Literature

Two pages, quarto. Very good, with a little wear and light creasing. 'I often think of those days, & how timid & shy & stupid I was! Yet I enjoyed myself too, & shall never forget your great kindness, & the help you gave me. Since then I've had many adventures & experiences. I am not the thing I was!' She has been in London for the winter, and hopes they will be able to meet. 'We're so glad you like "Yellow Sands" - & I'm very pleased you like "Tomek". She has 'just finished another novel & play'. Asks what has become of a number of common acquaintances.

Four pages, 12mo. Very good, with unobtrusive remains of stub along one edge. In interesting letter discussing the state of the English stage. Her tardy response is due to 'pressure of work". 'What you say about the present condition of the stage is only too true.

Novelist and philanthropist. Mrs Milner Gibson, wife of the statesman, Thomas Milner Gibson, was a society hostess of note (see DNB). 2pp., 8vo. She says "It is very cruel to pounce upon those just arrived but [?] the Tale of our poor gentlemen the belongs most to be pitied perhaps of all sufferers. I take advantage of hearing that you are expected in London to beg of you to help us next week. We remember well all you did for us on a former occasion".

Part of letter, c. 4 x 4",somewhat roughly trimmed with loss of bottom half of text. Surviving text as follows: Miss Edgeworth informs Mr Bentley that by some mistake in the way of sending the packet containing the proof sheet of Helen it came by mail coach & cost 9/10 - / To avoid similar mistakes in future" [text ends]. Bentley published "Helen" in 1834.

Novelist (1843-1923). Both scraps laid down on 8vo-sized page. George Bentley says " . . . & I find this commodity scarce already./Truly Yrs / George Bentley". Montgomery says " . . . Believe me /Truly Yrs/ Florence Montgomery".

American children's author, etc. One page, 8vo, good condition. "I beg to enclose my subscription to 'The Poetry Journal' for 1916."

Novelist. One page, 8vo, minor defects, text clear and complete. She explians her tardy response ot his letter by saying she was abroad. She acknowledges familiarity with the works of Calverley but "I am ashamed to admit that when I wrote "The Road that Bends" [pubd 1916] = some ten years ago, I did not remember that one quotation came from his "First Love"." She thanks him for the "connection".

Son of G.H. Lewes, partner of Mary Ann Evans (George Eliot). Total 5pp., 8vo, damp-staining and marking affecting the text without obscuring it, rust marks from paper-clips marginally obscuring the text. (1887) Blackwoods had forwarded his correspondent's request to quote some passages from the works of George Eliot in a book of "Readings" [perhaps" What to read at winter entertainments ... Edited and arranged by ... F. L" (1888)]. He gives his permission for this.

One page, 12mo. Very good. He presents his correspondent with 'deux petits ouvrages sortis de ma plume'. The first was mentioned by 'Mr. Burgess' and the second is 'un petit traite qui a eu le bonheur il y a quelques ans de remporter le prix annuel dans l'Universite d'Oxford'. Signed 'Willm. Roberts'. In a postscript asks to be recommended to any acquaintances Van Santen may have 'a Rotterdam Anvers ou Bruxelles'. Address, with broken wafer, on second leaf of bifolium. Roberts is perhaps best remembered for the controversy brought on by a passage in Byron's 'Don Juan'.

One page, 12mo. Good, if a little aged and lightly creased. He apologises for the delay in 'sending the drawing that now I ask you to please me by accepting' (not present). He asks her to accept it as a present for 'that almost superannuated festivity' of Christmas. 'I send you a coat-of-arms as that includes a certain amount of letterpress which you will I think prefer to a simple drawing'. He has delivered all the drawings bought by Mrs Samuel's friend and has received his thanks.' Signed 'E. T. Rees'.

One page, 12mo. Good, though aged and foxed. 'My best thanks & gratitude for your noble notice | Were you ever in low spirits If so sympathise with me I feel as if I would never wish to be acted again . . Chastelard the first night my god almighty ! ! ! - | Your sincere friend | W G Wills'. Chastelard is a character in Wills's play 'Marie Stuart' (1874).

Two pages, 12mo. Good, but with some light glue stains on reverse, to which a small printed strip giving a printed list of Mrs Charles's works is attached. 'I was hoping to hear your boy was better - & I am very glad he is - thanks - but I am engaged on Thursday, & for some little time to come - so many people from all quarters coming just now & I hope you may be able to come & see me before very long'. Signed 'Bettie Charles'.

Illustrated by [George] Cruikshank, pp.[xviii].556, 8vo, hf.lea., apparently rebacked (inc. corners), front board detached, contemporary marbled boards and endpapers, covers bumped, contents sound and clean.

In very good condition, on a greetings card containing a reproduction of an illustration of a black cat by Barry Moser, from Godden's translation of Carmen Bernos de Gasztold's 'Prayers from the Ark'. The prayer, in Godden's hand (and probably one of her translations from the book) reads 'Lord, I am the Cat. It is not exactly that I hahve something to ask of you! No - I ask nothing of anyone - but, if you have by some chance, in some celestial barn. a little white mouse, or a saucer of milk. I know someone who would relish them.

One page, small octavo. Very good, though with a little offsetting of ink from folding of letter, and a small closed tear at head. A reply to a request for an autograph - in a close, neat, hand - reading 'Dear Sir | With much pleasure as I assure you that I am | Sincerely yours | Alfred Sutro'.

Made out for £2, good condition. Countersigned on back "Jessie Conrad". Seven cheques were found by a fellow dealer in a book from Conrad's Library ("an 1830s book on Napoleon"), one of which he sold on eBay, the other six coming to me. I have consigned one to a colleague, and am offering out the others individually, including this the last in this series of cheques which, since he died on 3 August 1924, is arguably the last thing he wrote. WITH: two Postcard photopgraphs of Conrad's study, on the verso of which someone called A..W.

Australian Novelist, author of "Mystery of a Hansom Cab" (1886). One page, 8vo, suitable for framing, with bold signature, minor defects, text clear and complete as follows: Dear Sir, / Better late than never. Herewith the autograph you asked me for 14th February last / Yours faithfully, / Fergus Hume..

American diplomat and author (1817-1911), editor of Benjamin Franklin's works. All three items are very good on paper discoloured with age, though all with small punch holes for binding in upper corners, resulting to loss to six words of text. All three signed 'John Bigelow'. The second letter represents an important exposition of Bigelow's religious position at the very end of his life. LETTER ONE (14 March 1911, 21 Gramercy Park, two pages, octavo): In response to his correspondent's 'Syrenic appeal' he is sending a cheque for $25, 'at the rate of $5 for the next five years'.

Small 8vo. Pages: viii + 24 + [4 blanks]. Original cream paper wraps: title and price in red and engraving in green on front. Wraps discoloured, rubbed and stained, with covers loosening and loss at foot of spine. Internally sound and tight, but quite heavily foxed. Dated ownership inscription on flyleaf. Titlepage vignette and 15 engravings. Collection of whimsical poems about places like Hampstead Garden Suburb and people like G. K. Chesterton and Bernard Shaw. Taylor & Sewell A125b.

Novelist and playwright, author of the "flawed masterpiece" "Hunger and Love". Two pages, 8vo, fold marks but good condition, one ms. correction. A substantial letter dated 30 Oct. 1956, in which he reports on a letter from "Miss Black of Curtis Brown Ltd" (literary agents) in which she reports that Miss Farjeon does not want to sign a second agreement for "The Impossible Guest" (novel by Joseph Jefferson Farjeon published in 1949 which Britton presumably adapted for the stage).

Conveyance of Lands at Stapleton in the County of Leicester, Joseph Knight and John Edwards (the other signatories) to Baroness Noel Byron, widow of the poet, and others (family). A vellum deed, 26" x 20", folded, 2 leaves, with a PL:AN including the land (coloured) involved in the agreement, c. 12 x 12", adjacent to Wigstones Farm Stapleton and Kirkby Lordship.. Good condition although front panel of folded item is stained without loss or obscuring.

Miscellaneous author. Two pages, 8vo, good condition. He asks politely for two pieces of information. Firstly, they have a book with engravings about Liberia "fondee par les Americains". He wonders if Liberia has a charge d'affaires in Paris or London. Secondly, he'd like to publish an article on "votre Bibliotheque americaine" and hopes they'll provide documentation.

Northern Irish Author and drama critic, see DNB. Three substantial and characteristic letters, total 8pp., 4to. She has submitted some of her plays for his critical appraisal and he has been plain-spoken. In the first letter, he comments on "The Long Duel" that he appreciates its literary rather than its dramatic qualities, but likes it. He finds two "grave faults" "one of which is common to dramatists who are primarily novelists.

Liberator of Greece (see DNB). Three pages (one cross-written making essentially four pages), 4to, sl. damage with obscuring of a word or two, mainly good condition, apparently missing the first leaf.

Dramatist and novelist. One page, 8vo, good condition. In a difficult hand, he says that he has heard from [M. Rey?] that he hasn't concluded his engagement in Brussels and has no interest in the role mapped out except in a few days. He goes on to talk of the work involved in corrections which has prevented him from sending a "manuscript exact". Note: The place and date are written in another hand on the reverse.

George Alder (1; [1844?]) discusses the nature of a "new periodical" for which he hopes Hewlett will write (prob. the short-lived "Great Gun" - see Bell (#3128) and Gruneisen below), naming potential fellow-contributors in confidence. 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.

Samuel Phillips (DNB), journalist and novelist, editor and owner of John Bull (see #s3131, 3132) at one time. He refers to an introductory letter to Blackwoods and sympathises with him in ill health: "Essex is not the place for poor curates or . . . poor literary men". 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.

Drinkwater Meadows (DNB), actor, taking up Hewlett's offer of help to get him published in the New Monthly Magazine. (Nothing by Meadows is listed in the Wellesley Index for NMM, but he contributed a series to Ainsworth's Magazine, Oct. 1845-August 1845.) 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.

American novelist (see American DNB). Three pages, 8vo, laid down on a piece of card, sl. soiled but text clear and complete. He acknowledges receiving a letter and goes on "I red the fascinating book with the greatest possible pleasure. It is charmingly written, and so interesting that when it ended I wished for more." He thanks Mrs Blake for "the delightful hours she has given me in following her adventures and yours." [Book unidentified] He asks the to let him know when they return to America.