POETRY

One page, 12mo. Good, though a little grubby at the right-hand margin, and with the name of the recipient neatly torn away at foot. 'Dear Sir | Neither Lady Martin nor myself feel any interest in any letters of ours, which may have come into your hands.'

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.'

Orig. bds, worn and stained, foxing on eps, contents g-vg. Inscribed "With the author's compliments

Octavo: 8 pp. Unbound, stapled pamphlet of six leaves. Dogeared, with rusted staples and with horizontal band of discoloration and two vertical closed tears (2 cm and 1 cm) at head.

12mo: 24 pp. Leaf dimensions: 15.5 x 9.5 cms. Unbound. Good, on aged paper with fraying to extremities and a little light staining to title. Decorative title-page with vignette. On verso of title: list of twenty-three 'Penny Histories' ('Crown 12mo. Three or upwards sent post free to any address, on receipt of stamps to the amount') and nineteen 'Penny Song Books'. Heavily worn type and loss to text at foot of three pages due to faulty imposition. According to BBTI Robert Benson Bowman was active in Newcastle from before 1826 to after 1859.

Poet (1871-1962). One page, 8vo. Poem first published in the "Saturday Review", later in "The Mystery and other Poems" (1913), and later. Minor variations from the printed form ("&" becomes "and").

AUTHOR'S COPY, WITH HIS MANUSCRIPT REVISIONS FOR THE SECOND EDITION. Octavo: 96 pages. Seven plates (of eight). Original olive cloth gilt, with pierrot on front board. Numbered copy twelve in the edition. One leaf (pages 49-50) removed. Aged, and in heavily worn boards. Carrying manuscript changes on twenty-two pages, as well as on a plate and the front board. Cutting loosely inserted, regarding a couplet by 'E. V. L.' of Brighton (clearly E. V. Lucas) addressed to Mew regarding the word 'hyperbole'. Six of Greiffenhagen's seven illustrations are present.

Author/translator of "La Muse ottomane ou chefs-d'oeuvre de la poésie turque" (Paris, 1853). Three pages, 8vo, good condition. He thanks his correspondent for a copy of "l'Anthologie arabe de M. Grangeret de Lagrange" [first published 1828]. He explains his great interest in the book and the excellent job done by the compiler. He praises his correspondent for enriching the book with Latin and notes which derive from their discussions.

Two pages, 12mo. Very good on aged paper, with small closed tear at head not affecting text. Appears to concern an exhibition of women painters. Wants to 'personally thank' her for 'the privilege of having seen the International & in particular, your charming pictures. 'Early Morning' has quite carried away my heart! But the others are very fine. it must be so difficult, & so interesting to paint grey darkness. [...] Nothing of Miss Lister's there having in my opinion come up to her 'Builth Bridge' which we have. [...] Next to it I like 'A lonely Tree'.

Belgian writer (1878-1953), author of the fairy-tale 'The two hunchbacks', set to music by Frank Bridge. One page, quarto. Poor, on discoloured, creased paper with several closed tears. He thanks her for her letter and has 'written to Miss Sands to ask her if she could not possibly alter the date as I have another lecture on the same day, at night. But if impossible, I will come all the same.' Signed 'Em Cammaerts'. Docked in pencil, by 'HSJ', 'Dec: 4. 1915. I heard M.

English aristocrat (1835-95), poet, numismatist, archaeologist, writer on natural history, etc. Two pages, 12mo. Good, but with blank verso of second leaf of bifoliate adhering to docketed remains of leaf from autograph album. Had he not been 'so busy that I hardly knew where to turn' he would have answered the letter 'on the subject of the seal' sooner.

Anglo-French journalist (1801-81) and friend of Mallarme. Letter: two pages, octavo. Good, though on creased, discoloured and spotted paper. The verso of the second leaf of the bifoliate is ruckled and with glue stains showing through from the verso, which is attached to a piece of ruled paper. Reads 'Mon cher voisin | I enclose an order for the Westminster Play for to night, which may perhaps interest you or your son. If either of you are able to go, you should be there early.

Poet and editor (see DNB). One page, 4to, traces of blue paper on which item formerly laid down, condition mainly good, text clear and complete as follows: "Motto for the Bible/ Behold the Book, whose leaves display / Jesus the life, the truth, the way; / Read it with diligence [in the prayer?]; / Search it.- and You shall find Him there."

Poet and literary critic (1856-1930). One page, 12mo. Discoloured but very good. Folded once. One might almost think he was being sarcastic. 'The unflawed pleasure of my short visit to the Archdeaconry will never be effaced from my memory. Heartily I thank you all very much. | Most sincerely yrs | Mackenzie Bell | [autograph]'. Last word and square brackets Bell's.

Antiquary (DNB). Piece of paper, c. 4 x 4", discoloured byt text clear, bottom edge rough from tearing. Text: See another song by this author in Johnson's 'Scots Musical Museum'. If 'The Rock and the wee pickle tour' were written before the publication of Ramsay's 'Tea-table miscellany' (1724), there being a song to the tune in that book, the author must have been a great age in 1768. / Those poems are in the broad Buchan dialect." This is followed by the note "The above is in the hand-writing of Joseph Ritson.", an attribution confirmed by comparison with known examples in the BL.

80 pages. 16mo. In grubby decorated boards with white paper printed label on front. Corners bumped. Internally sound and tight, with a few pencil notes on front pastedown.

British Poet Laureate (1904-72). Day-Lewis's letter, 1 page, 8vo. On grey paper. Good, but lightly creased and with a few staple holes. Thanks Mercer for the 'kind invitation'. 'I am afraid I could not manage to prepare the paper you suggest for January 24, since I have to be busy till near the end of this year on a play.' Suggests deferment to February or March. Signed 'C. Day Lewis'. Docketed by '' on 24 July 1961, 'We can offer other times, I think, in March.' and with 'Mar 21 | 2.30' beneath this in pencil.

Possibly the Henry R. Potter, of the Office of Works, who corresponded with Gladstone in 1885 and 1894. 4 pages, 16mo. In good condition: neatly folded twice, with traces of stub along one edge of verso of second leaf of bifoliate. Apologises for 'the numerous omissions of which I have been guilty' in his lecture. His only excuse is that he 'submitted the lists to two or three persons resident in Nott[ingha]m and consequently, as I concluded, conversant with its "Notables" '.

Irish actor (1916-2001). 2 pages, 8vo. In good condition though creased along one edge. Accompanying this item are a typescript (1 page, 8vo, in good condition, annotated in ink) headed 'MASEFIELD READINGS', listing 13 items alternatively allocated to 'O'Conor' and 'Day Lewis', and two typewritten slips of paper listing some of the officers of the Royal Society of Literature, one of which has corrected details of the Don Carlos Coloma Memorial Lecture on the reverse. In the letter O'Conor complains that [Masefield's Collected Poems 'seem riddled with misprints'.

One page, 4to, sl. dusty and dulled, fold marks, but text clear and complete, as follows: "Dear Adler, I cannot remember whether "Lord of the World" was published for the first time in "Blind Children" or not, but at any rate it would be impossible for the pirates to know any more than I do. It is very probable also that I asked Funk and Wagnall's permission."

(Letter [1945]) He is jumping at Daniel George's offer to take any reviews that Day-Lewis could do without. His doctor has ordered rest. (Note) He is returning an article he cannot use in "Orion". (Card) He would like to see a broadcast George has made. With: autograph note signed from Daniel George, 29 January 1945, acknowledging receipt of the books he is to review, hoping his health is improving. And: Christmas Card signed by Day-Lewis and Rosamund Lehmann (1944), containing a poem by Day-Lewis and a design by Paul Cross. 4 items,

English poet and essayist. On the first slip: 'Winthrop M. Praed'; on the second: 'Southampton November Six | 1837'. Both slips are discoloured from pasting in autograph album.

English actor, playwright, songwriter (1856-1914). One page, 8vo. "Sir Maple is a handy man / And comfort round him spreads, / He furnishes on every plan / And also makes the beds." In bad condition, torn and holed by removal from mount, traces of which are glued to the reverse.

The 1889 note: "Let me know whether you care to publish poetry - I can send you 3 stanzas". The other note: "I regret much that I am already engaged to dinner on Tuesday. If it were probable that yr party sat late into the night I would gladly join you in the coffee state of yr festivities". Two items,

The two pieces are attached on the reverse by gummed paper. The first is the head of the letter, giving place and date, and the second the conclusion, with Noyes' signature.

Poet and playwright. Three pages, 8vo, good condition. H has realised that Jerrold is publishing in his "Anthology" two popems which are about to appear in Trench's "New Poems", to be published by Methuen the following day. He requests what he believes in Methuen's customary charge of a guinea a poem. Otherwise, could he return them.

Litterateur and Poet (1757-1833). One page, 4to, fold marks, minor tears and staining, clear and good. Sotheby asks Jerdan "If there be time, l;et the Two last lines of the Proem [underlined] be -/ "And, in his grave while falls a Nation's tears,/ I strow these fading flours on Scott's untimely Bier".The equivalent text published in "the Literary Gazette", 3 Nov. 1832, p.699, runs as follows: "The golden close of F,me's unclouded day --/ Now strew these fading flowers on his untrimely tomb." In other words, Sotheby was too late with his changes.

Scottish novelist (1800-1864). One page, trimmed, removed from an album, 7 x 4.5", text cldear and apparently complete, as follows: "Lines on the death of a Christian Hero.- // Let not a tear upon his grave be shed / The common tribute to the common dead, / But let the good, the [?], & the brave, / With noble envy sigh for such a grave / Catherine Sinclair / 28 Novr- / 1857". From the album formed by Annie, David Brewster's (see DNB) daughter-in-law. Brewster helped her with donations.