[Sir Theodore Martin, Scottish poet and author.] Three Autograph Letters Signed: to A. M. M. Stedman of Methuen, ruling out writing his reminiscences; to Rev. Canon Moor of St Clements, on a misquotation; to E. J. Broadfield, on his wife’s letters.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. Both items are in good condition, and each folded once. The second carries the merest trace of grey paper from a mount at one corner. ONE: To E. B. Nicholson, 3 November 1881. 2pp, 12mo. On first leaf of bifolium. Nicholson’s letter has been forwarded to him ‘here in my country house, where I am for a few days’. It is out of his power ‘to promise any assistance to your proposed Magazine. I write very little for the press, having very scanty leisure - and my time being already forestalled by engagements which will occupy whatever leisure I can spare for literature’. TWO: To ‘Mr. Lowe’. 2pp, 12mo. Lowe had presumably published his opinion with regard to the death of Princess Mary of Teck’s fiancé Prince Albert Victor. ‘I cannot refrain from thanking for [sic] your admirable note last note [sic] on the vulgar & heartless proposition to make a purse for the Princess Mary as a solatium for her bereavement. What are we coming to, that any journal pretending to represent British feeling & opinion should have given place in their columns to such a proposition! I am sure that numberless people who are not dead to the instincts of good feeling will thank you for what you said.’ He knows that some of those who obtained subscriptions ‘for her wedding gifts’ welcomed Lowe’s words ‘with the warmest feeling’. He ends: ‘In many cases all the subscriptions have already been returned to the donor.’ E. B. Nicholson. 3 November 1881. On letterhead of Brintysilio, near Llangollen. TWO: To ‘Mr. Lowe’. 24 January 1892. On letterhead of 31 Onslow Square, S.W. [London]See his entry in the Oxford DNB. Both items are in good condition, and each folded once. The second carries the merest trace of grey paper from a mount at one corner. ONE: To E. B. Nicholson, 3 November 1881. 2pp, 12mo. On first leaf of bifolium. Nicholson’s letter has been forwarded to him ‘here in my country house, where I am for a few days’. It is out of his power ‘to promise any assistance to your proposed Magazine. I write very little for the press, having very scanty leisure - and my time being already forestalled by engagements which will occupy whatever leisure I can spare for literature’. TWO: To ‘Mr. Lowe’. 2pp, 12mo. Lowe had presumably published his opinion with regard to the death of Princess Mary of Teck’s fiancé Prince Albert Victor. ‘I cannot refrain from thanking for [sic] your admirable note last note [sic] on the vulgar & heartless proposition to make a purse for the Princess Mary as a solatium for her bereavement. What are we coming to, that any journal pretending to represent British feeling & opinion should have given place in their columns to such a proposition! I am sure that numberless people who are not dead to the instincts of good feeling will thank you for what you said.’ He knows that some of those who obtained subscriptions ‘for her wedding gifts’ welcomed Lowe’s words ‘with the warmest feeling’. He ends: ‘In many cases all the subscriptions have already been returned to the donor.’ See his entry, and that of Stedman (as Methuen) in the Oxford DNB. The three items are in good condition, lightly aged, the first with traces of tape from mount around edges of its second leaf. ONE: To [Edward John] Broadfield (1831-1913) of Manchester, 26 May 1885. 3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. He begins by explaining that they are in Brighton for Lady Martin’s health: ‘She still suffers much, but is better since we came here rather more than a fortnight since.’ He asks whether it was ‘the Letter on “Imogen” that was addressed to Miss Swanwick’. Two days before he wrote to Broadfield at the Manchester Guardian office, ‘to say that the volume containing the whole of Lady Methuen’s letters was to be published this week, & expressing a hope that you would review it for the Examiner. It has had every justice done to it in externals, & I think you will say it is a very elegant volume.’ Martin hopes it may ‘find favour with Shakespearean scholars’. TWO: To Moor, 22 April 1889. 1p, 12mo. He thanks him for pointing out his misquotation from Dr Johnson. ‘It is another reminder of the force of Dr Routh’s advice to authors, “Verify your quotations.” As a rule adhere to the practice, but somehow I seem to have either trusted to my memory in this case, or to an inexact Memorandum.’ If he can he will rectify the mistake, and will not fail to remember his kindness. THREE: To Stedman, 15 June 1897. 1p, 12mo. ‘Dear Sir / In reply to your note of the 10th. I have only to say, that it is not my intention to publish my Reminiscences at any time.’