MANUSCRIPT

Littleton Powys was the second-eldest of eleven, his siblings including writers John Cowper Powys, T. F. Powys and Llewelyn Powys, architect A. R. Powys, artist Gertrude Powys, lacemaker Marian Powys, and poet and novelist Philippa Powys. His autobiography 'The Joy of it' was published in 1937, with the sequel 'Still the Joy of it' appearing in 1956. The three letters are in good condition, lightly aged. They total 8pp., 12mo. The main topic is the correspondence between the recipient Brooks and Powys's wife Elizabeth Myers, which would feature in Powys's 1951 edition of her letters.

Hope calls (Item Four below) for 'a frank recognition of the fact that the faith of the nation is to be found under various, and in some cases discordant, forms, which each require cultivation in conformity with the conscientious beliefs of those who hold them', this being the only way that religion 'as a national institution' can be saved from 'eventual submergence under the floods of indifference and infidelity which are yearly making way in our own as in other European peoples'.The five items attached by a piece of string.

Both items in good condition, lightly aged. The autograph receipt is on a slip of paper attached to the invoice with sealing wax. The invoice is docketed: 'For Par Re: Richd Clarke | 1825 | Sepr. 13th. | Mr Lupton Rolfe Bill for Books | £2 13 6 | No 13 Cornhill London'. ONE: Invoice. 1p., 12mo. Handsome letterhead for items 'Bought of Lupton Relfe | (From J. Hatchard's Son's [sic]) | Bookseller, Publisher & Stationer. | No.

In good condition, lightly aged. Written with purple ink. Addressed to 'J. W. Arrowsmith Esq | Publisher | Bristol.' The message begins, without salutation: 'Booking Office blocked with Copy. But I have had the "Modder River" taken out of turn. You will find a notice in tomorrow's "Punch"'. He announces that on the fifteenth of the following month he is 'to be a guest of the New Vagabond Club', and notes that Arrowsmith is a member, adding 'we may possibly meet'.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium on grey paper. In good condition, lightly aged. The letter would appear to concern both of the books which Shaw published with Routledge in 1913: 'The Encyclopaedia of the Poultry Yard' and 'The Encyclopaedia of the Kennel'. He begins by explaining that he is finally sending in 'title page, & dedication, which I should have sent in earlier had I not been awaiting Mr T[?]s permission to dedicate the book to him.

1p., 4to. In good condition, lightly aged. He acknowledges Wilson's 'kind letter regarding Dalglish', who 'suffered a good deal during the latter weeks of his life, but I am glad to say that even then he still retained that brightness of disposition of which you speak'.

1p., landscape 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. The letter reads: 'Dear Madam, | As far as I am concerned I shall be very glad for you to copy Cromwell into Braille, but I think you ought to get the formal permission of my publishers, Messers Sidgwick and Jackson, which I am sure that they will give you.'

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. The brothers ask Gregory to 'please accept this special copy of RIDERS ACROSS THE BORDER, with our warmest regards, and with every good wish for Christmas and the New Year.' Gregory had published his book with the firm earlier in the year.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged, with minor traces of paper from mount on reverse. Reads: 'Gentlemen, | My book was finished and handed in last Monday. I have written to Smedley's setting forth that fact. The document they hold forbids me to draw the money and sent it to them, but in the course of a few days Messrs Newnes will probably pay-up, and Watt on receipt of cheque will send Smedleys their due.' For information on Christie Murray, see his entry in the Oxford DNB.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Addressed to 'My dear Richard'. In the first paragraph he explains that he will not be able to accept his inviation as he is 'obliged to go into the country'. In the second he writes: 'Arthur Locker will succeed me here after the first of May; and he will attend at the office, with me, for about a week before his engagement begins. If you don't know him and if you will look in I will introduce you.' The Graphic was first published on 4 December 1869 by William Luson Thomas's company Illustrated Newspapers Limited.

Neatly and closely written on both sides of a 9 x 11.5 cm. card. In good condition, lightly aged. On his return from Cambridge the previous Saturday he 'found (as I expected) my family gone to Wales. Among their letters was the enclosed card. I assume it is from you.' He assures her that 'all is right', and that the 'spare room is ready, & will be ready, for you when you come on Thursday.

R. J. L. Kingsford, in his history of the Publishers Association, describes Young as 'a bookseller of outstanding character and ability, a friend of Arnold Bennett, and the discoverer of the literary distinction of George Sturt'. 1p., 12mo. Neatly and closely written. Headed 'private', and addressed to 'Dear John'. Young is apparently following a dinner (of the Publishers Association) at which George Bernard Shaw was present, and the subject of the letter would appear to be an exhibition Wilson's firm has mounted of books by the London publisher John Murray.

1p., 12mo. On grey paper. Aged and with light discoloration and chipping along one edge. A somewhat barbed missive, reading: 'Sir, | I thank you for your offer, but I have so many subjects on hand just now that I fear I could not find room for your article even if I approved of it.' The Graphic was first published on 4 December 1869 by William Luson Thomas's company Illustrated Newspapers Limited, with Henry Sutherland Edwards (1828-1906) as editor. Locker had taken over the editorship only a few days before the writing of this note, on 1 May 1870.

One page, 4to, edges sl chipped. mainly good condition, complete. He follows his best wishes (see above) with information about the (formal) political positions he has occupied from President (giving dates of inauguration and retirement ); place of birth (Wellington St, Dublin); when elected to the Dublin Council and Parliament; when Minister for Local Government; and for Finance; when Deputy Prime Minister; current residence at Roundwood Park. Overleaf his name and title (President) in another hand.

2pp., 4to. In good condition, lightly aged, with the two leaves pinned together. Referring to his wife Emilie, Harmsworth has written in red pencil at the head of the letter 'Em to see'. Physick begins by thanking Harmsworth and his wife for their 'most generous appreciation of our efforts'.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged, with small circle of ink placed by Hake at bottom right. Regarding his 'Parables and Tales', illustrated by Arthur Hughes and published by Chapman & Hall in 1872, he writes: 'Dear Sir [sic] | Please to give me a line to say when Mr Hughes drawings will be ready for press and when you will require my proofs - | Yours truly | T. G. Hake'.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium with mourning border. Aged and grubby. Written with purple pencil. He begins by thanking her for the 'letter & two Photographs', and is 'looking forward some day to see my god child whom the photographs picture as very bonny'.

Printed and in manuscript on both sides of a ragged 19 x 19.5 cm piece of paper, extracted from an Exchequer document (the first page is headed in manuscript 'Bk | (608)'. Aged and ragged. The recto, printed and completed in manuscript explains that the document relates to the 'Repayment of Loan on the Duties on Salt, granted for the Service of the year 1741, and further continued for Seven Years from the 25th Day of March 1746'.

1p., 8vo. In good condition, lightly aged. Closely written in red ink. He begins by thanking him for being 'awfully sweet & kind' in writing, before going on to deal with the state of his health, it having been 'a difficult time, especially as I became so ill – but at the moment things aren't too bad'. The results of 'all the horrible tests' in hospital have 'come out first class', and the 'weird symtoms [sic] have now been proved to have been caused by yet another of those unknown viruses which first of all attacked my guts & then my brain'.

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.

3pp., 16mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Acland's name has been scored through in the salutation and after the signature, but is still legible. The letter reads: 'I have discovered my omission - & desire to apologise for it - herewith I send the Bp of London's corrections. | We are not in a hurry – i.e. not anxious for a few days about the Tract – tho' we would not lose [last word underlined] time.'

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Writing in the year before his elevation to the bishopric, Goodwin writes: 'I do not know whether you dabble at all in Algebra; if you do, you may like to have the mathematical investigation of the problem of the blind-gaoler, which I inclose - It exhibits distinctly the limits of the problem & shews how others of the same kind might be constructed'.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged. Strip of glue from tape at head of page. Written in response to a request for an autograph. Centred in the page, and reading: 'Yours truly | James Payn | March 28th 1887.'

On the back of a printed 'Ceylon | Post Card | For use to British countries'. With Galle postmark of 18 May 1939. Pannasara signs 'D. Pannasara' and gives his details as: 'Bhikku [sic], D. Pannasara Thero | Jayawardhanarama | Dangedara, Galle | Ceylon'. An enquiry in English regarding the 'Milinda Panha – translated from Pali by J. W. Rhys Davids Vol. I-ii'. Annotations in pencil and ink by the recipients.

1p., 4to. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased. Salutation ('Dear Lord Portal') and valediction ('I hope you are well. | Kindest regards | Yours sincerely | Bernard C. Westall') in autograph, the rest typed. Addressed to 'Marshal of the Royal Air Force, | the Rt. Hon.

1p., 12mo. Mourning border. In good condition, lightly aged. Reads: 'Dear Miss Read | With pleasure I subscribe myself | Yours faithfully | Briton Rivière'.

2pp., 12mo. The item comprises a note in Sumner's hand on the first page, beneath which, and continuing onto the second page, is an order in another hand for 34 books in eight categories, under the headings 'Bibles', 'Testaments' and 'C[ommon] Prayers'. Sumner writes: 'Revd. Sir. | I request you will send me the following books on the terms of the Society, by Lamport's Farnham Waggon.' The order, in another hand, begins: 'Bibles | 5 8o Medium Small Pica without Marg[inal] Ref[erences]. And Apocr[ypha]'.

The background to the two documents is given in Guidott's entry in the History of Parliament, which states that his uncle Anthony was 'for many years a lawyer to the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough and described the latter in his will as “my particular good friend”. Guidott benefited from the connexion, succeeding his uncle as lawyer to the Marlboroughs. […] He proved a disappointment to the Duchess of Marlborough, however, as by 1711 he had begun the embezzlement of funds from the Marlborough estates for which he was sued in 1725.

2pp., foolscap 8vo. On watermarked laid paper, and plainly intended as an index to a volume of bound tracts. Aged and worn, with chipped edges, and a small part of the bottom outer corner of the leaf torn away, resulting in the loss of two numbers from the pagination. The document is headed 'The Contents of the 2. Volume', and is closely written in a clerk's hand. Both pages divided into two columns.

On 14 x 12 cm section cut from front panel of envelope. In fair condition, lightly aged. Cropped postmark at head. Laid out in the customary fashioni, and reading: 'Holkham. Augt. Twenty Third | 1830 - | Willm. Barth Esq | Yarmouth | Norfolk | T W Coke'. Manuscript note at foot in another nineteenth-century hand: 'Mr. Coke, M.P. of Holkham Norfolk - afterwards 1st. Earl of Leicester'.