[Printed Book; authorial inscription etc] Discourses in America

[xiv], 207pp., dark green cloth, corners bumped, mainly good to very good. A copy inscribed by Matthew Arnold to Lady Dorothy Neville, 'writer, hostess, horticulturist and plant collector', with a letter by Arnold concerning his gift of the book tipped in. Also with prined "From the Author" note enclosed (loose), a printed bookplate alleging "Stolen from Lady Dorothy Neville", and a newspaper clipping concerning Matthew Arnold's burial place tipped in. The letter from Arnold reads as follows: "Dear Lady Dorothy | The Fourth Party are excellent company, but Sunday is impossible for me. Some other day I fully hope to lunch with you, and to write in the book of which you speak so kindly; if July passes, and I find you do not ask me, , I shall end by asking myself. | Most truly yours | Matthew Arnold.-" And the authorial inscription reads, "To Lady Dorothy Nevill | with unaffected regard | from Matthew Arnold [underlined] | July 10th 1885." A fine association copy.