JOHN

The background to the two documents is given in Guidott's entry in the History of Parliament, which states that his uncle Anthony was 'for many years a lawyer to the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough and described the latter in his will as “my particular good friend”. Guidott benefited from the connexion, succeeding his uncle as lawyer to the Marlboroughs. […] He proved a disappointment to the Duchess of Marlborough, however, as by 1711 he had begun the embezzlement of funds from the Marlborough estates for which he was sued in 1725.

The author of the text of the present volume, J. B. Payne, was manager of the book's publisher Moxon, and ruined the firm with his sumptuous editions, including one of Tennyson's 'Idylls of the King' with illustrations by Gustav Doré, which determined Tennyson to forbid future illustrated editions of his work. The market for the present volume would have been limited, and the cost of producing it so high, that it is hard to see how it can have covered its costs. [3] + 53pp., 4to. Each of the 56 pages is lithographed in black against a light-brown background, on thick art paper.

Title-page reads, in full: 'A Short Account of the Cause of the Disease in Corn, Called by Farmers The Blight, the Mildew, and the Rust. By Sir Joseph Banks, Bart. Third Edition, with Additions: | And | A Letter to Sir J. Banks, On the Origin of the Blight, and on the Means of Raising Late Crops of Garden Pease. By T. A. Knight, Esq. | 1815.' [19]pp., 8vo. Paginated [401]-419. Banks's paper on pp.402-414; Knight's on pp.415-419. Disbound with loose leaves. In good condition, lightly aged.

A marvellous slice of Victorian social history. The entry for 'Matrimonial News' in 'Frederick May's London Press Dictionary and Advertiser's Handbook, 1871' runs as follows: 'MATRIMONIAL NEWS AND SPECIAL ADVERTISER – 2d. F. Farrah, 282, Strand, W.C.

Printed in black ink on a 9 x 16.5 cm. piece of paper. A scarce piece of ephemera. Grubby, aged and worn. Laid down on part of a page from an album. A pastiche of a Georgian banknote, the main body of the text reading: 'No. 24 . . . . | Promise to pay to Ignorance, Hypocrisy & Fanaticism, Methodist Preachers, or Bearer FIVE Farthings, when Methodism shall have been done away with by the Pious exertions of the established Clergy, and when Iohn Bull's Family shall be no longer scared by the tale of the Devil let loose. | London the 1st. day of Septr 1810.

64pp., 12mo. Disbound pamphlet without wraps. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Two poems, the first on a biblical topic and the second on an outbreak of cholera. Three copies on COPAC: at the National Library of Wales, Cardiff, and the British Library. Now extremely scarce.

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Written in a shaky hand. The letter begins: 'Dear Sir | I was much obliged to you for the extra copy of The Inquirer which I was glad to have, containing very good letters supporting Free Trade. It is a subject on which I feel strongly – perhaps inherited from my father!

From the papers of the family of the second wife of the geologist Alexander Henry Green (1832-1896), previously Miss Wilhelmina Maria Armstrong of Clifton. 1p., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged. Addressed at bottom left to 'Mrs Wilhelmina Armstrong'. The letter opens: 'Dear Madam | I heartily wish I could see my way – but the clouds of work are growing so thick I cannot see each of them - & my elasticity is failing.' He does not dare undertake anything at the present time, but feels 'grateful & flattered by the invitation'.

[31]pp., 4to. In grey wraps with title reprinted on cover. In poor condition, heavily creased, in creased, worn and damaged wraps. Contains eleven items, mostly statistical tables: 'Order of Sessions to print Reports and Accounts', 'The Committee of Visitors', 'Report of Visitors to Quarter Sessions', 'Confirmation of Report', 'Superintendent's Annual Report', 'Statistical Tables', 'Accounts of Receipts and Payments', 'General Statement of the Receipts and Payments', 'Summary of the Cost per head per week', 'Farm and Garden (Stock)' and 'Farm and Garden Account'.

Both cards around 9 x 12 cm. The first written on one side and the second on both sides. In fair condition, lightly aged. ONE: Begins: 'My dear Plarr, | We were delighted – for your sake – to see the announcement in the Times of your election to the <?> district, which we hope is well worth your acceptance'. He sure that 'we shall all be very sorry to lose you at King's. However I trust we shall sometimes see you.' Postscript: 'We are off to the Borders & the Roman Wall next week.

See Mrs George Wrottesley's obituary in The Times, 10 May 1883, in which she is praised for 'her undaunted courage and unshaken endurance of difficulties displayed repeatedly during her father's mission to the East' in 1854. 1p., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged. The main body of the letter reads: 'Mrs. George Wrottesley will feel much obliged to Mr Lacy if he will send her a copy of the play of | "The Wonder" - | The address is to | The Honble. | Mrs. George Wrottesley | Wrottesley | Wolverhampton'. At the head of the letter she adds a query concerning 'the play of Donna Diana'.

At the time of the second letter Mansel was serving his only stint in Parliament, a brief period as Liberal MP for Penryn and Falmouth. ONE (ALS, 13 February 1921): 4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. He expresses great disappointment regarding the misunderstanding which meant that he and his wife missed coming to lunch with the Mansels.

2pp., 8vo. In good condition, lightly aged. She condoles with her over her 'sad loss last June. I had no idea of it, or I should have written to express my sympathy at the time. I was so much interested to meet your son, & hear how splendidly he had done.' On receiving Sladen's letter she wrote to her neice Betty Brichenough, and wonders if 'Captain Christmas', i.e. Danish sea captain and author Captain Walter Christmas (1861-1924), has heard from her. Fearing that she has mislaid Christmas's card she asks Sladen to write to him on her behalf.

Five items. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. ONE: Three Autograph Letters Signed (all 'E. L. Pollock') to W. H. Prince. A total of 6pp. The writer, 'Miss E. L. Pollock', is Benjamin Pollock's daughter Louise, who with her sister Selina managed the shop after his death. All three letters are written in 1944, the year in which the sisters sold the stock to the bookseller Alan Keen. The letters respond to enquiries regarding the stock, and one (12 May 1944) includes an itemised bill of twelve items 'Bought of Pollock's late B Pollock | 73. Hoxton St. London.

1p., 12mo. With mourning border. In good condition, lightly aged. He found the recipient's 'kind letter' on his return home, and thanks him for it and for his 'good offices in procuring me the payment from Rustal's Charity'. He asks him to communicate his best thanks to the Trustees, 'at the next opportunity which may occur'.

xii + 187pp., 8vo. A handsome example of Whittingham's handiwork, printed on good thick laid paper, with title page in black and red. In original grey paper wraps. Small vignette of a tree within a decorative circular border printed in brown on the front cover and in black on title page. Uncut edges. Internally in good condition, loose in frayed and worn wraps. Author's presentation inscription on flyleaf: 'Sophia Cunliffe Rodger | Given at Nice | to her by | Sir John Kingston James'. Printed 8vo presentation leaf loosely inserted, reading: Château Denis, | Hyères, Var, | France.

2pp., 4to. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. He begins by stating his great appreciation of 'the kindness of the Committee – I have had a long and sympathetic experience of the Club and the relationship has been to me a happy one from first to last'. Were he able to 'fulfil the duties of the President's office' he would be 'strongly tempted to accept their generous inviation and stand for re-election.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. The year of writing is supplied in a contemporary hand. Beside his address at the head if the ketter Tayler writes: 'This will sound tarnation rural in the catalogue.' He begins the letter by explaining that he is 'dating from my little Cottage here', and that he has let his house in town, 'reducing my Rent to less than half and I can paint to more purpose and without interruption of idle Callers here'. The delay in replying has been occasioned by 'so much of bustle and packing'.

ONE: Lady Wenlock's letter to 'My dear Mr. Rees'. 3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. 'I am sure you could hardly be more glad that [sic] I was when I heard this appointment was satisfactorily settled. I was miserable at the prospect of you & Mary going on in the same routine here for months without this desireable [sic] change'. After all Rees's wife has 'gone through' it is particularly important for her to have a 'thorough change': it is inevitable that she should 'suffer from just now after so much sorrow & fatigue'.

In fair condition, lightly aged and slightly ruckled. Broughton's dates in a contemporary hand at top left. Reads: '21. Mayy 63 | Mr Wright | This is my hand writing - I wish it was more neat & more legible. | Yours faithfully | Broughton'.

Two pages, 8vo, fold marks, some wear on a fold mark, grubby, bottom edge chipped, all text legible. Bottom of verso, copies obtainable from the author of from "The Hon. Sec. of the Society for the Protection of Birds, Mrs. F.E. Lemon [...]" No copy on COPAC etc.

Both in good condition, lightly aged. ONE: To 'Miss Smith'. 2pp., 12mo. He 'would like the tumour very much, and a photo if you have it of the baby with the tumour in situ'. If the tumour proves of interest he would request 'Dr Milburn's permission to send it to the Royal College of Surgeons'. TWO: To 'Mr Milburn'. 2pp., 12mo. He is returning his specimens. 'I am at a loss to say much about this specimen as it requires a careful and very detailed examination to decide its nature.' After Milburn has shown the specimen to his 'society' he asks him to send it 'to Mr Shallock of the R.

On 3.5 x 8.5 cm slip of paper, cut from a letter. In good condition, lightly aged, laid down on part of a leaf from an autograph album. Reads: 'faithfully yours | Mary Cowden Clarke'.

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Mourning border. The recipient's 'most entertaining note' finds Tayler 'just starting off to Highgate'. He only has time 'for a line in reply', and he ventures 'at the risk of being thought impertinent' to advise the recipient's mother not to 'put too Fanciful a price on the Sketches, but let them go to the advancement of the Charity with all their imperfections on their heads'. Tayler considers himself 'the obliged party', and ends with his best respects.

Impressively printed in black on one side of a 58 x 43 cm sheet. In fair condition, aged and worn, with slight loss to the edge on one side, and light creasing. Impressively laid out in copperplate, beneath the College's coat of arms. The signatures are arranged in two columns, with the first two bracketted as 'Vice Presidents': '[left-hand column] J. W.

1p., 4to. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. A circular appeal for donations and a well-printed facsimile. Galsworthy writes that he is taking the chair at 'the 139th Dinner of the Royal Literary Fund, on May 9th: in the Edward VIIth Room of the Hotel Victoria. | The beneficial work of the Fund must be well known to you; nor is it needful for me to stress the urgent nature of the many appeals that tax its resources to the utmost.

1p., 4to. In fair condition, aged and worn, with fraying to edges, and loss at one corner from the opening of the seal. There is a faint pencil note on three lines in another hand at the foot of the letter. The letter reads: 'Having considerd Lt Hawkins situation, and the effect the Climate of Jamaica has had upon him – I am of opinion that He is totally unable to join his Regiment, and there is great reason to fear, his health will never be such as to enable him to do duty with it, in that Island | John Manners | Parliament St. | Augst. 23d. 1770'.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Addressed to 'Sir John F. Burgoyne. | Bart:'. He is sending 'a copy of the Abstracts from Meteorological observations taken at our Foreign stations, in which Sir Emerson Tennent will find the abstract from the observations taken at Columbo in the year 1853-4'. He is also sending abstracts from subsequent years which 'have not yet been printed'.

Printed on one side of a 28 x 34 cm piece of vellum, and completed by Parker in manuscript. With the customary tax stamp and embossed Admiralty seal. In good condition, with the customary aging and wear of the vellum. Headed 'By The Commission for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland &c.' Godfrey's seniority is given as 30 August 1841, and the document is signed by 'J Parker', 'M. F. F. Berkeley' and 'Alexr Milne'. The word 'Commissioned' is written at the foot.

In good condition, lightly aged. Front panel (9.5 x 13.5 cm) of envelope neatly placed in a thin windowpane mount, bearing frank, with two postmarks, one the red frank and the other in black from 'BRENTWOOD | 18', addressed in the prescribed fashion by St Vincent: 'Brentwood fifth May 1811 | Edward Hawke Locker Esq | 47 Davies Street | Berkeley Square | London'. Signature at bottom left: 'S. Vincent'.