NATURAL

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, with one central vertical fold, and patch of small holes at head of second leaf. Interesting letterhead, with image of Egyptian hieroglyphics. Someone (probably Mrs Kipling) has written 'orchid' on the first page. The letter begins: 'Mr dear Mrs. Kipling, | I sent you a few flowers today by post, also (by rail to Etchingham) a Cypripedium Insigne, a Blush Rambler & a Lady Gay rose. The Cyp: Insig: is very fairly hardy but I should not stand it in too violent a draught.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. The recipient is not named. Grindon's handwriting is difficult and the reading is in parts tentative. The letter begins with a references to 'The Secretary of our “Manchester Field-Naturalists' Society', who appears to have placed a communication from the recipient in Grindon's hands. Grindon agrees to bring the matter 'very distinctly before our members', but explains that there are difficulties. 'Our members reside, almost wholly, in the town, or, if a few miles away, they come into town by train by 9 a.m. Or so, & remain till eve.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Addressed to Allchin at 5 Chandos Street, W. He asks him whether it would be 'convenient to you to come across today to see my Son who has a swelled face, & whose mother thinks he is not in a condition to go outside the house'.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged, tipped-in onto part of a page from an album. He begins by stating that he is returning a 'paper altered and corrected'. He goes on: 'We have had some warm work at the H[ouse]: of Commons of late'. (Percy had been appointed Superintendent of Ventilation of the Houses of Parliament in 1865. Percy is 'working very hard at my 3d volume, a large portion of which is in type'.

16pp., 4to. Unstitched and unbound. In fair condition, lightly aged, worn and spotted.. Priced at a penny. In small print and double column. Consisting, after a short introduction, of an area-by-area report of the effects of the flood, beginning with 'Midnight in the Dolemeads. | Distressing Scenes.', 'Corn Street, Milk Street and Avon Street' and 'Southgate Street', and ending with 'Batheaston', 'Radstock' and 'Midsomer Norton'. Perren's photographs show 'Dolemeads and Association Cricket Fields', 'The Old Bridge', 'Southgate Street' and 'The Quay from the Old Bridge'.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. He begins by thanking Ramsay 'for Copy of No 12 of the Scientific Roll, which I presented to the Club at our last meeting, and for which a vote of thanks was accorded to you'. He agrees with Ramsay that the 'subject of Phenological observation' is 'one of very considerable importance', but the Club has been 'so full of work of one kind and another that we have hardly had time to consider the matter' and it has 'not yet been taken up by the Club'. He will raise the subject, and thanks Ramsay for 'the reprint of your paper'.

Both items on a 12mo bifolium, with the two-page ALS on the first leaf, and the printed notice on the recto of the second. In good condition, lightly aged. The letter begins: 'The tracts you kindly design to present to our Institute may be sent to Messrs. Nichols & Son, Parliament Street, to the inclosed in my monthly parcel.' He considers Bury an 'out of the way place', where 'every scrap relating to Archaelology will be very acceptable; and we shall be additionally thankful for whatever proceeds from your pen.' The printed notice is signed in type 'Samuel Tymms, Hon. Sec.

One page, 12mo, small corner missing with loss of short word (unknown), mainly good condition. "Je recois a l'instant quelques grains toutes fraiches de Charleston et je [m'empresse?] de vous en faire [passer?] une parties. J'ignore si vous avez recu les paquets [?] que je vous ai adresses il y a deja quelques [temps?]". Postscipti (corner lost), "il [leur ...?] de la terre de [possibly loss of short word] Bruyere , legere, du frais et le [word lost?] l[ombre?]."

2pp., 4to. In good condition, lightly aged. With oval date stamp of the Royal Society of Arts. He wonders whether 'some Fellows' might be interested to 'hear an account of "Methods of Controlling mussels & other Marine growths in Sea-Pipes"'. He explains: 'The blocking of pipes by mussel growth has occurred at many parts of the coast, but the problem of devising a means of keeping the mussels in check had not been seriously tackled until I investigated the matter in connection with the new Electric Power Station of Edinburgh Corporation on the Firth of Forth at Portobello'.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, aged and worn. Forty lines of text. He has been 'looking out for the review in the D[aily]. T[elegraph]. but never a review at all I seen. [sic] I suppose that these politics &c, squeeze out any matter which can bide its time'. He recalls their previous meeting: 'last time was on a Sunday morning, when Theodore & I trotted from Belvedere to Sidcup [...] he, like you, has been following his father's footsteps, & has made somewhat of a name in economic edntomology'.

2pp., 12mo. On bifolium with mourning border. In fair condition, aged and worn, with the second leaf laid down on part of a leaf cut from an autograph album. He is enclosing 'a Lecture Syllabus from Mr. Nicol, whom you may perhaps remember having seen meet me in the committee room on the day of my lecture'. Nicols wants Romanes to recommend him as a lecturer, but he only knows him 'from his book "Zoological Notes" which I reviewed in Nature.

The three items in fair condition, with light signs of age and wear. ONE: From Rea, 4 June 1902. 1p., 8vo. On WNC letterhead, amended by Rea with his Foregate Street address. Requesting permission to view Harington's 'historic mansion on Thursday the 12th. June next: The Club will on that day walk down from Ham Bridge via Tedney & expect to be near Whitbourne Court between 4.30 & 5 o'clock They desire only to see the historic portion of the buildings & to in no way intrude on Sir Richard Harington's privacy'. TWO: From Rea, 6 June 1902. From Foregate Street. 1p., 12mo.

The 14 letters total 72pp. The collection is in good condition, lightly aged. Most items docketed and with the Society's stamp. The correspondence relates to Society business, from a strongly Anglo-Indian viewpoint. Letters of 26 May and 2 June 1913 are each 12pp. Long, and concern the relative merits of Indian colonial official Sir William Lee-Warner (1846-1914) and the geographer Sir Thomas Holdich (1843-1929), to be chairman of the Society.

Both items in good condition, on grey-paper bifoliums, the first with the Society's stamp and both docketed. ONE: 25 January 1901. 1p., 12mo. Concerning the binding up of his copies of the Society's journal, and the supply of missing parts. TWO: 12 June 1901. 3pp., 12mo. Concerning his 'promised letter' for 'Friday's Journal': 'I cannot hope to have a proof sent me, but if you accept the letter & should be correcting a proof yourself & would, when ordering a proof, order a spare copy for me to see at your office, I shd. be greatly obliged & wd. call in tomorrow afternoon to look through it'.

Two Vols bound in one, hf. lea, faded and worn, marbled boards, worn, contents v.g.. Vol. I, pp.iv.174; Vol. II, iv.148 (inc. indexes and list of members). Honorary Vice-Presidents include Haeckel, Babington, Huxley, Lankester. Scarce.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. He will have 'much pleasure in breaking our stones o'er again on Thursday', and will 'try & bring some sections with me - several specimens are in the lapidary's hands'. He ends by asking for confirmation of the hour at which he should call on him.

2pp., 12mo. In fair condition, on aged and lightly-creased paper, with traces of glue from mount at head of second page. Annotated at head in a contemporary hand. If mention of his name 'can in any way help you for the Welsh University or for any other post, by all means use it'. Regarding the 'next years cataloguing', plans are only in consideration, 'with the preparation of the estimates at end of the summer'. He explains that in the previous year these were 'framed by Dr. Smith', and that her application 'came just too late'.

1p., landscape 8vo. On aged and worn paper, with a couple of light ink stains. A small cutting carrying a biography of Lever is laid down at bottom left. His 'intention relative to sending a Cargo of Potatoes to our brave friends at Gibraltar' has not met with the support he expected, so he is forced to 'give up the plan, the Subscription being no way adequate to the expence that would attend'. He asks Harrop to insert the list of subscribers in his newspaper, and to 'return those Gentlemen their Subscription with my best Compliments'.

In good condition, with stamp and postmarks. Addressed to 'Dr Rudolf [sic] Bergh | 6 Malmogade | Copenhagen | Denmark'. Reads: 'Dear Sir, | I have no record of any account of the soft parts of Amathina tricostata since the time of H. & A. Adams. I remember your visit to us many many years ago. With kind regards | Yours v. truly | Edgar A. Smith'.

The seven items in good condition, showing light signs of age and wear. Four signed 'Edgar A. Smith' and three 'E. A. Smith'. The letters totalling 10pp. A learned correspondence, with Smith attempting, not always successfully, to identify Lynge's specimens, passing comment and suggesting publications.

Four pages, 8vo, formerly bound into a publication (stabbing evident), sl. dulled and chipped, giving information about the Museum founded by Edward Donovan, and Donovan's publications. See Wikipedia for further information about the Museum, and an image of the first page of this item which they call a "catalogue"

The table or bloom calendar is in a makeshift table, ruled out in pencil over 2pp., folio. It is in poor condition, heavily-aged, divided into two sections along central horizontal fold line, and with slight loss to text from chipping.

American physician and explorer of Africa (1866-1939). The recipient was Assistant Secretary at the Natural History Museum, London. One page, 12mo. Good, on slightly discoloured paper, and with remains of stub still neatly attached to one edge. A significant letter, sent on the eve of Donaldson Smith's most notable expedition. 'Just a line in haste to tell you I & Dodson [a taxidermist engaged for the expedition] are ready to start for Rudolph Gillitt [another taxidermist] having left for England after hearing of his father's death.

American physician and explorer of Africa (1866-1939). The recipient (1830-1914) was Keeper of the Zoological Department at the British Museum, 1875-95, and Vice-President of the Royal Society, 1875-6. Two pages, 12mo. Very good, on slightly discoloured paper with a little light spotting. Traces of previous mount adhering to one edge. He is sending some 'spirit-specimens' from his collection and has written to Sir William Flower 'as to the disposition of the entire collection'.

American physician and explorer of Africa (1866-1939). The recipient was Assistant Secretary at the Natural History Museum, London. One page, 12mo. Good, on slightly discoloured paper, and with remains of stub still neatly attached to one edge. A significant letter, sent on the eve of Donaldson Smith's most notable expedition. 'Just a line in haste to tell you I & Dodson [a taxidermist engaged for the expedition] are ready to start for Rudolph Gillitt [another taxidermist] having left for England after hearing of his father's death.

On 3 x 17 cm. slip of paper, cut from longer document. In fair condition, lightly aged and folded. Reads: 'Prof Forbes' compliments to Mr Bowerbank and he cannot they are not ready he will forward them to Mr Ransom himself'.

On 5.5 x 14 cm. strip of paper. Apparently written in response to a request for an autograph. Reads: 'I am much flattered by the demand | C L. Bonaparte' ('demand' being a mistake for 'request').

1p., 12mo. In very good condition. Large bold signature. 'Dear Sir | Thanks for your prompt remittance: I return the a/c duly accepted and remain | Dear Sir | Yours very truly | John Gould | Mr. J. E. Cornish'. Docketted at top left.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. He thanks him for a notice of his lecture which is 'sympathetic and in every way adequate and helpful'. He is accustomed to reviews 'which however kindly and appreciative have nevertheless so woefully manipulated my facts'. He gives as an example his 'good friend Baker of the Union', who 'in the kindliest & most cordial spirit put words in my mouth, statements of scientific fact [...] But it is as you have so often told me. The only way to establish a truth is to pound away at it, iteration and reiteration.'

On one side of piece of 13.5 x 8.5 cm piece of paper. Aged and worn. Reads: 'know when I shall have an evening to myself, for in the last fifteen days or so, I have only dined at home twice, and as far as I see, that much of vagrant life seems rather on the increase than otherwise. But the first evening that I have, I will dedicate to you, & give you notice thereof | Best remembrances to your family - | Yours very sincerely | J. G. Wood'. On reverse, in another hand: 'J. G. Wood | the great naturalist'.