ENGLISH

All three items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. All signed 'Ralph Straus'. ONE: TLS. 6 January 1939. 1p., 8vo. After expressing his willingness to have 'the programme of Wat Tyler and the Bil of Madame Sala for 1827', he expresses his desire to acquire playbills 'of Sala's grandfather, in a King's Theatre ballet 1776 onwards - particularly if it gives his Christian name of Claudio. I know of one in Jan. 1788.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. On aged and worn paper. Addressed to 'Walter F. Stocks Esq'. He begins by pointing out that his daughter is not to blame for the late reply: 'it is my own fault my correspondence being somewhat in arrears'.

1p, 12mo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with traces of glue from mount on the blank reverse. Reads: 'The Secretary presents his compliments to Miss Kerr and begs leave to inform her the Composition fee of £35 has been duly paid to Drummond & Co'.

1p., 4to. On creased and lightly-aged paper, with wear and chipping to edges. She thanks him for his letter 'and for your offer of original potrait drawings by yourself', in which she was 'greatly interested'. She explains that there is a limitation of space, 'and as a general rule we are exhibiting portraits only when we can associate with them some other relic or possession of the writer concerned'. In response to 'our appeal' she has received 'souvenirs of past writers, and I am concentrating on these. This being so, I feel I must very reluctantly decline your interesting offer'.

42pp., 12mo. In cream printed illustrated wraps printed in green. The body of the magazine is paginated 53-85, with additional pages of advertisements at the front and back, and on the inside and back of the wraps. Aged, and with a little damp damage and rust to staples. From the Lynd archive, and with a full-page photographic portrait of 'Mrs. ROBERT LYND' on p.66. For the purposes of reproduction her daughter Maire Gaster has altered 'Mrs. ROBERT' to 'Sylvia' in pencil, and written 'Courtesy of MAIRE GASTER' at the head of the page.

1p., 4to. In fair condition, on aged, creased and worn paper. The poem features under the title 'Liberty Imperilled' in Roberts's collection 'Charing Cross and Other Poems of the Period' (1919), and the context suggests that the poem was composed at the commencement of the First World War. The sonnet begins: 'Not without cause just and unshakeable | Will we surrender up the cherished prize | Of individual liberty, so well | and nobly held'.

50pp., 12mo. In light-blue boards, with white label on front board carrying title and illustration of sickle with sheaves of lavender. Internally good, on lightly-aged paper, in worn and aged boards. Uncommon: only three copies on COPAC (British Library, Oxford and National Library of Scotland), with a further four in American institutions on WorldCat. Farmar's only other book appears to have been 'Castles in Spain' (1907). She also produced the lyrics to a song titled 'Bluebell-time', with music by Ruby Holland.

The lecture, which is unpublished, is an interesting personal statement by a neglected Victorian painter who died tragically young. (A rather impressive example of his work, in Turneresque style, titled 'The Heart of the Hills', is in the Maidstone Museum.) The lecture is 30pp., 8vo, in a ruled notebook with embossed black wraps. In good condition, on aged paper with some wear and discoloration. Ownership inscription of 'W. G. Shrubsole | Bangor Decr. 1886' inside the front wrap. The first page is headed 'The Ideal in Art. | by W. G. Shrubsole Dec.

1p., 8vo. Laid down on a piece of card. Aged and discoloured, with chipping to extremities and some loss of text. The poem is sixteen lines long, arranged in two eight-line stanzas. The first stanza reads: '"Sometimes" - Althaea sighed - "in hours of sadness, | A sudden pleasure shines upon the soul; | The heart beats quick to half-heard notes of gladness, | And from the dark mind all its clouds unroll: | How comes this, Poet! You, who know things hidden, | Whence sounds that undersong of soft Content? | What brings such peace, unlooked-for & unbidden! | Answer me!

Both items 1p., 16mo, and both in good codition, on lightly-aged paper. The first note reads: 'Mr. Charles Hallé presents his respectful compliments to Lady Blanche Drummond and would feel greatly obliged if she would kindly take his lesson to-morrow at 4 o'clock instead of half past three.' The second confirms the time for a second lesson.

The collection is in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Zetland's letters total 26pp., 8vo; 19pp., 12mo; 1p., 16mo. The theme is the painting and engraving of a portrait of Zetland by Slocombe, and the correspondence casts an interesting light on the relations between patron and artist in late nineteenth-century England, with the drafts of Slocombe's two letters, and his accounts for painting and engraving, adding to its value.

[1] + 28pp., 4to. New title-leaf and text pp.215-242. In printed brown paper wraps, inscribed at head of front cover 'to Mr Richard Bentley | from Michael Sadleir | Dec 1924'. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. The paper was read before the Bibliographical Society on 17 November 1924. NOte: Sadleir describes the wonderful moment when he first saw the Bentley file copy collection in "Nineteenth-Century Fiction". He inevitably became very friendly. Richard Bentley was the grandson of the founder of the firm, selling up to MACMILLAN'S IN 1898.

Letter: 1p., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. He begins by suggesting that Baron write to 'Mr Payn' (the novelist and editor James Payn) via the Reform Club, Pall Mall. (Baron's method involved asking one celebrity how to contact another.) He next discusses two of his works: '"The Memorial Windows" appeared in the Gentleman's & was published in Pippins & Cheese (Bradbury & Evans) - "The Valley" you will see in enclosed list'. He concludes by thanking Baron for his 'complimentary note'. With envelope addressed to 'J. T.

4pp., 16mo. Bifolium. 57 lines of closely-written text. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. She begins by exclaiming 'I have been so very sorry for you!', before urging her correspondent to 'keep quarantine'. 'But about Isabel? [...] I would gladly take her to stay here as I have done beforetime - but there are some impediments - we must have complete separation between our house & yours - Mr Harris's dread is indescribable - he lost his wife & (I think) two sisters with scarlet fever. I think they wd.

After leaving Dulwich College Mortimer was a classical scholar at Brasenose College, Oxford. In 1933 he was received into the Roman Catholic Church, after which he became a schoolmaster in Catholic schools, most notably Stonyhurst. According to his profile in the Catholic Herald, 5 August 1938, Mortimer was 'well-known as a composer and lyric writer, and his work has been broadcast from the early days of broadcasting. | Recently he has contributed " uncle-duty " to the [BBC] Children's Hour.

2pp., 8vo. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper, with small ink stains to two corners and short closed tears at the ends of a central vertical crease line. On paper with 'Ellams 22' watermark. Beneath the title: 'Note: All names guaranteed genuine, from the "London" section of the October telephone directory.' The poem consists of seven four-line verses and six different choruses.

8pp., 12mo. Stapled. Printed in blue on shiny art paper, in cream card wraps, also printed in blue, and tied with blue and white ribbon. On aged and worn paper. With illustrations in text, including a half-page image of the 'Pip, Squeak & Wilfred Jig-Saw Puzzle'. The first page carries a message to 'My Dear Boys and Girls' from 'Uncle Bill', including: 'To-day's Gugnunc Party - our third - is particularly interesting as it is also a birthday party.

16pp., 8vo. Stapled. In blue printed wraps. Inscribed at the head of the front wrap: 'For Cecil Clarabut who is also subject to Byron's magnetism | from John Murray | and with gratitude for Kindnesses | 30.xii.76'. In fair condition, on lightly aged and worn paper.

The first three letters each 1p., 4to; and the fourth 2pp., 4to. In good condition, on aged and creased paper, with three of the four letters stapled together. Letter One: 13 October 1967. She writes 'for information about my position concerning my late husband's books, and my Biography of him which Heinemann's published in London in 1962'. The closing of the firm's Cape Town office has been a shock to her. Letter Two: 4 November 1967.

4to, 75 pp. On aged paper, in original purple printed wraps, which are repaired at spine with tape. Inscribed at head of the front wrap to 'Mr. Tregaskis with Mr. Archibald Russell's compliments'. Russell was an authority on Blake's works, the recipient, Tregaskis, a distiguished bookseller.

On one side of a piece of 33 x 52 cm paper. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. A form printed in black and red, completed in manuscript. Divided into sections on: Artiste's Salaries; Advertising; Stage Expenses; Front of House Expenses; Gas and Electricity; Printing & Stationery; Author's Fees; Miscellaneous; Receipts; Summary of Expenses. The 'Artiste's Salaries' were: Leslie Howard £20; Reginald Owen £40; Betty Schuster £20; Adrienne Allen £40; Robert English £15; Duncan McRae £15; Jack Carlton £8.

5pp., 8vo. On two bifoliums, with four of the eight sides blank, with the reason for the arrangement stated at the head of the title: 'N.B. - The four pages following this Title may be separated, and pasted on a board.' In fair condition, on aged paper, with remains of the paper on which the two bifoliums were mounted on the blank reverses of the second leaves of both. Contemporary ownership inscription at head of title of William Dole Bushell of Taff Vale Railway.

1p., 4to. In fair condition, on aged and folded paper. The reverse of the document is docketted, with the stamp of the St James's Budget. He writes that he is enclosing a photograph, which he asks to be returned to him 'after it has served its purpose'.

Printed on one side of a piece of 17 x 12 cm paper. Aged and worn, and trimmed down. Reminiscent of another Victorian spoof obituary - that which led to the Ashes cricket series between England and Australia - the full text reads: 'LOST, STOLEN, OR STRAYED, | THE | BRITISH LION. | Whoever finds him is hereby requested to KEEP him, as he is no longer of any use. | N.B. - He was last seen with his Tail between his Legs. | Obituary. | On Monday, the 27th inst., of a severe attack of Non-intervention and Court intrigue, | THE | BRITISH LION, | His end was - Peace ! !

3pp., 8vo. 72 lines. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. Clark is writing again 'at the instigation of Friends', and hopes that 'in a Case of such vast public as well as private Importance, involving the Rights the Liberty & the Property of the Subject, you will extend to me your generous & powerful aid, at the Bar, or in the Senate'. His petition to the king (regarding 'Slotts Well'), certified by Horne, was suppressed, and he 'applied to Lord Eldon to present a Petition for me to the House of Peers'.

13pp., 8vo. Stitched, in grey printed card wraps. In very good condition. Originally printed as an appendix to the 'Report of the Twenty-Sixth Annual Meeting of the American Bar Association held at Hot Springs, Virginia, August 26, 27 and 28, 1903.' Scarce: no copy on COPAC or OCLC WorldCat.

Written over 13 lines on both sides of the 9 x 11 cm card. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. 'Dear John, | I do feel ashamed of having been so rude to my fellow guest yesterday - It was a dreadful thing to do! The fact is I am, I suppose, very touchy about Time & Tide - ridiculously so really - I don't think he had read it - but after all why should he, poor man - I really wasn't very fair - | Please forgive me - except for feeling that I had behaved abominab[ly], just at the end, I thoroughly enjoyed my most excellent luncheon'.

Printed on one side of a piece of 17 x 12 cm paper. Aged and worn, and trimmed down. Reminiscent of another Victorian spoof obituary - that which led to the Ashes cricket series between England and Australia - the full text reads: 'LOST, STOLEN, OR STRAYED, | THE | BRITISH LION. | Whoever finds him is hereby requested to KEEP him, as he is no longer of any use. | N.B. - He was last seen with his Tail between his Legs. | Obituary. | On Monday, the 27th inst., of a severe attack of Non-intervention and Court intrigue, | THE | BRITISH LION, | His end was - Peace ! !

On piece of 16 x 25.5cm paper. In fair condition, aged and spotted, with slight damp-staining to one corner, and remains of mount adhering to the reverse, on which is written in pencil: 'Sketches by Frederick Lee Bridell | born Southampton | died London 1864'. The three sketches are well finished, and placed alongside one another. The one on the left depicts a nobleman seated on a throne with a coronet on top of its backrest, his feet on a footstool, and left hand on an arm-rest, an animated look on his face.

Four pages, 16mo, grubby, small chip from first page, text clear and complete. Scarce. One copy only found on COPAC/WorldCat at Pittsburgh.