THOMAS

An attractive item, in good condition, lightly aged and spotted. On one side of a piece of 17.5 x 25 cm landscape paper, with the autograph writing on the right-hand side and the 15 x 10 cm print of a studio portrait laid down on the left-hand side. Caine was a striking and instantly-recognisable individual, and the photograph shows him in characteristic style, bare-headed in his usual dress of long double-breasted coat with white cravat, staring intently at the camera, with a book in his right hand, and his right hand draped across his left thigh, his left leg being elevated on a chair.

An interesting exchange, casting light on manegerial practices in late-Victorian theatre. ONE: Typed Letter Signed by 'W. Lestocq'. 2pp., 4to. In good condition, lightly aged. A long letter, single-spaced. He has 'talked over the whole matter of the prospects of “The Christian” tour with Mr Frohman for next season, and he does not desire to send out a company on tour himself. Now I could of course let it on Mr Frohman's behalf or perhaps sell his rights and the production outright.' He gives details of his first choice if the latter course were pursued.

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.

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'.

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'.

Title-page reads, in full: 'A Short Account of the Cause of the Disease in Corn, Called by Farmers The Blight, the Mildew, and the Rust. By Sir Joseph Banks, Bart. Third Edition, with Additions: | And | A Letter to Sir J. Banks, On the Origin of the Blight, and on the Means of Raising Late Crops of Garden Pease. By T. A. Knight, Esq. | 1815.' [19]pp., 8vo. Paginated [401]-419. Banks's paper on pp.402-414; Knight's on pp.415-419. Disbound with loose leaves. In good condition, lightly aged.

64pp., 12mo. Disbound pamphlet without wraps. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Two poems, the first on a biblical topic and the second on an outbreak of cholera. Three copies on COPAC: at the National Library of Wales, Cardiff, and the British Library. Now extremely scarce.

The item is from the papers of the second wife of the geologist Alexander Henry Green (1832-1896), previously Miss Wilhelmina Maria Armstrong of Clifton. 3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. An interesting letter, indicating a positive and encouraging response from a member of the Victorian scientific establishment to a female worker in the field. The letter begins: 'Dear Mrs. Green. | Enclosed are two notes from Dr. Armstrong relative to your paper. As I informed you I thought there was just a doubt whether the paper was exactly of a style for the Chem. Soc. Journ.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Two days before the writing of this letter the London Gazette had announced (10 November 1846) that Napier, then Deputy Adjutant-General in Ireland, had been promoted to Lieutenant General. The letter, in which he writes to his Commander in Chief in Ireland, is headed 'Private'.

4pp., 4to. Bifolium. Aged and creased, with chipping and closed tears to edges. Engraved title-page states that the work is 'Copyright 2/- net | No. 1 Low Voice | No. 2 Medium Voice'. Inscribed at top left-hand corner of title-page: 'To my friend Sir Courtenay Mansel with kindest regards from | Julius Harrison | Oct. 26th. 1920'. Moore's poem is printed on the reverse of the first leaf, and facing it, on the recto of the second leaf, is the score. On the reverse of the second leaf is a 'Revised List' of 'The Enoch Art Song Library', with the date of issue ('June, 1920.') at bottom left.

On 13 x 18 cm leaf of light-pink paper, torn from an autogaph album. Good firm large signature, rising upwards: 'Guila Bustabo.' Nothing else written on either side of the leaf.

The proprietor, T. H. Watkins, was a private tutor in Kensington, west London, who over a number of years placed a series of advertisements in The Times, the last of which, 9 September 1895, boasted that his 'pupils during 25 years have taken the highest places for I.C.S., F.O., Interpreterships, Woolwich Staff Coll., Sandhurst, Coopers-hill, Woods and Forests, Militia, &c.' Watkins was educated at Christ's College, Cambridge, and his entry in Peile's 'Biographical Register' of the college (1913) states that he was 'son of Thomas: born in London. Educated at Bonn University.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. He reminds him that when he was in York, he stated his 'willingness to preach twice in Salem Chapel, and have one Collection for the Port of Hull Society, during the present year', adding that 'the Deacons of our Church concur in such arrangement'. He proposes a date, and asks for a reply.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. He explains that if he had 'a favorite recipe' he would 'with pleasure impart it', but that he has none. He prefers to 'follow St Paul's advice and eat what is set before me asking no questions. I may say that I believe that I get better results in this way than if I were to interfere.'

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. He declares his belief that he will 'act well in accordance with what I stated on the nomination day in 1857, by pursuing the course followed by me since I have been in parliament, & abstaining from voting either way on the ballot'. The subject is one concerning which he feels 'great difficulty': 'I fully appreciate the evils of intimidation & bribery which the ballot is intended to cure, although I hope that they are gradually diminishing & will be still further diminished when we have fewer small constituencies'.

2pp., 12mo. Bifiolium. Mimeographed document in purple ink. The date, Ramsay's name and Bonney's signature are added in Bonney's autograph. The Association's council, 'acting under the powers conferred upon them by the General Committee in accordance with their Report, have appointed a Committee [...] to carry into effect the recommendations of the portion of the Council Report accepted by the General committee'. A 'List of the Committee' is on the second page, the eleven members headed by 'Mr. H. G. Fordham (Secretary)' and featuring 'Mr. Francis Galton' and 'Mr. A. Ramsay'.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged. Docketed on reverse of second leaf 'Mr Coke of Holkham'. 33 lines of text. Coke's handwriting is atrocious. Phrases which can be made out are: '[...] to comply with my tenants wishes [...] to supply them with good [...] I should recommend [....] this is the best advice I can give you. | From the Member for Oxfordshire, [...] but he has it in such abundance [...]'.

The only writing on an 8vo leaf, clearly sent in response to a request for an autograph. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with slight evidence of mount on reverse. In a large firm hand, reading: 'Yours faithfully | Carrie Tubb Oliveira'. Tubb was principally known for work in oratorio, but sang in opera (Elektra, Hänsel und Gretel etc.) under Sir Thomas Beecham at Covent Garden from 1910. She taught at the Guildhall for more than thirty years from 1930.

1p., landscape 12mo. Aged and worn. Traces of red wax from the seal on the reverse, which is docketed. Reads: 'Sir/ as you do not import the Teneriffe Wine yourself; I had rather not have any. - I will thank you to inform Mr Southern when the Post leaves Town - Send it by Barton's Shrewsbury Waggon. | I remain, | yr. Obdt. Sert. | Berwick'. Contemporary biographical annotation in light pencil at head.

1p., 4to. Bifolium. On aged and worn paper. Hunter's letter, on the recto of the first leaf, reads: 'I write you this letter to inform you, that I agree to the proposal you made to me yesterday, that the growing Interest on the Mortgage shall be four and a half Per Cent, to Comence [sic] from the dates the last payments were due upon.' On the reverse of the first leaf are two memoranda in the court case 'Creuzer agst. Bp, London'. The first, signed by 'W. Graves', states that 'This paper Writing was produced & shewn to Mr. Richd. Burn at the time of swearing his Afft. in this Cause the 10th.

1p., 12mo. With mourning border. In good condition, lightly aged. Sharp's gift is 'kind and acceptable', and Goulburn hopes 'soon to call upon Mrs Sharp and yourself and acknowledge your kindness in person'. However he does not consider himself 'a sufficiently dignified personage to be honoured by a Statuette. - Possibly some few members of my congregation might like to have this memorial of me; and if this be so, pray let them have it'. Accompanied by a long manuscript bioigraphical note, on two parts of an envelope, written while Goulburn was still alive.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium on grey paper. In good condition, lightly aged. He begins by calling in 'the small Acct', explaining that he has 'lately been subjected to rather an expensive personal, [sic] having taken the old established Marble Works late in the occupation of Mr. Tilney, directly opposite the Gt Northern Railway Station'. He is obliged to use all his endeavours 'to get together all my small outstanding Accounts, or exclusive of any other, I would not of some time yet caused [sic] yourself the slightest trouble concerning its remittance'.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged, laid down on part of a page from an album. Reads: 'Dear Teg. | Miss Elizabeth Philp has sent a batch of Songs of her own Company to the Queen. Will you kindly interest yourself to get them a notice?'

The recipient of the letter, the 5th Earl of Chesterfield, was Postmaster General between 1790 and 1798. The 'Mr. Palmer' mentioned in the text is John Palmer (1742-1818), MP for Bath, who was Comptroller General of the Post Office between 1786 and 1792. Harraden appears to have been regarded by his superiors as a whistle-blower and trouble-maker.

Alan Bell, in his entry on Wise in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, characterizes him as 'both a careless and a dishonest bibliographer' (see also Simon Nowell-Smith, 'T. J. Wise as Bibliographer' in the Library, 1969). One of Wise's aims was clearly to legitimize his forgeries, and as John Collins states in 'The Two Forgers' (1992), his bibliographies are all 'more or less tarred with Wise's own publications'.

The five letters total 8pp. The first three letters are in autograph and the last two typed. The first has two punch holes to the first leaf, the collection is otherwise in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The correspondence relates to the arranging of a meeting between Milburn and the Secretary of State for War Richard Haldane (1856-1928, later 1st Viscount Haldane), apparently with regard to a complaint by Milburn which has lead to him considering resigning from the position of Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant of the 2nd East Riding Yorks Royal Garrison Artillery (Volunteers)'.

Written in ink on both sides of an irregular slip of paper (roughly 9 x 19cm), with a few words inserted in pencil. Aged and worn. In Guthrie's hand, and with 'Dr Guthrie's' in pencil at head of first page. The text comprises the upper part of the first leaf of the draft of a speech of thanks by Guthrie, for delivery at a meeting in his honour. Heavily revised, with a few interpolations in the margins on both sides. There are no indications that the text has been published, and Guthrie's sons' memoir, included in his 'Autobiography' (1874), throws up no clues.

The two documents are printed forms, completed in manuscript. Both are tipped-in onto a leaf removed from an album. Both in fair condition, on aged and worn paper. ONE: 'C No 1429'. Dated 12 October 1798 and signed by 'J L Towers', 'Register.' Recording the birth of Sarah Cooper, daughter of Thomas Cooper and Jane Cooper (daughter of the Rev. Israel Lewis', born in Homerton, in the Parish of Saint John Hackney, on 17 June 1783. Witnessed by 'E. S. Cooper' and 'Sarah Mackaness'. TWO: 'E No 3478'. Dated 30 January 1816.

On one side of a 6 x 11.5 cm slip of grey paper. In good condition, lightly aged, with small strip of glue staining along right-hand edge. Reads: 'A mile of daughters - | Family of Furlongs having 8 girls | 8 furlongs = 1 mile. - | T. Hood.' A joke on the surname of the person who requested Hood's autograph, as explained in Walter Jerrold's 'Thomas Hood, his Life and Times' (1907), which states that in 1838 Hood wrote to his friend Wright: '[…] only think of a mile of daughters! There is a family of Furlongs coming to live here, whereof eight are daughters – 8 furlongs = 1 mile.'

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. Docketed on reverse of second leaf: '15 Augt. 1815. | Sir P. C. Durham'. According to the DNB, Durham, having 'cleared the West Indies of American cruisers', 'in June and August 1815 co-operated in the reduction of Martinique and Guadeloupe, at which place the last French flag was struck to Durham, as the first had been'.