FRANCIS

[2] + 29pp., 4to. On rectos only. Heavily-aged and worn, with some damp staining, stapled, with remains of grey front cover and last leaf loose. With numerous emendations to almost every page. Ends abruptly on p.29. A fast-paced comedy, with a seance connecting past and present. Two exchanges: 'Bobbie. I suppose you're going to wear tights again? | Maud. Well, I've a ripping good reason for doing so - two, in fact.' and (during the seance): 'Nerea. Dance for me, I pray you, Oh embodiment of lissom grace. | Bobbie.

Learned and witty, Spedding was a popular figure within the literary scene of Victorian London. As he lay dying following an accident, Tennyson rushed to the hospital and begged admission to his bedside. When approached by Delia Bacon, he dismissed the Baconian theory with contempt, and was the first to realise that the play 'Henry VIII' was a collaboration between Shakespeare and John Fletcher. Both of the present letters are signed 'Jas Spedding' and addressed to 'My dear Mrs. Pollock', and both in good condition, on lightly aged and worn paper, with minor traces of glue from mount.

1p., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, with light signs of age. He is enclosing a cheque for two guineas towards 'The Frederic Fund', and writes that he had 'the pleasure of often meeting Mr Harold Frederic at the Savage Club some years ago'. He was 'deeply grieved to hear of his sad & untimely end'. He hopes enough money will be collected to be an 'appreciable help to his widow & children'. The letter relates to a celebrated Victorian scandal. In 1884 Frederic had come to England with his wife and five children as the London correspondent of the New York TImes.

149pp., 4to. Carbon copy. On rectos of leaves only, and bound in a buff card folder with metal clasps. Internally in good condition, on lightly-aged paper, in worn binding. The play centres around 'the "Hibiscus" night-club, one of those London resorts which are alike the despair of Social Reformers and the delight of the Forces when on Leave. It is situated somewhere between Berkeley Square and Dover Street.' The typescript is clearly an actual play and not a radio play, but there is no record of it having been performed on stage.

On 4 x 11.5 cm piece of paper cut from letter. In fair condition, lightly aged and a little creased. Reads: 'purposes. | Yours very truly | John Francis Maguire'. On reverse: '[...] printer can easily understand my marking. Buf if you have any difficulty [...]'

12pp., 4to, including title-page: 'The Little Nurses of Morogoro | A character study from "German East" | by Capt. Francis Robinson | Chaplain. | South African Horse | with the British Expeditionary Force | German East Africa'. In good condition, on aged paper, with closed tear to last leaf. A reference dates the item to after the Battle of Salaita Hill on 12 February 1916. The following captures the tone of an enthusiastic tribute: 'Wherever you go in that unattractive collection of miscellaneous buildings, you come across a little nurse, prim & smart in her uniform & cap.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly-aged and spotted, with minor traces of glue from mount on reverse. Reads: 'With the Compliments of the Season to all | from | Thomas Faed | 25 Der. 1881'. For information on Faed, see his entry in the Oxford DNB.

Good firm inscription on 18 x 16 cm leaf of blue paper removed from album. Reads: 'To Ann | with very Best wishes | from | Sabu | THE THIEF OF | BAGHDAD | 1939'. The recipient was the daughter of a cameraman at Twickenham Film Studios.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper, with short closed tear at head of gutter. He states that 'Ld B. [ i.e. the Lord Chancellor, Lord Brougham] was the first member of Ld Grey's Cabinet who objected to the cabinet to which the Reform Bill was carried', adding of Brougham that 'his opinion of one year, or of one week, are not those of another'. He does not believe that there is any 'reason to expect a dissolution at present but the Tories are very anxious, & its difficult to say what their may be'.

Hertford's Letter: 1p., 4to. Bifolium. Addressed on reverse of second leaf, with broken seal in read wax, 'To | Sir Robert B. Harvey Bt'. In good condition, lightly aged, with closed tear caused by breaking open of seal. Reads: 'The dissolution of Parliament will I trust apologize for the liberty I take in requesting the continuance of your friendly offices in the county of Antrim, but I cannot apply for a new favor without expressing my obligations for those already conferred, and of assuring you that I remain most truly, Sir, Your faithful & very humble Servant'.

1p., 4to. Sixteen lines of closely-written text. The letter begins: 'On my return yesterday from a lecture tour in America I happened to hear of the series on Mahatma Gandhi that you have compiled, with Maurice Brown, for the Third Programme.' He complains that, although Watson had previously had his assurance that he was willing to participate in such it programme, it is 'rather hurtful to find that you have evidently decided to cut me out of the programme.

2pp., 12mo. Written in a small close and neat hand. In good condition, on lightly aged paper.

All three items bifoliums in good condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. ONE: 13 July 1799. 2pp., 4to. Regarding his endeavours to sell 'the whole Estates of Lewis & Kintail & Lochalsh [...] either in Cumulo or Lots with a resolution to sell to the amount of the debt that is upon them'. He states that it has always been his 'wish & endeavour to satisfy any Creditor on the Seaforth Estate & the interest is paid with a punctuality not exceeded'. He complains of 'the singular hardship of the times'.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly-aged and worn paper, with slight show-through on first leaf. Expressing, 'on behalf of the Eagle Committee', a 'joint sense' of Powell's 'kindly interest in the magazine', whose 'circulation, hitherto, has been restricted to members of the College'. Powell's 'helpful offer' will be considered that week, when his letter is laid before the committee, who are desirous of inserting, 'more systematically, intelligence respecting members of the College in London'.

Each letter 1p., 4to, Bickerstaffe-Drew's on reverse of Wood's. In fair condition, on aged leaf of paper with strip torn from head. The two letters cast an interesting light on English publishing practice in the late nineteenth century. Wood's letter, signed 'J. S. Wood', is written by a secretary, and addressed to 'The Right Rev Mgr Bickerstaff Drew'.

1p., 12mo. In good condition. In stamped envelope addressed by Dicksee to 'Shirley Slocombe Esq. | 27 Warwick Gardens | Kensington | W.14'. He apologises for his late reply to Slocombe's 'kind congratulations', explaining that he is 'faced by over 500 letters all needing answers'. Dicksee was knighted the following year.

Both letters in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. ONE: 12 November 1931. 2pp., 12mo. Written lengthwise. He heard from 'Father Bone last night that the Epstein party was over & I had not attended it as I promised to. I hadn't got a ticket so I forgot the date'. TWO: 14 April [no year]. 1p., 12mo. Written lengthwise.He is sending him a private view ticket for the Royal Academy, 'where you will have an opportunity to see the portrait of Sir Frederick Richmond that you so kindly interested yourself in'.

Dimensions of card: roughly 12 x 18 cm. Dimensions of image: 10 x 14 cm. Printed on shiny paper. Aged, spotted and worn. 'Meisenbach' in bottom right-hand corner of image. Caption above the image: 'Principal Writers of "The Clarion," the foremost advocate of evolutionary Socialism in England.' Beneath the image: 'E. F. Fay (THE BOUNDER). A.M. Thompson (DANGLE). Robert Blatchford (Nunquam). M. Blatchford (MONT BLANC).' Undated, but certainly dating from between 1891, when the Clarion was founded, and 1896, when Fay died.

On piece of 9 x 14.5 cm card. In fair condition: aged, lightly-stained and with traces of mount adhering to reverse. Reads: 'To | Lord Jeffrey | With Kind regards from | Thos: Hood'.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly-aged. 'Sir F Palgrave' in another hand at the head. Reads: 'My dear Sir | I enclose a note for Hooker but not knowing your particular object it is rather vague | Yrs truly | F. Palgrave'.

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'.

J. F. Austen was the son of John Austen VII. For his relation to the novelist see 'Jane Austen's Letters', ed. Le Faye (OUP, 2011). The present item is excessively scarce, with no copies traced on either COPAC or OCLC WorldCat. 4to, 18pp. on ten leaves, paginated [1-2], 17-24, 57-63, 79. In original brown printed wraps. Aged and worn, with rusted staples.

1p., 4to. On bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged and smudged paper. Engraved copperplate certificate. Signed 'Francis Campbell Bayard' and 'Hugh Robert Mill'.

4pp., 8vo. Bifolium with drophead title. In fair condition, lightly-aged, disbound with slight damage to spine. Newman poses the question: 'Why has our law been so unjust to women? - Because woman never had a voice in the making of it, and men, as a class, have not realized the oppression of women as a class.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper, with crease at one corner. In small type. Containing six testimonials, dating between 1883 and 1889, from: Lieut-Gen. T. L. Gallwey, Governor & Commander-in-Chief, Bermuda; Lieut-Col. De Pentheny O'Kelley, A.P.D.; Emma Laffan ('Lady Laffan, widow of the late Sir Robert Laffan, late Governor and Commander-in-Chief, Bermuda'); Lieut-Col. W. F. Kerr ('Commanding "The Buffs," Dover'); R. H. Knox ('the Financial Secretary'); H. W. Just, Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for the Colonies. Note at end: 'MEMO.

Toynbee was, as his entry in the Oxford DNB notes, 'recognized by his contemporaries as one of the great English Dantists, and a "giant of scholarship" (Oxford Magazine, 723)'. All five items in very good condition, lightly-aged. The three letters on bifoliums, and all five items in Toynbee's neat, close hand. Items One to Four with mourning borders (for his wife, who had died in 1910). ONE: ACS. 30 January 1911. He thanks him for sending 'the Gibbon reference', which he had overlooked, and discusses his 'Chronological List of English Translations from Dante'. TWO: ACS. 13 February 1911.

1p., landscape 12mo (16 x 20.5 cm). Addressed on reverse 'To | John Bowring Esqre | 6 Freeman's Court | Cornhill'. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Folded into a packet for hand-delivery. Written in a crabbed, difficult hand. Begins: 'Tomorrow I will send you a copy of my Character [clearly 'The Life and Character of the Duke of Wellington', which is however generally ascribed to his namesake the Earl of Ellesmere], which you will see

Blaquiere

is just now in demand. Also a work which i can only lend him.

On both sides of a 33 x 12.5 cm strip of paper. In fair condition, lightly-aged, with tiny part of mount adhering to one corner, and the merest loss to another. 'Egerton Bry' is written in another small hand in light pencil at the head. The Osborn Collection at Yale possesses what its catalogue entry describes as a 'probably incomplete' section of the manuscript, ' purporting to be the memoirs of a certain John Fitznigel Clavering, whose career and interests bear a strong likeness to those of Brydges himself'. The Yale cataloguer is unaware that 'Clavering's Auto-Biography.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, on aged paper, but with loss at foot and traces of mount on reverse. The letter is addressed to 'Mrs Ashurst Morris | Victoria Hotel | ' (the last word damaged at the foot of the page). It reads: 'Dear Madam, | Thanks for your letter. Pardon my delay in answering, but our plans have been a little uncertain. We shall not be staying in London after the date mentioned, otherwise, we should have been very glad to continue our present sojourn at your comfortable flat.

Totalling 16pp., 12mo. In very good condition, on lightly-aged paper. With two envelopes (both initaled 'G. L. C.') with Penny Red postage stamps and Belfast postmarks (13 and 25 January 1862), both addressed by Craik to 'John Hunter, Esq: | Craigcrook | by Edinburgh', also a similar envelope, with Belfast postmark dated 27 August 1861, addressed to Hunter at 'Robertson's Lodgings | 24 St. Stephen's Green North | Dublin'. Chatty, friendly letters in a crabbed, difficult hand. On 13 January 1862 Craik writes: 'I am very glad you have spoken to Dr. John Brown.