to annoy other members of the Court family', so it will 'go no further'. 'It is cool of Miss Court to talk thhe confidence of her own home, when she made the statement to Mrs Bulkeley in her own drawing-room.' Suggests that Draper send 'the Postmistress' a 'reminder'. 'She is so accustomed to threatening letters from her creditors' lawyers that she possibly may disregard this.' Asks him to 'make her understand that withholding an apology may have sharp consequences'.