VICTORIAN

4pp., 12mo. 26 lines. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Addressing an unnamed male correspondent, he begins by declining his correspondent's 'kind invitation' to his visit his house, 'on the ground that has already compelled me to refuse similar hospitality on that occasion from Mr. Wright and others'.

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Reads: 'Dear Sir | I have to thank you for the courtesy of your letter received by post this morning. It is always gratifying to an author when another takes an interest in what he has written'.

2pp., 4to. Bifolium. Heavily-aged and worn. Addressed 'Dear Sir', and with facsimile of signature 'For the London Steam Omnibus Co. Ltd. | A. Flemg Nisbett | Secretary.' The circular begins with the reason for sending an advance copy of the prospectus. 'My object in giving you this early intimation is that you may, if you desire, secure beforehand a Founder's Share in the profits of the coming Steam Traffic upon the Roads - which Traffic appears likely to become one day as popular as Steam on Railways'.

The 'Abstract' and 'Bye-Laws' total 45pp., 12mo, attached in one unbound pamphlet. Complete, but aged and dusty: an item that certainly saw duty in its colliery. The 'Abstract' is 41pp., 12mo, paginated 1-40; with a single page headed 'Timbering in Mines. | Special Rules' on a leaf tipped in after p.38. The title-page is headed 'Published under the direction of the Committee for Yorkshire.', and the full title includes: '[...] General Rules and Special Rules to be observed by the Owners, Agents, Managers, Under-Managers, Under-Viewers, Enginewrights, Deputies, and Work-people of Messrs.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, on aged paper, with minor traces of glue from mount still adhering. Numbered at head in manuscript. The message reads: 'Mr. Charles C. Babington presents his compliments to Miss Barnard and begs to thank her for the very full list of plants found near Royston which she has so kindly sent to him through the hands of Mr. Fordham.'

4pp., 12mo. 49 lines. Bifolium. On aged and creased paper, with remains of stub. In what appears to be a reference to the memoir by Lady Ponsonby that was published after her death (London: John Murray, 1927), Sichel (at the risk of appearing 'an impertinent Bore') thanks her 'for that adorable manuscript': 'You have made me so happy these days, transported me so entirely to the world I longed to see, that it would really be ungrateful not to say how much I thank you. The whole Court lives, and the Queen most of all, & Prince Albert.

4pp., 12mo. Thirty lines. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, with traces of mount at head of second page. Steell is enclosing 'a catalogue of the most recent works of the kind you desire', and points out that 'the short biographical sketches of deceased Scottish artists, in connection with our catalogue, was only printed [last word underlined] by Messrs. Constable'. He ends by offering his 'warmest wishes for the married couple' - in 1881 Christie's seventeen-year-old daughter Alice married Robert King Stewart, KBE, of Murdostoun Castle, Lanarkshire.

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?'

2pp., 12mo. On bifolium. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, with strip of tape from previous mounting adhering at the foot of the recto of the second leaf. He asks her to send 'cards for your afternoon Friday' to 'our dear friends Mr. and Mrs. Koecher (and the Misses Koecher)', who would 'enjoy every minute'. He gives the Koecher's address as de Keyser's Royal Hotel, Blackfriars, and ends by conveying his wife's love.

1p., 12mo. In small type. On aged and creased paper. Signed in type: 'Beggar and Flames! | Gentlemen, | If I am not your Bum Bailiffe, [sic] | For any dirty work, | WM. BUSTER, JUNR.' The circumstances surrounding this spoof are unclear. It begins: 'In fact, I feel it a duty devolving upon me, to return you my sincere thanks for the honour you have done me, in electing me one of your Guardians.' The next paragraph concerns 'the slanderous assertion, which certain persons have industriously circulated, detractive of this honour, in fact, that I am the nominee of my own workman'.

The ten items total 19pp., 4to. Each is a bifolium, with the address and postmarks on the reverse of the second leaf. Each is docketed by Otard Dupuy. All ten are in excellent condition, on lightly-aged paper. The six firms are: Bevan & Smith, Liverpool, two letters (both 1850); Christopher Bushell & Co., Liverpool (1859); John Currie, two letters, both in French: London (1828) and Stockton (1828); A. Leveau, three letters: Aberdeen (1849), Exeter (1850) and Sunderland (1850); William Strachan & Co, London (1828); George Wildes & Co., London (1828).

19pp., 32mo. Stitched. In pink printed wraps. Lightly-aged, in worn wraps. The front cover duplicates the only different element being the central vignette. On the rear wrap is a list of twelve children's books, 'Just published, uniform in size with the present', 'The Series to be continued.' Stock engraving at head of first page, showing old man with stick at cottage door, admonishing three children, one of them crying. Final engraving shows man with hat and stick on tired horse, with accompanying dog in foreground and foliage in background.

1p., landscape 12mo. In good condition, on aged paper. Signed by Forbes over a purple one penny Inland Revenue stamp. Reads: '£50 : 0 : 0 | 27th. June 1872. | Received of Messrs: Henry S. King & Co. of 65 Cornhill London, the sum of Fifty Pounds in payment for the right to publish an edition of 1000 copies of "Soldiering and Scribbling" | [signed] Arch Forbes'. The book was published by the firm in the same year as the receipt.

4pp., 12mo. Worn and stained on four leaves with wear to extremities resulting in slight loss of text, and with at least one leaf lacking. Parsons begins by informing Caswell that he is sending him a copy of the Examiner containing his article on 'Tennyson's Literary Career': 'It was sent to the Editor only a few days after the poet's death when I knew nothing about the title or contents of the new book of poems.' He discusses his plans to insert the article when he republishes his pamphlet (Parsons' 'Tennyson's Life and Poetry' appeared in 1892, with a revised edition the following year).

1p., foolscap 8vo. Stained, worn and creased, but a unique memento of a Newcastle institution and Grade I listed building, founded in 1867 as the Tyne Theatre and Opera House, and now bearing the euphonious name of the Mill Volvo Tyne Theatre.

The letterhead includes a facsimile of Sims's signature. Six lines, on one side of the card. Addressed at foot to 'Thos Hutchinson Esq.' Fair, on aged paper, with strip of gummed paper from mount at head of blank reverse. He sends 'a thousand thanks' for Hutchinson's 'kind letter on Sep 2', which he would have answered earlier, had he not been 'away at Liverpool'. He concludes: 'Your good wishes lay upon my table to welcome me home.'

1p., 12mo. Fair, on aged paper and worn paper. He is 'exceedingly obliged' to Barnett for 'procuring for me the freedom of Her Majesty's Theatre'. He asks if he will 'receive an official commemoration from Mr. Lumley', or whether he should write and thank Lumley on the strength of Barnett's note.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium, with leaf dimensions 18 x 11cm. The letter appears complete, in good condition on lightly-aged paper, but a rectangle of about 5.5 x 11cm. (perhaps carrying the recipient's name) has been torn from the bottom of the second leaf.

1828: 2pp., 4to. 'Dalmahoy nr Edinburgh | March 3d 1828'. Signed 'Morton'. In fair condition, lightly-aged and with a short closed tear along one fold.

1p., foolscap 8vo. On laid paper, with red embossed tax stamp in top left-hand corner. In fair condition, lightly-aged. The memorandum is seventeen lines long, and begins: 'Memorandum of an Agreement made this twenty second day of October One thousand eight hundred and seventy four. Between Mr J. Hain Friswell of Fair House, Bexley Heath, Kent, of the one part and Messrs. Henry S. King & Co. of 65 Cornhill London publishers of the other part. | The said Mr J. Hain Friswell has written a Work entitled "The better self" which he herby assigns to Messrs. Henry S.

1p., 4to. Thirteen lines of text, daintily printed in small type. On lightly-aged and creased paper, with a number of short closed tears. Dated in print at the foot 'Castletown, Isle of Man, | 1847.' Beneath this De Renzy has written, in manuscript, '1st January, | [signed] George Webb De Renzy, Major | and Barrack-Master'.

4pp., landscape 8vo. On four leaves pinned together. On aged and worn paper. With numerous deletions and emendations. COPAC only lists the first edition of this book, so it may be that the second edition was not published.

All four items in fair condition, on lightly-aged paper. All written in Murray's distinctive wavy hand. Letter One: 15 December 1898. 3pp., 12mo. He begins by asking Mann to 'send the proceeds for the enclosed cheque into the proper hands to discharge my debt for the pencils'. He 'had to run down by night mail on Sunday night & back on Monday night, to attend the funeral of my dear old friend James Muir who died after a very short illness'. He expresses sympathy for 'Poor Brough'.

4pp., 16mo. Bifolium. On piece of watermarked laid paper. The first page reads: 'Not to call out to any of the servants but to go up to them when wanted or to ring the call bell. | Care about curtains & chairs - wear white cotton gloves to touch them with | Open shutters gently so as not to disturb the family. | Dont talk loud or laugh loud. - where there are many servants the noise is disagreeable & never allowed.' Towards the end: 'In setting your candle down see that there is nothing over it - such as a picture frame or ornament of any kind -'.

9pp. [paginated ii+ 7], 8vo. Disbound. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, with first leaf loose. Government stamp at head of first page: 'SUPPLIED FOR THE PUBLIC SERVICE'. The first two pages (paginated i-ii) give an 'Arrangement of Sections'. An historic document, almost never found alone: no copies listed on COPAC.

4pp., folio. Bifolium. On worn and aged paper. Nicely printed, with royal crest at head of first page, above the words 'ANNO VICESIMO SECUNDO & VICESIMO TERTIO | VICTORIAE REGINAE.' The full title reads: 'An Act for the Reform and Regulation of Female Apparel and to Amend and Refrenate the Customs relating to Crinoline and other Artificial Superfluities and the Profusion thereof, with the Powers, Provisions, Clauses, Regulations and Directions, Fines, Forfeitures and Penalties to be observed, applied, practised and put in execution for securing the proper observance of the same.

16pp., 16mo. Unbound and stitched. On worn and aged paper, with loss to bottom outside corner of title leaf; spine strengthened with contemporary gummed paper. On reverse of title is a page of advertisements for 'Household Tracts for the People'.

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with thin strip from mount adhering to blank reverse. Addressed to 'W. G. Herdman Esqr. | Liverpool'. If his brother's picture ('Mr J. E. Lauder') and his own 'are not by this time sent off'', he would like this done immediately, 'as they must be in Edinh. by the 1st of Feby.'

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. The manuscript of Doxey's article is 'safe to hand' and Jewitt is 'much pleased [both words underlined twice] with the plates & coins. It is very nice indeed.' The article is too late for the next number, 'the difficulty being the engravings'. 'If you dont mind I think I should like to give your article the "place of honour" - ie the opening article - in the following number'.

3pp., 12mo. 52 lines. Fair, on lightly-aged paper. He thanks him for sending for his 'inspection the old watch which is a nice specimen', but would have been of more interest had it been left in its original condition'. He describes the alterations, and his reasons for believing that they were 'done by a French man, & I should think prior to the time of your late Brother'. Morgan possesses a watch by Sayller, and he 'once saw an extremely curious & beautiful clock of his in a case of silver'.