Autograph Letter Signed from Catharine Cecil, daughter of the evangelical clergyman Rev. Richard Cecil, offering the copyright of a book ['Memoirs of Mrs Hawkes, late of Islington' (1838)] to an American publisher [Joseph Whetham of Philadelphia?].

3pp., 4to. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with minor traces of previous mounting on reverse of second leaf. She writes 'as a stranger' to the recipient: 'the person who now addresses you is a Daughter of the late Revd. Richd. Cecil, whose works you are probably well acquainted with'. She is about to publish a book which she is 'induced to think would have a very good sale in America' and has been recommended to apply to the recipient 'as a Person likely to be willing to enter into negociation with me on the subject'. She names the 'very competent judges' by whom the work has been revised': 'The late Revd. Charles Simeon of Kings College Cambridge; - The Revd. Thos. Webster, Editor of the Christian Guardian; the Revd. Wm. Carus of Trinity College, Cambridge, Successor to the Revd. Charles Simeo; and the Revd. Josiah Pratt, the well known Editor of the late Revd. Richd. Cecil's Works: also by the Revd. Wm. Cecil, Rector of Long Stanton near Cambridge.' All the editors have expressed 'their belief that it will be a rich treasure to the religious Public'. She wishes the book to be 'out in May', in 'one volume Post Octavo, about 600 pages: in the same style and type as the works of the late Mrs Hannah More', and she 'would send you out proof sheets four times a month'. 'I beg to enquire what you will allow me for the Copyright, and how much upon each editon of 1000 printed afterwards.' The American edition of the 'Memoirs of Mrs. Hawkes' was published , 'From the second London edition', by J. Whetham of Philadelphia in 1838. See the reference to Catharine Cecil in John Alonzo Clark's 'Glimpses of the Old World' (1840).