Excerpta Cantiana; Being the Prospectus of a History of Kent, Preparing for Publication by the Rev. Thomas Streatfeild, F.S.A.'; with two other prospectuses of the same; four prospectuses for Toovey's 'History of Kent'; Autograph Letters Signed.

The collection in a contemporary green leather quarter-binding, with grey paper boards and title in gilt on spine. Good, in heavily worn binding splitting at rear hinge. The letters are expertly mounted on leaves in the volume. 'Excerpta Cantiana': folio: 23 pp of letterpress, with illustrations and with three full-page engravings by J. S. Agar and one fold-out pedigree. PRESENTATION COPY from Streatfeild to the antiquary and historian Charles James Palmer of Great Yarmouth. PROSPECTUSES ONE (3 pp, folio) and TWO (3 pp, folio, slightly larger than ONE, and reset), different states of the same item, entitled 'Prospectus of a New Edition of The History of Kent'. PROSPECTUSES THREE, FOUR, FIVE and SIX (all 8 pp, quarto, the first headed in MS 'Proof Feb. 23'), different states of the same item, a projected 'History of Kent' to be published by James Toovey, 177, Piccadilly, and with same title surrounded by coats of arms, with two illustrations, and each with a slightly different list of subscribers. LETTER ONE: Autograph Letter Signed by J. S. Streatfeild to F. C. Brooke (16 December 1867, 2 pp, 12mo, on letterhead of the Kent Archaeological Society, London District). Discussing a point on which he agrees with his correspondent: 'had Mr. Streatfeild lived to bring out his History, it would not have superseded Hasted altogether'. LETTER TWO: T. G. Godfrey Tempest to F. C. Brooke (24 February 1871, The Precincts, Canterbury, 1 p, 12mo, with two stamped, postmarked envelopes): Sending and discussing the first Toovey prospectus. LETTER THREE (Tempest to Brooke, 27 February 1871, 3 pp, 12mo, with stamped, postmarked envelope) and LETTER FOUR (Tempest to Brooke, 25 May 1871, 4 pp, 12mo, with stamped, postmarked envelope), discussing the forthcoming 'History' and thanking Brooke for the invitation to examine his collections. LETTER FIVE ( to Brooke, 17 July 1871, 6 pp, 12mo, on letterhead of the Cinque Ports Volunteers). Discussing the Toovey volume and other subjects. 'I assure you the plan of producingg a history of the County has been much canvassed by many - I may say much by myself - & I may add that my own notions accord fully with your own'. LETTER SIX (Thomas Brooke to Brooke, 6 July 1871, 2 pp, 12mo, Armitage Bridge, Huddersfield). Denying descent from 'the Brookes of Cobham'.