ANTHOLOGY

An excellent letter, casting light on one of the milestones of the English poetic canon. See his entry, and hers, in the Oxford DNB. ‘The Golden Treasury of the Best Songs and Lyrical Poems in the English Language’ appeared in 1861, and it remains, as J. W. Mackail wrote in the original DNB, 'one of those rare instances in which a critical work has substantive imaginative value, and entitles its author to rank among creative artists'.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded for postage. Addressed to 'Alfred Miles Esqre.' and with good bold signature 'Gerald Massey'. Begins: 'Dear Sir / You are quite at liberty to quote from my poems - but I shd. like to have a hand in the selection. / In a collection so large as you contemplate there ought to be nothing but one's best.' If he were to edit such a work he would 'make all living authors so choose their own poems. Sir Richard Grenville is the only one of those you mention that I shd.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 2pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged, with spike hole to one corner. Folded once. From the context the recipient is clearly James S. Cotton, editor of the Academy. He explains that ‘Mr S. Reinach’ (the French archaeologist Salomon Reinach, 1858-1932) recently wrote to him to say that he would send him ‘a copy of his book Chroniques d’Orient if I would review it. I said I would with pleasure review it somewhere. Yesterday the book reached me addressed to me (probably owing to some mistake of the publishers) as “redacteur de l’Academy”’.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, aged and worn. A good long letter, full of content, thanking him for a presentation copy of his 'Translations from the Greek Anthology' (published without date in London by Nissen and Parker). He has perused most of Macgregor's translations 'with great pleasure, & several with a sentiment which the word pleasure too coldly expresses'. He has not 'examined them critically, comparing them minutely with the Greek text, in order to satisfy myself, whether the meaning of the Authors was faithfully rendered.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Reads: 'Dr. Temple returns his thanks to Major Macgregor for the Greek Anthology received by Post which will be placed in the School Library. Dr Temple is much interested with the little he has been able to see of the Book.' Macgregor's 'Translations from the Greek Anthology' was published without date in London by Nissen and Parker.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper, with faint stain to first page. The letter is of interest for Bandinel's reference to his education, with the recipient, under Richard Valpy (1754-1836) at Reading School.) The recipient is not named, but the letter is addressed to Major Robert Guthrie Macgregor (1805-1869), and concerns his 'Translations from the Greek Anthology', which was published without date in London by Nissen and Parker.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. He thanks him for his 'very kind present to our School Library': 'The "Greek Anthology" will, I need not say, be a most acceptable addition to our treasures.' Guthrie's 'name will duly appear in our annual list of those friends who during the last twelve months have provevd themselves Benfactors to the Library'.

4pp., 12mo. Two pages on bifolium with two-page postscript on loose leaf. In good condition, lightly aged. He thanks him for his 'kind note and opinion respecting my "Many Thoughts" [ anthology of 1857 ] of which nearly 267 - tons have been sold, an odd way of putting it you will say, but such is the fact.' He is working on a 'curious and suggestive book now on Aphoristic Wisdom'. He thinks he may 'gather something' from Girdlestone's 'Collection', which he undertakes will be 'most carefully and thankfully returned'.

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Reads: 'Dear Sir | I have to thank you for the courtesy of your letter received by post this morning. It is always gratifying to an author when another takes an interest in what he has written'.

8vo: xvii + 296 pp. In original black cloth, with design in silver stamped on front board. No dustwrapper. Faded spine and lightly-marked cloth. Inscribed by Curtiss on front free endpaper: 'To Ellery Sedgwick - | Most gratefully - | Mina Curtiss | Christmas, 1932.'

Octavo, 2 pp. 23 lines of text. Lightly discoloured and slightly creased. The letterhead gives the names of seven of the Anthology's staff, and features an illustration of a raven. Regarding a line missed (beginning 'O fool') in the printing of a poem of Zeman's, he is pleased that Zeman has been able to 'see the matter from my side', and doesn't think 'an explanatory note in our next issue would be adequate'. Zeman's poem is 'beautiful' and 'well worth reprinting'. 'As to the Soiree, in your honor, think no more about it.