[ George Grossmith, Victorian humourist. ] Dictated Letter, Signed ('Geo: Grossmith') with autograph postscript, to 'George R, &c.' [George R. Sims], describing their first meeting, and commenting warmly on their thirty-eight years of friendship.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Aged and stained, with creasing along one edge. A wonderful letter, linking two notable figures in late-Victorian society, beginning: 'Do I remember it? how can I ever forget it, considering that we introduced ourselves to each other, without any introduction; & that casual acquaintanceship has developed into a friendship (without a discordant note) which has lasted for about 38 years.' Regarding their first meeting he writes: 'I was not subpoenaed as a short hand writer, as no such functionary was engaged at Bow St. I was simply summoned to testify to the accuracy of my report of the proceedings in "The Times" Another thing I remember was, that we both attended on subpoena, & had to linger about the old Westminster court for 4 or 5 days'. He cannot recall whether Sims was called as a witness, but 'if you were paid your guinea a day on subpoena [...] it accounts for your brilliant start in life, as one of the best journalists we ever had'. He continues for a short while in the same vein, before concluding with best wishes to Sims's wife. The body of the letter is in a secretarial hand, but the salutation to 'My dear George R, &c.', valediction, signature and postscript are in Grossmith's autograph. The postscript reads: 'P.S. Please excuse dictated letter. My prompt optic is rather shaky in his visionary power. G. G.'