JOHN

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with slight glue staining on blank reverse of first leaf. The letter begins: 'My dear Mr Rees. | I beg to congratulate you & myself on your elevation to a membership of the Viceregal Legislative Council – you on your well-earned elevation – myself on the pleasure of your companionship while at Calcuttah. [sic]' He is pleased to note that Rees's 'youth & the fact of your being comparatively a junior have not been regarded insuperable obstacles or unpardonable crimes'.

See both men's entries in the Oxford DNB. 2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. The present letter was written as Walford – having resigned the editorship of the Antiquary in acrimonious circumstances – was preparing to launch the Antiquarian Magazine and Bibliographer (renamed Walford's Antiquarian Magazine and Bibliographical Review in 1885). It would cease publication in 1886. In the letter, after thanking Walford for his 'very kindly review', Cussans writes: 'If the first number of your new Magazine be a fair specimen of those to follow, its success is certain.

Full title, with motto: 'Two Letters to the Right Honourable the Earl of Sheffield; in which His Lordship's Report to the Meeting at Lewes Wool-Fair, and the Proceedings at a recent Meeting of Wool-Growers, at the Free Masons' Tavern, are examined; and the True State of the Wool-Question attempted to be shewn. | By J. B. S. | Veritas Nihil Veretur Nisi Abscondi.' A scarce item: no copies at the British Library or other deposit libraries and the only copies on COPAC or OCLC WorldCat at Edinburgh University and Senate House. [4] + 76pp., 8vo. Disbound, and with first leaf (half-title) loose.

1p., 12mo. In fair conditon, on aged and worn paper. Headed in another hand 'Answered'. Reads: 'My dear Sir, | Many thanks for your kind note. If you could bring with you tomorrow evening to the Antiqs. [i.e. Society of Antiquaries ] the dates when the late Mr James Elmes became Surveyor of the Port of London, & when he resigned that office, you would further oblige me.'

1p., 4to. In good condition, on lightly aged paper. Begins: 'Dear Sir | Mr. J. A. Fuller Maitland, who is singing in my little choir is also most kindly helping me by suggesting the right people to sing! & has told me to use his name & send you one of the enclosed lithographed letters which will speak for itself.' She concludes in the hope that he will 'help by singing'.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. He has been informed by 'The Rev. Mr. Bedford' that Thorpe is 'very conversant with Archaeological matters', and asks whether he has 'met with a Seal fo Abp. Cranmer'. Gorham is 'getting drawings of four of his Seals, for probable publication'. Bedford 'thinks there is a drawing of one among the Ashmole MSS.' but Gorham does not remember seeing one there. He hopes to 'have 2 or 3 hours in Oxford on Monday, & will look for it'.

The Chapel was erected in 1811 and still stands, albeit with unsympathetic internal alterations dating from the 1990s. Kelly's Directory of 1889 describes it thus: 'The Wesleyan Methodist Chapel (situated in St. Peter's Street) is a handsome building, with portico, erected in 1811, and provides accommodation for 960 persons. Ministers are elected at the Annual Wesleyan Conference.' 2pp., 4to. Bifolium. Addressed, with two postmarks, on reverse of second leaf, 'To J. Fernley | Manchester | Care of the Rev. J.: Rigg, | Wesleyan Minister, | Oldham St. | Manchester'.

A scarce piece of Oxford ephemera. The Society for promoting the Study of Gothic Architecture was founded in 1839; renamed the Oxford Architectural Society in 1848; renamed the Oxford Architectural and Historical Society in 1860; merged with The Oxfordshire Archaeological Society in 1972 to become The Oxfordshire Architectural and Historical Society. In good condition, printed in black ink on a 15 x 11 cm piece of white India paper, laid down on a 22 x 18.5 cm grey card mount. At the foot of the design, in tiny letters, is engraved 'O. JEWITT. | DEL.

For the background to this letter see William Otto Henderson, 'The Lancashire Cotton Famine 1861-65' (1934) and Angela V. John, 'By the Sweat of their Brow' (2013). Between 14 April and 16 October 1862 Whittaker published a dozen letters on the 'Lancashire Distress' in the London Times, under the pseudonym of 'A Lancashire Lad'. Edwin Waugh, in his 'Home Life of the Lancashire Factory Folk During the Cotton Famine' (1867), describes Whittaker as 'one of the first writers whose appeals through the press drew serious attention to the great distress in Lancashire during the Cotton Famine.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium with mourning border. In fair condition, lightly aged, but with central spike hole through both leaves, from which a horizontal closed tear has been made through the fore-edges (not affecting signature or its immediate surrounds). The note is hurried, and reads: 'I find that we have the New Testament of 1538. I will therefore return your copies at once if you will be so good as to say by what mode they shall be forwarded to you.'

See S. Taylor and J. Holder, 'Manchester's Northern Quarter' (English Heritage, 2008), which refers to 'the construction in 1781 of a Methodist Chapel, in a grand Georgian-Gothic style on Oldham Street, which replaced the earlier chapel on Birchin Lane'. This is said by Taylor and Holder to have been replaced, 1855-1856, by the Methodist Central Hall, which still stands. The dramatic changes being proposed in the present collection would appear to have been contemplated in the face of a new and large working class congregation.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium with mourning border. In good condition, lightly aged and worn, with the blank second leaf tipped-in onto a leaf from an album. His only excuse for 'the long delay' is 'that all my time has been occupied in taking stock, which necessarily has been a most irksome job'. It will be the following month before he can 'put forth an appendix to my Catalogue, as it will be necessary for me to wait the coming event of something, that I may, or may not be engaged in.' He will have time 'to consider & reconsider' Huggins's 'advertisement'.

Both C. B. Cochran, who promoted her career, and Noel Coward, who wrote 'Poor Little Rich Girl' for her, wrote highly of Delysia and her work. Three items, in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. All three in an envelope addressed to Pollock and docketed by him 'Delysia (tour) Contract March 1941'. ONE: Typed Letter Signed from 'Alice Delysia' to Pollock. From her London address, 7 March 1941. 1p., 12mo. She writes that she agrees with his letter and has signed the copy (Item Two below).

16pp., 8vo, formerly sewn but stab marks only left, hence disbound, dulled but good condition. From the initial Address the newspaper has been in existence only 12 months, and this is the first digest, with stirring poems by Havali, a Sketches of Character exclusive to the paper, by Mrs S.C. Hall, lead article on England, France and Russia, a short piece on The Opium Question, etc. London University (Senate House) has the only recorded copy of this item, and I've found no Library holding runs of the actual newspaper.

Walley has converted one volume of a printed diary ('The Business Year Book' for 1923, by the R. C. Maxwell Co., Trenton, New Jersey) into a continuous table listing all the articles contributed between 27 November 1925 and 17 January 1934. Entries are compiled with the meticulous attention to detail one would expect from an engineer, giving a range of information including the times of receipt of material to the minute, and even the typeface in which an article was printed.

The Gypsy Lore Society was founded in 1888, and one of its prime movers was John Sampson, friend of Augustus John (for many years President of the Gypsy Lore Society) and the subject of the book 'The Scholar Gypsy' (1997), written by his grandson Anthony Sampson. According to a review in The Times, 17 May 1997, Sampson was 'a Victorian autodidact and philologist, who spent most of his life running the Liverpool University Library.

2pp., 4to. He begins by reminding Duncan that he recently wrote to him, 'in reply to your letter on the subject of your book respecting Portugal'. That letter was directed to Oxford, but as Disney has not heard from Duncan since, he wonders whether it might have miscarried. He is now writing to remind Duncan of his 'kind expressions in my behalf as a candidate on the list at the Athenaeum'.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged, tipped in onto leaf removed from album. After apologising for the late reply to the recipient's note he acknowledges 'the Compliment you make me'. He continues in his customary vainglorious style, appropriating Milton's words to himself: 'I am so deeply occupied in writing works I have been writing the last 20 years, that I have scarce a moment: my audience hitherto have been fit tho few'.

The case concerns a disagreement between 'Mr. Carter' and 'Mr Fisher', the latter having – with his 'Ancestors' – 'enjoyed this Estate for 70 Years past without any Interruption whatsoever'. The main body of the text is in the hand of Way or an employee, with Glynn's autograph opinion on two questions extending to nine lines (four lines for 'Q[uery]. 1st', and five lines for 'Q[uery] 2d'). The first page is headed 'Case'. Following a lengthy description of a case history of '13th. March 33d. Henry 8th.' are the two questions ('Q. 1st', and 'Q 2d').

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Recommending for employment in the Post Office 'Mr. Paul Scollard, who is a young man of most respectable connexions, but whose circumstances are such as to render a very humble situation an object to him - If a vacancy should soon occur in the Letter Carrying Department, I would respectfully solicit the appointment from Your Lordship for him'.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged, with minor traces of stub at inner edge. A shameless plug for his book 'A Tractate on Language, with Observations on the French Tongue' (1860), closely written over four pages. As 'an old Oxford man', he 'shd feel obliged if the Editor wd give some notice of his work a "Tractate on Language" - in his weekly paper'. He had 'caused a Copy to be transmitted to him, & he trusted that if the book did not command a detailed review some observations wd be made about it - & in a note sent at the time he expressed a desire to have any paper in wh.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. The recipient's name, at the foot of the last page, has been scored through. The letter begins: 'My dear Friend, | A note from our mutual friend Sawyer received this Evening informs me that he had transmitted to you some enquiries from me on ye. subject of Church Psalmody - & ye.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The recipient is unnamed. The letter begins: 'Sir | The President of the Board of Control has been pleased to present me with a Seminary Cadetship for Mr Robt. Campbell a youth of 16, son of John Campbell Esq of Kilberry in the County of Argyle.

6pp., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. The recipient is not identified, but is a 'Brother' minister, husband of the 'Mrs Walker' and father of the 'young Sam' named at the end.

2pp., 16mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lighly aged at extremities, with the second leaf, carrying the address ('Dr. Farre | Charter House Square', with postmark), laid down on part of a leaf removed from an album. Locock's note, on the recto of the first leaf, reads: 'My dear Sir - | We will not trouble you to call on Miss Gladstone tomorrow, as she remains much the same, and they are rather anxious to get out of Town.-' Farre's unsigned reply, on the reverse, complains that Locock's letter 'reached my hands too late to prevent on the 31st.

The two parts, apparently from different letters, are both on bifoliums: the first, numbered '2', is 4pp., 12mo; the second, numbered '5', is 4pp., 16mo. In good condition, lightly aged. The second bifolium signed at end: 'Best Wishes to Mrs C. | Yrs | J B. Askew'. Written in a neat if somewhat eccentric hand. The first bifolium begins: '[…] is very sore. Nothing will be done at the Congress except Bebel [August Bebel (1840-1913), German socialist] will speak and move a resolution to the effect that the Party stands by its present program and tactics.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with central vertical fold. Reads: 'Dear Sir | Would it suit you to meet me here tomorrow from 10 to 1/2 past? | I should be happy to see you.' In pencil at head in a contemporary hand: 'Alderman Mechi - | Great Agriculturalist'.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium with mourning border. In good condition, lightly aged. The letter concerns a portrait of Hornby described in Lionel Cust's 'Eton College Portraits' (1909, dedicated to Hornby's memory), as being '56 x 45 inches. Painted by the Hon. John COLLIER, 1897. […] Seated figure to the knees, facing the spectator; in black gown and D.D. Hood. | Presented to the College by Old Etonians. (Provost’s Dining Room.)' Responding to Harington's congratulations, Hornby writes that it is 'a great pleasure to have such kind words from an old friend'.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged, tipped-in onto part of a page from an album. He begins by stating that he is returning a 'paper altered and corrected'. He goes on: 'We have had some warm work at the H[ouse]: of Commons of late'. (Percy had been appointed Superintendent of Ventilation of the Houses of Parliament in 1865. Percy is 'working very hard at my 3d volume, a large portion of which is in type'.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. He asks her to say, 'in answer to the enquiries of Mr. Wiles that Lord Chandos comes forward as a Member of the Conservative party & a supporter of Lord Derby in opposition to the heterogenous combination found under Lord Palmerston'.