CROKER

An interesting letter regarding the man who was regarded as Ireland's national poet before the appearance of William Butler Yeats. See Croker’s entry, and that of Thomas Moore, in the Oxford DNB. The former contains a paragraph discussing the association between the two men, the conclusion of which explains the context of the present item: ‘At the end of his life Croker (by his own account) was working on a biography of Moore, whom he termed 'an actor—a hypocrite—a swindler—a sensualist and a habitual liar' (Irish Book Lover, 50).

See his entry, and those of his brother and the recipient, in the Oxford DNB. 3pp, 4to. Bifolium. The letter had been torn in half, with loss of a strip of paper from the second leaf, resulting in damage to a couple of words from the valediction; it has been carefully repaired with archival tape, and is otherwise in fair condition, lightly aged, with slight fading of the ink on the first page. The large signature ‘James Smith’ is clear and undamaged. Addressed to ‘J. W. Croker Esq’. An interesting letter, casting light on the workings of the Georgian civil service.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, on an 11 x 14 cm piece of paper cut down from 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged and worn, with minor traces of glue from mount adhering to the blank reverse. The letter reads: ‘My dear Barker / I shall be most happy to join your agreeable party - Croker to whom I was engaged for Monday goes on from Apethorpe to Belvoir instead of coming home[,] so I am at liberty - Milne is I believe on a visit to the Marquess of Bute at Luton. / Yrs most truly / Theodore S Hook’.

See the two men’s entries in the Oxford DNB. Each item 1p, 12mo, on a bifolium. Both in fair condition, lightly aged, and both folded twice for postage. Both addressed to ‘My dear Crofton’. LETTER: Signed ‘S C H’. Presumably while working on ‘A Week at Killarney’, the book he and his wife published in London in 1843, Hall asks for ‘one or two morsels about the Palatines’ (see ‘Killarney’, pp. 78-79, a peculiar race of strangers): ‘Why were they planted in Ireland? - when precisely? by whom precisely’. NOTE. Signed ‘S. C. Hall’. ‘Godwin tells me the certificate is not “up” at the Antiquaries.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 2pp, 12mo. In good condition, on lightly discoloured paper, with thin neat strip from windowpane mount adhering to edges. Sixteen lines in a neat and stylish hand. Signed ‘T. Crofton Croker’. The recipient is not named, but is clearly John Bowyer Nichols, editor of the Gentleman’s Magazine, in whose number for April 1839 appeared an article, with engraving, by ‘E. I. C.’, on ‘Winchester House, Broad-street, London.’ Croker begins his letter: ‘My dear Sir, / I return E. I. C’s account of Winchester House.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged, tipped-in onto a piece of paper cut from an album. Reads: 'My dear Mr Croker, | Here is Brockedon's answer - I am sorry that he cannot meet your wishes - but you will see he has never exhibited the Collection even at the Graphic which he originated.' The Graphic was a club founded by Brockedon in 1833.

192pp., 8vo., on 188 letterheads of the Village of Scarsdale, Westchester County, New York. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Irregularly paginated to 179d. Six pages (6, 8, 9, 10, 13, 17) are lacking, but the missing text is supplied in an accompanying typescript, with two carbon copies, of the first 31pp. of the manuscript, each of the three copies being 11pp., 8vo. The author of this memoir, Arthur Gilbert Bedell (b.c.1851), was printer and proprietor, with his brothers Edwin Bedell and George Canfield Bedell, of the Westchester Times.

xiv + 170pp., 12mo. Engravings ('cuts') in text. In publisher's brown ribbed cloth binding, with design of sceptre and crown in gilt on spine. Tight copy, on dusty and aged paper, in binding worn at head of the spine. Autograph inscription on reverse of frontispiece: 'T. Crofton Croker Esqr. | from his sincere friend | The Author'.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, on aged paper. In envelope with Penny Red stamp and postmarks (including one dated 21 March 1853), addressed by Davenport to 'J F. D. Croker Esq | 3 Gloucester Road | Old Brompton'. He thanks him for sending 'his Dramatic Register of 52 (& one also 51 while in Scotland)', and congratulates 'Mr C upon the very excellent style in which he has put the facts together'. Also present are a cutting relating to Davenport, from the New York Albion, 24 February 1855, and a small engraved portrait of 'MR.

Both in fair condition, lightly aged and worn. ONE: He thanks him for offering to translate his book ('The Political Future of England'), but considers his knowledge of English law too shaky to permit him to give any encouragement. He suggests that the recipient come to an arrangement with 'Mr. Abraham Hayward, Queen's Counsel, 1 King's Bench Walk, Temple', who is acting for de Montalembert in the matter.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, on aged paper, with a closed tear along a fold line unobtrusively repaired with archival tape. Addressed at foot to 'F. Palgrave Esqr' (he would not be knighted until 1832), beside which Palgrave has written: 'Mr. Crofton Croker. | Author of Fairy Legends of the South of Ireland &c.' The text of the letter reads: 'My dear Sir | I ought to apologize for not replying to your invitation for Wednesday evening last. - My excuse must be that I did not return to town until yesterday and that your note reached me on Friday at Brighton.'

192pp., 8vo., on 188 letterheads of the Village of Scarsdale, Westchester County, New York. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Irregularly paginated to 179d. Six pages (6, 8, 9, 10, 13, 17) are lacking, but the missing text is supplied in an accompanying typescript, with two carbon copies, of the first 31pp. of the manuscript, each of the three copies being 11pp., 8vo. The author of this memoir, Arthur Gilbert Bedell (b.c.1851), was printer and proprietor, with his brothers Edwin Bedell and George Canfield Bedell, of the Westchester Times.

4pp., ,4to. Bifolium. Printed in gold on shiny art paper, with the two illustrations in black. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The recto of the first leaf carries a memoir of Lady Barrow, 'Reproduced, by permission, from "The Surrey Comet," Dec. 25, 1899.': 'LADY BARROW - nee Rosamond Hester Elizabeth, daughter of the late William Pennell, Esq., Consul-General in Brazil - was born January 5th, 1810, and was the twenty-first child of her parents. Six weeks after her birth she became the adopted daughter of the Right Hon. John Wilson Croker, who had married her eldest sister.

4pp., 12mo. Very good, on lightly-aged paper with watermarked date 1848. Addressed to 'My dear Dean'. As the letter clearly concerns Pellew's life of his father-in-law Lord Sidmouth (1847), with Croker referring to his own review of the book in the Quarterly Review, the reason for the gap between the date of publication of the book and the writing of the letter is unclear. Croker writes that he has received Pellew's 'last livraison & kind letter which gives a very just idea of the correspondence'.

Folio, 2 pp. Fair, on aged paper, with a few short closed tears to extremities, and carrying traces of previous mount on reverse. On behalf of the Lords of the Admiralty Croker grants the Admiral's request for leave of absence to two individuals following 'the Naval Occurrences at Yarmouth'. In same hand as letter on reverse: 'Captain Hawtayne Quebec Two Days | Mr Forster, Chaplain Roebuck One Month'.

(1788-1883) Arctic explorer, soldier, astronomer and magnetic surveyor. Three pages, 8vo, good condition, date "1825" written in pencil. Text as follows: "Copies of my book have been ordered by the Board of Longitude to be sent to Members of the Board, and to Institutions, in different parts of the United Kingdom. Perhaps if the eleven copies, addressed as on the following page, are sent to you, you will have teh kindness to frank them to their several destinations. I shall call at the Admiralty myself with this note to spare you the trouble of writing an answer.

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.

Politician and essayist (1780-1857). The recipient (1788-1864) was an antiquary and member of the Roxburghe Club. Four pages, 12mo. In very good condition, although rather grubby and with traces of stub adhering to one edge. He finds 'a letter of Pope to Beau Nash transmitting him an inscription [^ (not copied)] for, as I guess, a statue or bust of Fredk. Prince of Wales.

English divine (1794-1868). 3 pages, 16mo. Heavily damp-damaged. Text entirely legible. 3 pages, 16mo. With attractive pencil drawing of country house, and crude plan, in pencil on blank reverse of second leaf of bifoliate (conceivably drawn by the recipient, Croker). Among his many reasons for regretting 'the haste with which I was compelled to pass thro' London' on his way to Oxford was his 'disappointment at Kensington on Saturday'.