[ Sir A. J. B. Beresford-Hope, Tory politician and author. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('A J B Beresford Hope') to W. de Boinville, thanking him for uncovering information about the poet Christopher Smart.

3pp., 12mo. Writing in a difficult hand, he thanks him for his very curious & interesting letter respecting Chr. Smart, of whose birthplace I had been previously ignorant, tho' his name was not unknown to me in connection with Horace'. As he was compelled to 'compress my lecture', it was 'impossible for me to avail myself of the information you so liberally placed at my disposal', by incorporating it into what I had to say.' He regrets that places such as Maidstone 'allow the memory of their "illustrious" to fade away', and is grateful to those such as de Boinville who arest the damage of time - especially when theh scene of your labours is one towards which your affections have only centered in later days'.