THEODORE

As Chorley is described in his entry in the Oxford DNB as a 'conservationist' with a 'deep attachment to and lifelong concern for the English countryside', it is a surprise that no mention is made of the matter to which this collection relates, which created some public interest at the time and involved a landmark legal action. The first item in this collection - a copy of typed letter from Chorley to the Clerk to the Hendon Rural District Council on 24 October 1932 - sets the scene neatly.

2pp., 16mo. Bifolium. On monogrammed letterhead. In fair condition, with traces of glue from mount still adhering. She proposes a date for a meeting, adding: 'Will Miss Paget come in the evening & bring a young friend with her if she pleases?'

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. The letter reads 'Dear Sir | I am under obligations to you for yr. polite note of the 15th. & for yr. pamphlet - The subject is one of great importance & I shall read it with interest.' Perhaps the New York surveyor John C. Hind, who was active in the 1820s.

1p., 4to. Good, on lightly-aged paper with minor traces of mount on the reverse. Addressed to 'Chas. Sumner Esq. | Boston Mass.' At the time of writing Sumner, having returned from Europe the previous year, was practising law at Boston. Regarding 'American Themis, A Monthly Journal of Jurisprudence and Judicature', edited by John O'Connell, Sedgwick writes that he is sending 'two or three nos. of a new Legal Magazine wh. we have just started here - you will find something of Mr Duers & something "paullo pejora" - of my own - The Editor Mr O'Connell - has talent & fire tho perhaps v.

Fraser's Magazine launched in London in February 1830, and to begin with its most popular feature was Maginn's 'Gallery of Illustrious Literary Characters', with illlustrations by Maclise (collected in book form in 1873). The four portraits, all busts, are somewhat reminiscent of those in that work, but must be earlier if the identification of John Nichol, who died in 1828, is correct. The four are on separate pieces of paper, laid down 2 X 2 (with the four sitters looking inwards towards the centre of the page) on a leaf torn from an album.

8vo, [iii] + 66 pp. Computer printout in plastic binder. Text clear and complete. Creasing to first four leaves, otherwise in very good condition. On title-page: 'ACTING COPY ONLY'. Note by 'C. W.' on next page: 'This version of the script is taken from Paul Roberts' unedited first draft transcription for a public reading of the play at the Powys Society's Annual Conference, at the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester, at 7.30pm on Sunday, 28th August, 1994. | Where words have still not been deciphered in the transcript, temporary ones have been inserted.

12mo, 1 p. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. From the context of other items in the same collection, this letter relates to an 'Artists general Benevolent Banquet' (for which Dollman was acting as steward). Blomfield would be pleased to join Dollman, but has 'already promised my subscription to Pomeroy' (presumably acting as steward for a rival dinner). Addressed to Dollman at Hove House, Newton Grove, Bedford Park.

Scottish judge (1857-1942). One page, 12mo. Black-bordered. In good condition. Thanks Menzies for the copies of the Society's journal. 'I have ceased to have any active connection with the Copper Company, but I found Professor Carpenter's Lecture very interesting, although it is pretty technical - | I hope you and your wife are keeping well'. Signed 'Edw T Salvesen'.

12mo: 27 pp. Stapled. In original brown printed wraps. Good, on lightly-aged paper with rusted staples. Divided into five sections: 'Our Ancestry', 'Our Father', 'Our Mother', 'Montacute' and 'The Children'. A scarce item, the only copies on COPAC being at the British Library, Cardiff and St Andrews.

On one side of a piece of wove paper, cut into a rectangle approximately 4.5 x 9 cm. Good, on lightly-creased paper with one vertical fold. Cut from an envelope, with traces of the postmark over the autograph, and a section of the gummed strip on the reverse. Reads 'From | John Cowper Powys | Waterloo | Blaenau - F Festiniog | Merionethshire | North Wales | I enjoyed thinking of you in Italy'.

8vo, 4 pp. Bifolium. Very good on lightly aged paper. Written in Powys's distinctive, sprawling hand. Concerns William Blake and the monograph on him (1954) by Denis Saurat, who 'must indeed be a wonder considering the scope of his interests.' 'Yes I was brought up by my mother on the Poems of Blake; so I am always interested by any reference to them or any reproduction of them. Indeed and indeed I can fully understand your being so hypnotized by the pictures of Blake that you find yourself going to see them when you had decided to go somewhere else'. Powys is 'in excellent health'.

12mo: 4 pp. Good, on lightly aged and creased paper. 65 lines of text. Discusses, among other matter, the recipient's 'Exposition de Dentelles', a 'voyage à Bruxelles', a 'très agréable reunion à Abbeville', and a trip by 67 members to Kent. Accompanied by a ten-line manuscript biography of de Marsy, in French in a contemporary hand, tipped in onto another slip of paper cut away from the letter's envelope, and bearing the address in de Marsy's hand.

Both items one page, 12mo. Both on creased, aged paper, with some paperclip spotting. In the typed letter (which is in slightly worse condition than the other item) she explains that she is enclosing her autograph on a separate sheet. '[I]n case you care to have it My Mother, Mrs. Graham, (I write under my maiden name) thought you might like to have Sir Philip Gibbs' autograph, [^the celebrated author,] so she has asked me to send you a card she received from him the other day. [not present] You certainly have a wonderful collection!' The autograph reads 'Jan: 7th.

12mo: 45 pp. In original light-green printed wraps. Very good on lightly aged paper, with some sunning to wraps. Inscribed by the author "For Mary | with love & all good wishes for Christmas and the New Year, especially the show' | Th." Besterman attempts to demonstrate that the taste for autographs, 'tres loin d'etre malsaine, est au contraire pure et bienfaisante'.

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.'

12mo: 2 pp. On lightly creased, discoloured paper, with traces of hinge from previous mounting adhering to margin of first page. He has 'an uncomfortable feeling' that he 'laid aside' a letter from Fulton 'to be answered, but which I cannot now find. It must somehow have got mixed up with other papers [...] If I am right in my fear, may I ask you to send me a copy of it?'

12mo: 1 p. On discoloured paper, ruckled and with traces of glue from previous mounting on reverse. He is returning 'the account of the Burns Volume' which accompanied his correspondent's letter of 8 October. 'It does not suit me to purchase it, as I have already other & more important memorials of Burns.'

Dimensions of photograph 9 x 5.5 cm. Good sepia image, on backing card with Mayall's details printed in red at foot. Reverse of card mostly covered with remains of previous cream paper mount. This image does not feature among the three portraits of Martin listed in the National Portrait Gallery's online catalogue of its collection.

The collection is in good condition, with each letter entirely legible. Two items particularly aged, and one with a couple of closed tears unobtrusively repaired with archival tape. Each item bears evidence of the fact that the collection was previously held together with a pin. An interesting sidelight into the musical culture of Victorian London. COPAC only locates one copy (at Cambridge) of Robinson's piece, published by W. Sprague of Westminster in [1874], copied by F. C. Wood, 'words by permission of Messrs. Hopwood & Crew'. All items 12mo.

(John Bull) W. Shackell (2; 1844), prob. printer (BBTI) and publisher and/or joint-proprietor of John Bull. He encourages contributions and anticipates "the Proprietor" making a proposition "for your further and permanent connexion with [John Bull]." See immediately above and below for more material from the J.T.J. Hewlett archive. Originally from a larger archive, the residue of which is described in #3157 (Hewlett's papers), this and other items appear in my ABE inventory in book id#s 3124-3156.

(John Bull) William Mudford (DNB) (7; 1844), author and journalist. Five letters are signed "The Editor of the John Bull" or similar but two are signed by Mudford who suggests that his name is no longer a secret to Hewlett because of Barham. (Although the article in DNB on Mudford says that he succeeded Hook as Editor in 1841, no other authoritative source gives this information, from CBEL to the Waterloo Directory.) He tells Hewlett the Proprietors' requirements and his policy, presenting Theodore Hook, former Editor, as the model writer for the periodical.

Novelist and wit (1788-1841). On piece of paper roughly four inches square. Folded twice and lightly creased and with traces of glue and paper from previous mounting adhering to four corners of reverse, and affecting text. Typed title neatly attached at foot. Reads 'Will you give our kindest regards to Your Family and always believe me | Yrs Very Sincerely | The: E. Hook'. Reverse reads '<...> club.