BENJAMIN

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with slight rusting at head from paperclip. He writes that there is 'no relationship between myself and any of the people you mention. I have no antecedents such as you suggest and I cannot recall having received a copy of your catalogue.' Turning to the character 'Horace' in his play 'Nothing Up My Sleeve' he writes: 'he's just a figment of my imagination and the whole play is just a piece of work without any intended resemblance to anyone, only types.' The carbon copy of Barry Duncan's letter is somewhat aged and worn around the edges.

The two signatures are on a reproduction of a drawing of Robeson, on a 15 x 11 cm piece of shiny art paper, cut from a programme from Robeson's 1934 tour of Britain. In good condition, lightly-aged. The head and shoulders portrait shows a moody Robeson in collar and tie. The two signature are at the foot of the image, with Robeson's, in blue ink, slanting downwards, and Brown's, in green ink, slanting upwards, around the line of Robeson's lapels.

1p., 4to. Bifolium. Addressed on reverse of second leaf, with postmarks, to 'Thomas Hill Esq | New Inn'. In good condition, lightly-aged. Headed by Oakley 'Circular' and entirely written out in his own hand. The letter begins: 'In consequence of the embarrassing finances of the Old Drury Club, and its being uncertain whether, or no, it can any longer hold its deliberative meetings at its accustomed place of redevous [sic] - it has been determined by a majority of its members - to resolve themselves into a committee of ways and means'.

68pp., 4to. In fair condition on lightly aged and worn watermarked laid paper. Sewn into brown paper wraps with 'The Unfortunate Youth. | T. R. H.' on cover. The title on the title-page is retitled in pencil 'The Unfortunate Boy! or Always in for it.' Possibly in Webster's hand, but with what may be the initials of the transcriber following the 'FINIS' on the final page. The text of the play is on the rectos, with occasional writing on versos. Emendations in ink and pencil, including additional dialogue.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condiion, on aged and worn paper. Marked 'Private', and written with an urgency suggesting the involvement of royalty behind the request. The letter begins: 'Sir William Martins presents his Compliments to Mr Webster and at theh rather earnest wish of a former Lord Chamberlain entreats Mr Webster, if it be practicable to allow the Farce of "Powder & Ball" to be played at the Adelphi one evening this Week either Wednesday Thursday or Friday'. He will 'explain further' and writes 'in case he should not be fortunate enough to meet Mr Webster at the Theatre'.

On one side of a 12 x 13 cm piece of paper. On aged paper with four folds. The crown is drawn in pencil, and is 2.5 x 2.75 cm. The caption, in ink, is below, and reads: 'Scottish crown. | Drawing to be returned.' Between the two lines of text is the firm's stamp, made up of perforated lettering. Presumably a design for a letterhead, or other engraving.

1p., 4to. In good condition, on lightly aged and worn paper, with a short closed tear along a crease and slight loss to one corner. He regrets that 'it is not in my power to afford any Official Assistance, in promoting the use of your very Ingenious, & Valuable Invention; as the Business of this Department is exclusively confined to the Building, & <?>, belonging either to His Majesty, or the Public, such as Palaces, Public Offices &c.' He suggests a number of organisations to which Lawrence should apply., 'as the Departments most likely to encourage your useful Undertaking'.

vi + 229 + [1]pp., 8vo. Frontispiece facsimile letter from Benjamin Franklin. In original printed wraps. In blue cloth binding with title in gilt on front cover and spine. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, in worn binding. Full title: 'Stevens' Historical Collections.

18 + [1]pp., 8vo. In red cloth half-binding, with brown marbled boards. Stamp of the Royal Historical Society on endpaper, and pencil shelfmarks. In fair condition, aged and worn. A curious production. The intent of the author (certainly Stevens) is to facilitate 'definite and permanent organisation', by his 'preparation of an Index of all the documents of American concern in private or public Archives of Great Britain, Holland, France and Spain that accumulated between the years 1763 and 1783'.

Full title: 'Report of the Committee of the Society of Dilettanti, appointed by the Society to superintend the expedition lately sent by them to Greece and Ionia; containing an Abstract of the Voyage of the Mission, a List of the Materials collected by them, and a Plan to facilitate the Publication of those Materials.' At end of last page: 'Signed, by order of the Committee, | H. C. ENGLEFIELD, | Secretary.' [2] + 18pp., 4to. Stabbed, but with stitching gone.

Each of the sets of two engravings on a separate strip of paper, each roughly 7 x 15.5 cm. Printed in black. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. The three strips laid down on the same side of a 35.5 x 26 cm leaf removed from an album. In pencil in a contemporary hand at head of page: 'Anaglyptographic Engravings', and beneath the second strip, 'William Hogarth 1697-1764', and beneath the third, 'Christopher Wren Born 1632. Died 1723'.

128pp., 16mo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, in shiny yellow printed wraps with slight staining at head of front cover. The twelve-page 'Biographical Sketch' covers pp.3-16. It quotes the Rev. Baptist W. Noel as saying that Weaver 'has been preaching at Sheffield, and other towns, to multitudes of working men [...] he was, at one time, addicted to prize-fighting, and that he was never beaten in his life.

118pp., 8vo. Two engravings, both with tissue guards: frontispiece of the 'First Church erected in Suffield. About 1680.'; and 'The Ruggles Monument'. In cream printed wraps. Errata slip at rear. The item begins: 'A Hundred and fifty years had nearly expired since the decease of the first Pastor of the First Congregational Church, and no monument or stone had been set to indicate to the passer-by his last resting-place. The idea was conceived of erecting a suitable monument to his memory; and on the 24th of May, 1858, the Church appointed Dea. Henry A. Sykes, Daniel W.

Unattributed, but in Wheatley's hand. The 'List of Plays seen by Pepys from 1660 to 1669' is 5pp., foolscap 8vo, on loose leaves of unwatermarked ruled paper. In fair condition, aged and worn. It is neatly written out in ink, with occasional pencil emendations, giving dates, theatres and titles. A few comments on the theatres are included, for example on 'Davenant's New Theatre in Lincolns Inn Fields'.

4pp., 8vo. 102 lines of neatly and closely written text. With original envelope addressed by Leeper to 'E. Martin Browne Esq | 99 Claremont Avenue | New York 27 | U.S.A.' Leeper begins by expressing her pleasure that Browne is 'going to do the first American performance of Noye's Fludde', which she describes as 'a great work - big & simple & satisfying, & very moving'.

Not paginated. [107]pp., 16mo. Internally good and tight, elegantly printed in red and black. In original heavily-worn green leather binding. Small leaf, printed on both sides, advertising the book, loosely inserted. In the twenty-two lines on the reverse Stevens states that 'The price of all these books in substantial andn ornamental bindings of great variety, with leather, calf, morocco or russia backs and corners, and muslin on paper sides, is Four Hundred Guineas (420l.) If with full leather backs and sides, very handsome, the price is Four Hundred and Fifty Guineas (472l. 10s.)'.

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. He reports that he shared the 'bounty' of the recipient's 'delicious present' with his brother, who has been 'confined to the house for a month'. He reports that 'Mr Watts and family are well', and hopes that 'Mr Stack is so'.

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, on aged paper, tipped in onto a card mount. He explains that he is 'obliged to return to London immediately after the delivery of my Lecture in Glasgow', and so will not be able 'to address the audience you bring together'. If he is 'asked to take part in the Glasgow Science Lectures' the following year, he will bear Hopps's wish in mind. Hopps was both an evolutionist and spiritualist, while Carpenter considered the claims of spiritualism 'epidemic delusions'.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with small hole through both leaves. He will be too busy over the following days to visit Clark in person, 'and so I send you the first act of the MSS I talked to you about - I may say I read the 1st. act one afternoon to Miss Terry who wanted to take it to Webster - but I was disinclined'. If Clark 'had anything to do with it - the Blacksmith would be the [last word underlined] part'. He asks Clark to return it as soon as he can: 'as this is the American copy - and they expect it (but of course won't get it) by next mail'.

1p., 12mo. On laid paper with 'Pro Patria' watermark. In good condition, lightly-aged and dusty. Headed 'September 25th 1732' and docketed on reverse 'Account of Linen in 1732 of Bn. & Eliz. Adams.' Thirteen items, beginning with 'There is eleven pair of Linneng [sic] sheets' and ending with 'There is 1/2 a dozen of Dypers naptkin for night Caps'. The Northumberland origins of the Adamses is not referred to in the document, but is clear from one which accompanied it. The document derives from the papers of Benjamin Adams's descendant, the Alnwick solicitor Thomas Adams.

On both sides of a piece of 8vo paper, folded vertically to make a bifolium with 31 x 9.5 cm leaves. In fair condition, aged, worn and with a short central closed tear unobtrusively repaired with archival tape. Docketed 'Acct. of the Funeral of [blank'], and elsewhere in another hand 'Benja Adams | Benja Adams'. A total of 78 individuals are named (including six deleted) over three narrow pages, with 32 (including three deleted) on the first page, 6 on the second, and 40 (including three deleted) on the third.

Both cards 7 x 11 cm, printed in copperplate on one side only. Both in fair condition, on aged paper with a slight bloom. The Ambassador's card reads: 'Mr. Washburne, | Envoyé Extraordinaire et Ministre Plénipotentiaire | des Etats-Unis d'Amérique | [in bottom right-hand corner] 75, Avenue de l'Impératice, (Entrée 2, rue Spontini)'. The Ambassador's wife's card reads: 'Mrs. Washburne. | [in bottom left-hand corner] Mondays | from 3 to 6 P.M.' Washburne had served as Secretary of State for eleven days before being made Ambassador. His Illinois house is now a museum.

1p., 12mo. Fair, on aged paper and worn paper. He is 'exceedingly obliged' to Barnett for 'procuring for me the freedom of Her Majesty's Theatre'. He asks if he will 'receive an official commemoration from Mr. Lumley', or whether he should write and thank Lumley on the strength of Barnett's note.

The nine items are in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Items One, Three and Four, from 1962, and stapled together, as are the other six items, dating from 1964-5. ONE: Autograph Letter Signed ('Benjamin Britten') from Britten to Juda. On letterhead of The Red House, Aldeburgh, Suffolk. 25 July 1962. Responding to Item Three below, Britten thanks Juda for 'sending the magnificent book on Graham Sutherland', which Britten is 'very glad indeed to have'.

ONE: 3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, with traces of glue from mount adhering to blank reverse of second leaf. Parry begins by exclaiming: 'What a grand example your activity at Tewkesbury is!' Whatever Moore means by 'the Construction of the Cloister walk - and other important business', Parry regrets that his 'obligations in London' will not allow him to join the Abbey Committee. He continues: 'I wish "bad times" did not put another thing out of my Power w[hic]h.

1p., 12mo. On piece of aged and lightly-creased laid paper. The engraving, at the head of the page, is 7 x 9.5 cm., is a stylised full-length depiction of a young man in eighteenth-century dress, wearing a cravat, with hands on hips, standing between two trees. The poem reads 'Dear He - / Or She - / This from me, / Victor B. / Neuburg, to thee.' Second stanza: 'Not me: we, / I forgot, you see.' In bottom left-hand corner, in italics, 'Christmas, 1921.' And in italics in bottom-right: 'The Vine Press, / Steyning, / Sussex.' No other copy found listed.

1p., 4to. On aged paper, in two pieces, lightly-attached to a piece of backing paper. The text of the note and the signature are intact on the upper part of the letter, but the name of the recipient is lacking. The note reads '- May I ask you to advance me fifty dollars on account of the souvenir - Being disappointed in receiving some money that I expected from Boston, I am just now quite at a loss. | Yours | [signed] E. Leslie -'. Leslie's story 'The Souvenir' was first published in 1830 in 'The Pearl', and republished in 1832 in 'Affection's Gift'.

1p., 12mo. On letterhead of the New York Tribune. Very good. Addressed to 'J. R. Howard | No. 39 Park Row'. Reid writes that he 'came down' after 'our first side had been stereotyped', and so was 'unable to insert in the Financial column the items of news you were good enough to send'. He hopes 'it will not be too late to use them on Monday'. The photographic portrait of Reid ('Copyright, 1902, by Rockwood') is taken from a magazine, and is captioned 'Hon. Whitelaw Reid, next Ambassador to the Court of St. James'.

On two slips, both 15.5 cm wide, and totalling 59 cm long. Fair, on aged paper, with minor rust marks from a paperclip. The second slip headed with pagination '48', and running title 'Festschrift in Honour of Benjamin Britten'. He is grateful 'for the eerie fog, for the rain, as for the sixth sense, rich imagination and irrepressible humour of this people, as I am for all that has been absorbed of outlandish and exotic rendered proper, of wisdom and experience rendered intuitive - as I am particularly for their having absorbed and adopted me.' With one of Menuhin's compliments slips.

Oval head-and-shoulders portrait of a bare-headed Franklin, roughly 8 x 6 cm. Well coloured. Good clear impression, on aged paper with some spotting. On paper 16.5 x 10.5 cm, laid down on leaf from autograph album.