Two Autograph Letters Signed to [Thomas Francis Dillon Croker].

English antiquary and archaeologist (1810-77). The recipient (1831-1912), son of Thomas Crofton Croker, was an Irish antiquary. Both letters one page, 12mo. Both grubby, discoloured and stained. The first with closed tear to one corner. LETTER ONE (dated from postmark on accompanying envelope addressed to Croker, with Penny Red stamp): He has 'Fairholt's letter safe, and, though I cannot put my hand on it this moment, I will take care of it for you. I believe there is no doubt the article will appear in the Illustrated, [...] When I last saw Mr Timbs, [John Timbs, 1801-75, sub-editor of the Illustrated London News] he said he would try and get it in the following week.' He is 'just breaking the back of my hard work [...] I expect the first part of my History of France will be published in a few days. However, I expect to take a day next week and call at Chapman & Hall's on one or two subjects I have to talk to them about, and I will feel their inclinations with regard to your book.' [It does not appear that Chapman and Hall published anything by Croker.] LETTER TWO: He has 'looked at every number of the Literary Gazette' since sending 'Mr Quincey's book', and thinks that they are keeping it back with 'a lot off things to bring together for an article or book of poems, &c.' He wishes Croker would 'let me propose you as a member of the Ethnological Society, for which I am recruiting rather zealously. We have had a revolution in it, and I think we are likely to rise very much. I think it not unlikely that I am going to take the Secretaryship, [...] We are thinking of getting up a nice Ethnological club to dine once a month. On Wednesday week, W. F. Ainsworth (the oriental traveller) [William Francis Ainsworth, 1807-96] will give a lecture on the Jezidis, a people in the neighbourhood of Nineveh [...] I shall go to the meeting of the Royal Society of Literature next Wednesday [...]'.