JOHN

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. The letterhead has been cut away from the first leaf, taking with it the number of the month, but not affecting the text; otherwise fair, on lightly-aged paper. Marston invites Cole to 'a pleasant little meeting of some of our friends and contributors at the Office': 'We are altogether a Bachelor Party and as free from formality as a set of Australian Bush Men or Gold-diggers'. Saunders has also written 'begging the pleasure' of Cole's company. He ends by sending his regards to Cole's daughter, whom he hopes has 'recovered from her cough'.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. The manuscript of Doxey's article is 'safe to hand' and Jewitt is 'much pleased [both words underlined twice] with the plates & coins. It is very nice indeed.' The article is too late for the next number, 'the difficulty being the engravings'. 'If you dont mind I think I should like to give your article the "place of honour" - ie the opening article - in the following number'.

2pp., 16mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Docketed at head of first page: 'Sir John Conroy Bt | Fellow Balliol Coll.' He regrets that he cannot 'do London either on the 12: or before that day', and so will not be able to 'help in any way about your Son's election at the Athenaeum'. He concludes: 'I trust it will go all right.'

2pp., 12mo. On bifolium. Fair, on aged paper. The letter begins: 'Maitland, Secretary of the Civil Service Commission, tells me that Mr Robertson was examined only in European subjects; or, to use his own expression, "as to his capacity for learning Japanese".' Maitland cannot help them 'in finding a Japanese scholar'. As Spottiswoode is 'always so glad to find any one interested in oriental subjects', he asks for 'an opportunity of becoming acquainted' with Washington's son.

Both letters 2pp., 12mo, on bifoliums. Both good, on lightly-aged paper. On both letterheads Brook has cancelled the printed address and the name of the Association's president. ONE: Regarding the renewal of Gunn's membership, 'the guinea entrance fee' being unnecessary in his case. 'I have also noted my enquiry if you will contribute a paper when convenient upon the Saxon works in your district. This will be very acceptable to us.' TWO: He has sent Gunn the proof of his 'interesting little paper with which you favoured us at Caistor'.

7pp., 4to. Attached with a brass stud. The six pages of the catalogue are in fair condition, on aged paper, the title leaf is dusty and spotted. The manuscripts listed in this catalogue are primarily of a political and diplomatic nature. They do not appear to correspond with those in the 'Hinchingbrooke Collecton' listed by Cambridgeshire County Record Office on the National Archives website, an entry which gives a useful account of their origins (mainly the stables at Hinchingbrooke).

Both items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Both of them bifoliums with mourning borders; and both in their original envelopes, addressed by Marston, with stamp and postmarks. ONE: 4pp., 12mo. He begins by stating that he is gratified to find that his poems please Baron. 'The only novel I wrote, (it is more than 20 years ago) has I believe been long out of print. A comparatively short tale entitled "Family Credit" together with other sketches and essays (chiefly contributed to "Household Worlds' [sic] was published many years gone by Messr. Ward and Lock as the 1st.

1p., 12mo. Good, with the blank second leaf of the bifolium having slight staining from mount, and having laid down on it a newspaper cutting headed 'DEATH OF SIR C. EASTLAKE', docketd 'E & T Dec 26/65'. The note reads: 'Sir Chas Eastlake presents his compts. to Mr Whitaker & begs to inform him that Mr Millais' address is No. 7. Cromwell Place | Kensington. S.W. | 7. Fitzroy Sqr. (London) | Feby 5 1863.'

An excessively scarce run of issues of the organ of the Jezreelite sect, founded by James Jershom Jezreel (real name James Roland White), under the inspiration of Joanna Southcott and John Wroe, and most famous for the unfinished construction of 'Jezreel's Tower' in Gillingham, Kent. For more information see P. J. Rogers, 'The Sixth Trumpeter' (OUP, 1963). The ninety issues in this incomplete run contain a variety of articles and poems in the same declamatory and horatory style.

From the papers of Rev. J. C. Fulton Hood who, having been Chief Chaplain British Forces in Norway in 1940, worked in Iceland between 1940 and 1941. A pencil note on the telegram (see below) refers to 'The Midnight Sun', the troops’ newspaper in Norway and Iceland which Hood founded and edited. He was made a Knight of the Icelandic Order of the Falcon in 1949. The telegram is in good condition, on lightly-aged paper, and bears an oval blue 'LANDSSIMINN' stamp. It is headed 'PRESSE PRODROME REYKJAVIK' ('Prodrome, Reykjavik' being the British Icelandic Legation's telegraph address).

2pp., 12mo. 42 lines. Bifolium. Fair, on aged paper. Addressed on reverse of second leaf to 'I. P. Cory Esq'. The letter begins: 'A friend of mine Mr. Jackson having told Mr. Rowbotham [Ruskin's tutor John Rowbotham] that I had discovered a method of trisecting an angle that gentleman said he had done it himself, which I believe he has, upon the proposition you showed me - he says it was originally published by Professor Leslie'. Inglis considers that 'Mr. R. seems to have hit upon something he does not quite comprehend'.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. In original stamped and postmarked envelope, addressed by Smiles. The 'last photographic likeness' of Smiles 'was taken by Mr S. A. Walker, 230 Regent Street W'. Smiles has 'no doubt' that Walker will let Bacon 'have a copy' (i.e. Bacon will not be getting a free copy from Smiles). Smiles's book 'Physical Education' was 'published by me no less than 44 years ago. It had a small sale, and is now quite out of print. Though pretty good at the time, there are now far better works on the subject.'

2pp., 4to. On bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed to 'Wm. Hamilton Esq'. Streatfeild has received directions from 'Mr. Secretary Bruce' granting Hamilton 'the Dignity of a Knight Bachelor of the United Kingdom'. Hamilton is to place £96 14s 6d in Streatfeild's account at Drummond's Bank in Charing Cross, 'being the Account & the Expenses attending the passing of the Patent under the Great Seal'. Streatfeild will 'proceed with the Patent as soon as you inform me whether the enclosed is your proper description'.

2pp., 4to. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed by Elton, on reverse of second leaf, to 'John Taylor Esq.' (Taylor had assumed the editorship of the London Magazine on the death by duel of John Scott in February 1821.) Elton begins by informing Taylor that he has 'not been able yet to manage the Batrachomyomachia to my mind'. (Elton's translation of 'The Battle of the Frogs and Mice' would appear anonymously in the issue of October 1821, as the second of a series named 'Leisure Hours'.) He has instead 'sent some chit-chat to serve as an introduction'.

1p., small 4to. Very good: trimmed and neatly laid down on backing. Egerton has had 'some communication with our Managers', and if Egan will 'write a Farce, with a good part for Keeley, in his way, perhaps some sort of continuation of Jerry', he knows it will 'be accepted, & put into training'. He asks to hear from Egan by return, as he wishes to see the managers on the subject 'previous to Mr. Fawcetts leaving Town on Tuesday next, or the matter must rest three months'.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Having received the unnamed recipient's letter of the previous day, Northwick will be 'most happy to give effect to your wishes by granting free access to my Pictures to you, & your Daughter, whenever it may be convenient to you to call at Connaught Place'. If the recipient calls before noon Northwick will probably 'have the pleasure of shewing them to you', if he comes after noon, or Northwich 'shd. happen to be from home, my Servants shall receive directions to admit you to see the Paintings'.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium with mourning border. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with thin neat strip of paper mount at head of third page.

All items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The letters total 33pp., 12mo; and 31pp, 16mo; with nine on 12mo bifoliums, seven on 16mo bifoliums and two on single 16mo leaves. Nine are on Southgate House letterheads, and two on Winchester College letterheads. All are complete except the last, which lacks the last part. Mostly addressed to 'My dear Aunty' and signed in a variety of ways, from 'J. Bowyer B. Nichols' to 'BBN'. The first letter, dated 4 December 1871, sets the tone, showing Bowyer Nichols to be a precocious and spirited twelve-year-old.

36pp., 18mo. With frontispiece (preceding half-title) of 'I. CRANE / BROMSGROVE', showing a crane and a carriage lamp, within a circular border reading 'To make the Watch go faster turn the Regulator to the right & Slower the Contrary'. Side stitched in original pink printed wraps. In fair condition, in worn and lightly-stained wraps. Nicely printed on wove paper with 'LLOYD 1795' watermark. Poem titled 'Introduction' on p.5, followed by the title poem on pp.7-36. No copy of this attractive edtion on either COPAC or WorldCat, nor of any other printed by Grafton & Reddell.

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with minor traces of mount to blank second leaf of bifolium. Good, firm signature, with flourish. The letter reads 'Dear Sir | I have recd your favour of April last & am glad so easily to oblige you. - | Truly yours | I. I. Hayes'. Gourtie contributed stock exchange reports to the New-York American.

1p., 12mo. 21 lines. On aged paper, with remains of grey paper mount adhering to the reverse, and short closed tears to top and bottom right-hand corners, the latter through the signature. Nichols writes that he 'forgot the Principal Thing' he meant to say on putting 'the hasty Letter [...] in Mr Parcel', which is to thank him 'for the Offer of Mr Carte's Letters'. He will 'certainly make an opportunity of introducing from them any Extracts' that his recipient will 'point out', or, if he will lend him the volume, it will be 'carefully returned'.

The two leaves were evidently disbound from a copy of an edition of Dryden's Plutarch, in which the grey 4to leaf of writing paper following the 12mo printed leaf was one of those that interleaved the volume. In fair conditon, on lightly-aged paper. The two leaves are tipped in onto a larger leaf removed from an album. The printed leaf is 12mo, from volume 5 of Dryden's translation, with the pages numbered 511 and 612 [sic]. The two sides of the leaf carry a total of approximately 25 emendations and deletions.

2pp., 4to. Good, on lightly-aged laid paper. Bower begins by stating that he is sending 'a Copy of a Letter which I have received from Dr Carm Smyth [James Carmichael Smyth (1742-1821) of the Middlesex Hospital]'. Smyth's son (the future Sir James Carmichael-Smyth) is 'a very fine handsome young man Lieut in the Engineers come out a Passanger [sic] in the same ship with us'. Bower and Smyth 'wisely went into the Boat which was lashed to the Stern Gallery to fish sharks which were following the ship - the Boat suddenly canted round in the slings, upon which poor Smyth went plump into the sea'.

1p., 12mo. On aged and lightly-spotted paper. Reads: 'My dear Sir, | Mrs. Hope's house will do & I shall be obliged to you to engage it for me, from the Saturday before the show for a week & the stables at Mr. Wrights also. | Yours most truly, | [signed] Spencer'. Mrs Hope is probably the Hon. Louisa Hope (d.1851), wife or widow of the connoisseur Thomas Hope (1769-1831), and one of the wealthiest women of England. If this is the case the letter was written before her second marriage in 1832 to her cousin Viscount Beresford.

3pp., 4to. 74 lines of text. Originally a bifolium, but with the two leaves now separate. Good, on aged and lightly-worn paper. Addressed, on reverse of second leaf, to 'George P Morris Esq. | Cold Spring.' The reference in the letter to Morris having 'cut down the wood' around his property is ironic, given that he is most famous for the poem/song 'Woodman! Spare that Tree!' Hamilton begins by stating that he has seen 'Mr. Robinson', who will see Morris on the subject of buying Morris's house. Hamilton considers Morris's price of $8000 for his house 'very cheap'.

3pp., 4to. Bifolium. 65 lines of text. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed, on reverse of second leaf, 'To | Charles Sumner Esq. | Boston', with docketed date giving year. He writes that he had hoped to see Sumner before leaving Boston. 'Will you give my best regards to your friend Dr. Lieber, and assure him of my sincere obligations for his unsolicited & therefore more acceptable kindness.' He is 'in all respects' pleased with his 'situation' in New York: 'It is every wise more independent - & more "uninterfered-with" than ever; besides opening a large field and better prospects'.

1p., 4to. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with minor traces of previous mounting on reverse. He acknowledges with 'great pleasure' the 'duplicate list of books relating to the execution of the Duc d'Enghien'. 'The pains you have taken to prepare it are very fully appreciated.'

1p., 12mo. Fair, on lightly-aged paper. In envelope addressed by De Tabley to 'Mrs. Kate. A. Wright. | Monona House | Small Heath | Birmingham.' In reply to her letter of 18 June, he states that he will have pleasure in permitting her to 'insert the five pieces' which she enumerates in her 'forthcoming Collection of Poems and Ballads of the Nineteenth Century'. Kate A. Wright's 'Dainty Poems of the Nineteenth Century' was published in Birmingham in 1895. The titles of the five poems are given in another contemporary hand [Mrs Wright's?] on the reverse of the second leaf.

1p., 4to. Bifolium. Very good, on lightly-aged paper, with slight traces of mount on reverse of second leaf, which is addressed, with three postmarks and docketing by Spencer, to 'Knight Spencer Esq. | Surry [sic] Institution | Blackfriar's Road'. Gregory is pleased to learn 'that there is a probability of Mr. Jones being able to accommodate us with apparatus for our proposed Lectures, upon such terms as are likely to square pretty well with the funds of the Surry Institution'.

1p., 8vo. Bifolium. Twenty-seven lines of text. Good, on aged paper, with minor traces of previous mounting. Addressed, with black ink circular postmark ('20 | NO'), on reverse of second leaf, ''To Mr Ellis | att Mr Taverners in Thread-needle Street'. The letter begins: 'Nothing can yield Persons in our Stations greater Satisfaction, than to be entertain'd in our silent Retirement with some harmless amusements from a facetious & learned Correspondent.