RUSSELL

Nineteen Items relating to Bertrand Russell and his activities, from the papers of his associate Mansel Morris Davies (for information regarding whom see his obituary in the Independent, 17 January 1995). An interesting collection, casting light on the 1960s peace movement, the Welsh aspect of Russell's political activities, and the tensions among his supporters. The collection is in good condition, lightly aged and worn. ONE: Carbon copies of six TLsS from MD to Bertrand Russell. A total of 10pp, 4to. From Telfan, Stanley Road, Aberystwyth; between 22 April 1958 and 16 December 1969.

1p, 8vo. In fair condition, lightly aged. Folded twice. The letter reads: 'Dear Wilson. | I have just returned from U.S.A. & am going next Monday or Tuesday to Donegal for a much needed holiday. I expect to be away a month. If your friend is in Dublin when I come back I will be glad to see him But in a month I will be out of the world. | Yours ever | AE'

1p, 4to. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded three times. He explains that he likes Wilson's poem 'very much', and that he would take it with pleasure, but that he has 'got a copy box stuffed with verse, some of it waiting publication for over a year', and that he has 'not the conscience to take more'. He continues, with reference to R. N. D. Wilson: 'I hear from my friend Wilson in Sligo that you are a brother of his. I am interested to know that the talent for poetry exists in two members of the family.'

For information on the recipient William Frederick Cleveland, see his obituary, BMJ, 3 December 1898. 3pp, 12mo. Bifolium on grey paper. In fair condition, lightly aged, with thin strip of paper from mount adhering to blank reverse of second leaf. He explains that he is enclosing a letter to which he replied late as he was out of town, giving a time that day which 'would suit me, if it would be convenient to you'. He 'begged' the writers of the letter to let Cleveland know.

4pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged, with thin strip of stub from mount adhering to one edge. He finds her 'proposal', that he should visit her 'at Rodborough at the beginning of May', 'well adapted, by the deferred date, to my arrangements. Had the time named been nearer, I should have hesitated, for after three months of enforced idleness I am beginning to do a little work, and I could hardly reconcile it to my conscience to take a holiday. But at the beginning of May, I hope to have a quantity of M. S.

She thanks him for sending his 'most interesting & valuable little pamphlet', which she will give to her friends to read, hoping that it will 'really help at this most difficult time'. She is struck by his 'footnote about “The Freedom of the Seas”', and wishes she 'could really understand that subject'. She ends by asking (disingenuously?) if anything has been written which 'puts your point of view at more length & simply enough for an ordinary mortal to take it in'. The pamphlet referred to is presumably Armstrong's 'Peace with Security' (1917).

On a single 8vo half-title leaf removed from the William Clarke Russell's 'Nelson's Words and Deeds: A Selection from the Dispatches and Correspondence of Horatio Nelson' (London: Sampson Low, 1890). In fair condition, lightly aged and with a central horizontal crease. Printed at the centre of the page are the words 'NELSON'S WORDS AND DEEDS', and at the head Swinburne writes: 'Isabel Swinburne | from her affectionate brother | Algernon Charles Swinburne | November 1890'.

A marvellous slice of Victorian social history. The entry for 'Matrimonial News' in 'Frederick May's London Press Dictionary and Advertiser's Handbook, 1871' runs as follows: 'MATRIMONIAL NEWS AND SPECIAL ADVERTISER – 2d. F. Farrah, 282, Strand, W.C.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. An interesting letter by a knowledgeable English Member of Parliament, describing Anglo-Russian relations in the period preceding the Crimean War. The recipient is not named. The letter opens: 'My dear Sir | I have called at the Foreign Office, with the Address. Lord Palmerston being about I have left it with his first Secretary Lord Eddisburg, and with a letter from myself.

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Written in a shaky hand. The letter begins: 'Dear Sir | I was much obliged to you for the extra copy of The Inquirer which I was glad to have, containing very good letters supporting Free Trade. It is a subject on which I feel strongly – perhaps inherited from my father!

There has been a recent resurgence of interest in the work of the English 'Tachiste' artist Derek Middleton (full name Derek Osborne Middleton), but the fact that he lived in France from 1958 to his death in 1983 has restricted the English-language source material relating to the artist, even leading to his date of death being given incorrectly as 2002.

Three interesting letters, intelligent, well-informed and affectionate, by a member of a leading Liberal family.

Both items in good condition, lightly aged and worn. ONE: Headed: 'Rite Welcome be ye alle. | Lockinge Mannor | Wantage | Ye Order of ye Revells. | To be holden by grace of mye Lord & Ladye Wantage of Lockynge on ye XXVI 8 XXVII daies of August | MDCCCLXXXV.' Printed on one side of a 47.5 x 20.5 cm. piece of laid paper. Printer's slug at bottom left: 'C. R. ILES, CHELT.' With coat of arms and initial at head.

See Cockerell's entry in the Oxford DNB, and Smedley's obituary in the Gentleman's Magazine, April 1832. The two letters are in good condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. Each letter is of 1p., 12mo. On bifoliums addressed to Smedley at Broad Sanctuary on reverse of second leaf. ONE: 'Monday'. 1p., 12mo. Indistinct seal of head in red wax. Begins: 'My Dear Smedley. | You will hear with pleasure that I read my MS: on Saturday; no dissent cast but G. B. who has started a doubt as to this being the works of Phidéas.' He is going out of own for a week and hopes to see Smedley on his return.

2pp., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged, with traces of glue from mount at head of first page. He is sorry to say 'that my Presentation to Christ's Hospital has long been given away to the Orphan son of an old Harrow Pupil who died early & left his family ill provided for'. He ends by describing his family's whereabouts.

1p., 4to. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. Offering him, following the unanimous decision of a committee meeting and on his recommendation, an honorary 'Diploma of Fellowship [...] limited to 100 members, of past-students and Professors'. Finck's song 'In the Shadows' was one of the last to be played as RMS Titanic went down.

7pp., 12mo. On two bifoliums. In good condition, on aged paper. First page headed 'Private'. Docketed by Elliot 'My Father's death'. An excellent letter casting interesting light on the machinations of the Liberal government. Erskine is attempting something requiring all of his diplomatic tact: sending appropriate condolences to Elliot on his father's death before turning to his 'own concerns': the putting of his case to Elliot as the brother-in-law of the Foreign Secretary Lord John Russell, on the question of his 'grievance' against Russell and the Foreign Office.

3pp., 4to. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. With a couple of minor emendations. At top left of first page Elliot has written 'Copy'. Docketed on reverse of second leaf: 'Austrian Emigration'. Begins: 'In the Austrian Code (Decree of 1832) Emigration is treated of under a distinct head. | Every Austrian Subject removing to a foreign state or remaining abroad sine animo revertendi, as the Scotch wd. express it, is held to be an Emigrant.' Most of the third page is taken up with a precis of two points 'From Proclamation of Feb.

A son of the Earl of Minto, Elliot (hereafter GSE) was Russell's brother-in-law and one of his two executors. The events described in the present collection occurred while GSE was living with Russell, who was then Home Secretary, as his private secretary; and the controversy is over the claim that the replacement of Sir James Hudson as Italian ambassador by GSE's brother, the future Sir Henry Elliot (1817-1907), was an 'act of nepotism' on the part of Russell.

vii + 141 + [1]pp., 8vo. Final leaf with Chiswick Press device of dolphin and anchor and lion. In sturdy nineteenth-century black leather half-binding, with marbled boards and 'Russell's Catalogue 1856' in gilt on spine. Ownership stamp of 'Alfred H Maurais' on fly-leaf. A characteristically-elegant Chiswick Press item, with 408 items listed, the titles in black letter. Three-page anonymous preface, dated 'May, 1856.' Tight copy, but aged and lightly damp-stained, in worn binding.

The letter is 1p., landscape 12mo. In fair condition, with light signs of age, placed in a windowpane mount in the remains of a leaf from an album. The letter reads: 'Dear Mr Westmacot [no doubt the sculptor Sir Richard Westmacott or his son] - I have a little reunion - on Monday evening 1st Feby - pray come - I am desired by <?> to present you to her especially - that she may invite you to her next Fete'. The engraving is on a 21.5 x 13.5 cm piece of paper. Similarly-mounted as the letter, above it on the same leaf. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Reads: 'Dear Mr. Williams, | Pray arrange Guests in the correct order whatever that is. I shall have frequent opportunities I hope of meeting the good Bishop.'

2pp., 4to. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper. He asks him to 'delay sending in the Piano Forte until 1/2 past Five o Clock on Monday', as 'our General Annual Meeting of Proprietors takes place on that day, and very possibly they may not break up until Five, or a little after'. He asks him what tickets to 'send to Mr. Wornum', adding 'Whatever you think right shall be done for him'.

The three items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The first two, both on black-bordered paper, are each 1p., 4to; the third is 1p., folio. In the three letters Teulon's address is given as Dean Street, Southwark. The first two appear to be in Phillipps's hand, but the matter is uncertain. Phillipps writes on behalf of the Home Secretary Lord John Russell, to whom he acted as private secretary.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Written in purple ink. He will not be in town the following Saturday morning, 'at the time of the meeting at the South Kensington Museum, so that if there is any doubt as to securing a "Quorum" you may know, as early as I can tell you, of my necessary absence'.

xii + 516pp., 16mo. Frontispiece portrait of author. In red cloth binding with embossed patterning and gilt spine. Internally in good condition, in heavily-worn binding with split hinges. Ownership inscription on front free endpaper of 'The Misses Porter', presumably Mitford's friend Jane Porter and her sisters (an example of Jane Porter's handwriting being loosely inserted in the volume). Ticket on front pastedown of 'JAMES MACLEHOSE | Bookseller & Stationer | 61 St. Vincent St. | GLASGOW'. Ticket on rear pastedown of 'EDMONDS & REMNANTS, BINDERS.'

From the Jack Pulman papers. Pulman's distinguished career is well described on the British Film Institute's website. His work for British and American television gained him plaudits as an 'adaptor-extraordinary', beginning with a 1965 version of Thomas Mann's 'Buddenbrooks' for the BBC, and including Henry James's 'Portrait of a Lady' (BBC, 1968) and 'The Golden Bowl' (1972), as well as 'David Copperfield' (NBC, 1970), 'Jane Eyre' (NBC, 1971), 'War and Peace' (BBC, 1973), and the controversial 'I, Claudius' (BBC, 1976).

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Aged and worn, with glue stains and slight damage to second leaf from mounting. At the time of writing Cox was curate at Wantage. Russell begins the letter by stating that he will be visiting his mother and will not 'return to Watford before Friday night. - On Saturday morning I hope I may have the good fortune of finding you at home to talk over matters in connexion with my marriage on the 5th. of May.' (to Lady Emily Villiers, daughter of George Villiers, 4th Earl of Clarendon). He thanks him for taking his room at the Clarendon Hotel, before concluding.

On one side of a 7.5 x 10.5 cm piece of grey paper. Laid down on a piece of cream paper cut from an album. In fair condition, aged. Reads (with manuscript additions in square brackets): 'LYCEUM THEATRE. | Mr. Henry Russell's Entertainment, | ADMIT [Four Dress Circle] | On [ Wed ] day, September [ 7th ] 1853. | [Henry Russell.] | Not admitted after a quarter to 8.' Also included is an undated newspaper cutting of a letter from Russell 'To the Editor of the Daily News', from '74, Kensington-gardens-square, Bayswater, Nov.

1p., 4to. In fair condition, on aged paper, with minor traces of glue from mount on reverse. Reads: 'My ydear Massingham. | Will you give me an admission for myself & friend to see the Pantomime - I hear it is great - how are you - can I do any thing for you! - | Thine sincerely | Henry Massingham'. 'Old Massingham' was well-known in his day as 'the lessee of the box-office at the Princess's Theatre during the reign of Keeley and Charles Kean'. His collection of theatrical material was auctioned after his death.