LITERATURE

1p., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Addressed by Southey on the reverse of the second leaf, which has been overlaid top and bottom with grey paper, 'To | Andrew Picken Esqre | Gothic Cottage | Regents Park East.' The note reads: 'Keswick. 13 March 1833 [year possibly altered in pencil to '1835'] | Sir | I subscribe willingly to your volumes & wish you success with them | I remain Sir | Yr obedt servt | Robert Southey'. Southey is presumably referring to his last work, The Black Watch (1833), which appeared just as he died of a stroke. Suitable for framing.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. He writes: 'Dear Mr Montague Ball: - | I am very pleased to have your kind wishes & appreciation. | Yours very sincerely | Louis Tracy'.

Lambie is the subject of a long obituary in The Scotsman, 21 January 2015. Both items 2pp., 4to. Both in good condition, with light signs of age and wear. ONE: 21 September 1973. She has 'heard good accounts' of the Gladstone Court Museum, and a friend 'now promises me to motor me there some time soon. At 81, I am no longer able to go “under my own steam”'. She agrees to let him use her poem 'Background' in a Christmas card, but would like to see the design before printing.

On one side of a 12mo leaf. In good condition, lightly aged. Howitt's seal in red wax is at the head, and beneath it, in a firm clear hand, is written: '"The tempest, says , belongs to God's weather." | Mary Howitt'.

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'.

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.

S1p., 4to. In good condition, lightly aged, with minor traces of mount on reverse. Addressed to 'Frederick I. Cowles, Esq., F.R.S.L., F.R.S.A., F.S.A.' Reads: 'Dear Sir, | In reply to your letter, I should have liked to oblige you but it is impossible for me to do so. The matter would require much more time than I have to spare.'

Three pages, 12mo, good condition."Mrs Lynd's [ Sylvia Lynd, author ] letter about the Femina Committee followed me here where I am spending a few days. The onlky objection I can see to inserting the word 'formerly' before F.V.H. [Femina - Vie Heureuse ] is that the title of the Prize Committee would be even more unwieldy than it already is!- but of course I am in favour of trying to settle the difference between the two French committees, and hope Mrs Lynd will write the letter she suggests in her letter. I must admit that I didn't realize there were two [underlined] French committees."

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Tipped in onto paper mount. Reads: 'Mr Gally Knight requests Mr Radley to let him have a Room for a few Hours on Monday Morning - He & Mrs Knight purpose to be at Liverpool about twelve oclock & will go to Manchester by the 1/2 p 2 Train. - They wish to have some Luncheon between one & two oclock.' Scott's Ivanhoe is set near to Firbeck Hall, and Knight may have been his source of local information.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged, Laid down on part of a leaf removed from an album. Reads: 'My Dear Sir | My absence from home must plead my excuse in not sooner replying to your obliging note of the 22nd Ulto - | I have desired 30 more Copies to be forwarded to you as you request, & I am sure you will be glad to hear that thro' your kindness, & that of many others who have interested themselves, we are likely to realize a sum commensurate to the Scholars moderate establishment'.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged. Begins: 'Mem. for Mr Henry Gray | I have received your Catalogue dated April 25th. | Will you send me, if still in hand, […]'. A list of five works follows, the last four French, including Sarah Scott's Utopian "Millenium Hall", following which Besant writes: 'for wh. I will remit by return post – on receipt.'

On one side of a 6 x 11.5 cm slip of grey paper. In good condition, lightly aged, with small strip of glue staining along right-hand edge. Reads: 'A mile of daughters - | Family of Furlongs having 8 girls | 8 furlongs = 1 mile. - | T. Hood.' A joke on the surname of the person who requested Hood's autograph, as explained in Walter Jerrold's 'Thomas Hood, his Life and Times' (1907), which states that in 1838 Hood wrote to his friend Wright: '[…] only think of a mile of daughters! There is a family of Furlongs coming to live here, whereof eight are daughters – 8 furlongs = 1 mile.'

2pp., 12mo. On bifolium of grey paper. In good condition, lightly aged. The letter would appear to be addressed to a contributor to Adams's 'Cyclopaedia of Poetical Quotations' (1853). It begins: 'Sir | I have much pleasure in acknowledging the receipt your obliging communications, and in thanking you therefore: the extract on Love I shall endeavour to find room for'. As it is 'a subject on which so many beautiful things have been said', he cannot include everything.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Evidently written to the editor of a biographical dictionary. Reads: 'Dear Sir | I enclose the notice, with the names of the two book, [sic] | 'The thing that hath been” & “Kallistratus”, | that I have written since the first issue. | I am yours very truly | A. H. Gilkes'. The dates of the two books are 1894 and 1897.

1p., 4to. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The first paragraph reads: 'Dear Cuming Walters, | Forgive me for not writing sooner. The fact is I have been down with influenza and pneumonia for the last three weeks. The worst time of the year for me! After the first week I contrived with difficulty to carry on with things, lying on my back dictating letters to my daughter, who has helped me enormously. But I am up again, and though not allowed out of doors have for the last four days been working in my room here, so shall manage all right and get my Christmas No.

On one side of a 7.5 x 12.5 cm leaf of pink paper, extracted from an album. In good condition, very lightly aged. Centred on the page, in blue ink, the inscription reads: 'love from | Enid Blyton'. No other writing anywhere on the leaf. As 600 million copies of Blyton's books have been sold worldwide, and as she oversaw the design of her books, and insisted on her distinctive signature being placed on every cover, it is not an exaggeration to state that this is one of the most famous signatures of the twentieth century.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Abergeldie, Eastbourne, 'is at present my permanent address. We are not likely to return to Clifton, but shall probably settle down in Eastbourne, - though not in this house.' She thanks her for her invitation to Dalston: 'If I find it possible, when in London, to get there, I will write to let you know.'

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium on grey paper. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. He writes that Marzials is 'some days too late' with his 'kind offer', as both Birrell and his wife have read 'with great pleasure' Marzials's book on Victor Hugo. 'It was a difficult task. (I mean the Life, not the reading of it) I am no judge on such a subject – being a very stay at home sort of fellow, but anyhow you succeeded in pleasing me. What a sensible, <?>, shrewd sort of fellow he was in what way may be called ordinary things.

1p., 12mo. On grey paper. In fair condition, lightly aged. He writes to enquire whether the recipient 'can undertake the publication of the novel I submitted to you – In the World of Mimes – as I am leaving town at the end of the week', and he hopes to 'settle the matter one way or the other (preferably one way & not the other)' before he leaves. 'In the World of Mimes' was published in London by Greening & Co. in 1902.

One page, 12mo, good condition. In his best hand. He asks for a "petit service". "Je fais une nouvelle edition de mon Adam de St Victor et je viens vous demander de m'indiquer les corrections que vour jugeriez a propos de faire dans mon 2e edition." He holds his corrections in high regard, outlining further what help he is asking for. Note: Gautier thanks the Abbe Mittet in his Preface.

1p., 4to. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. He apologises for his 'long silence', having been 'troubled by several things not connected with literature'. He expresses a desire to call on her 'some time later'. He has not been successful with her articles with Lord Beaverbrook, and thinks 'the most effective step to take would be to publish your novel first'. (Her first novel 'Cold Surge' was published by Hutchinson & Co. in 1929.) He has signed her copy of his novel 'The Polyglots', which he is returning separately.

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'.

2pp., 4to. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. A warm and characteristically solicitous letter. She has heard 'such a sad account' of the recipient, and hopes she is 'quite well & fit again now'. The Dearmers 'couldn't manage Paris but we should have loved it - There has been so much - boys' holidays & my book & now another new play! I am sending you "Gervase" - I always think of correcting the proofs at Alnmouth and the sunshine there - & your little red cap with the tassel!' She asks if 'Mrs.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Reads: 'My dear Sir/ | I think it is the 28th. thar you proposed to come to me & I hope that you & Mrs. Farrer may find it not interfering with more agreeable <?> please to stay at least till the following Monday or Tuesday Aug 1st'.

4pp., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged, with closed tears along the fold between the two leaves of the bifolium. Trench's publishers were 'John W. Parker & Son, West Strand'. The letter begins: 'I heartily wish that I could go to the press at once with the 3rd. Edition of the Parables. [ 'Notes on the Parables of Our Lord', first published in 1841 ] I have been however working hard at them & they are nearly ready.

3pp., 16mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged, with traces of stub adhering to blank reverse of sevond leaf. He is 'very much flattered' at Waddington's 'wishing to include sonnets of mine in your proposed selection. You are quite welcome to those you have named, or any others of mine.' He hopes he will 'include some of Hartley Coleridge's beautiful sonnets', and asks him to accept 'a vol. of sonnets by my Father, the late Sir Aubrey de Vere. Wordsworth spoke of his sonnets (my Father's) as the best modern sonnets he was acquainted with'.

1p., 4to. In good condition, neatly inserted into a windowpane mount. Bloomfield, 'somewhat more than a year ago', laid 'before the Prince Regent at Sudbourne Hall, two small productions' of Hall's, and he now wishes, 'as they are my mite to the good of my Country, Cottage poems also to be laid before him'. He feels that the 'concluding little poem' in the collection 'cannot displease his Royal Highness'. No copy of the original edition of Hall's 'Cottage Poems' is listed on COPAC, and only one copy, at Oxford, of the new edition of 1820.

3pp., 12mo. In good condition. Plarr's entry in the Oxford English Dictionary does not note that he dealt in autographs, but the present item suggests that he was more than just a collector who dabbled. At the time of writing, and until his death, he was Librarian of the Royal College of Surgeons. The letter is addressed to 'H. T. Scott Esqre., M.D.' and begins: 'Dear Sir | It is long since you have heard from me. | I have just bought several autographs which you may care to know of -'.

On 5.5 x 12.5 cm piece of grey paper, cut from a letter. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Written on both sides. The side with the signature reads: '[...] I will let you know if I have anything farther, but it does not at all depend on me | Yours faithfully | C M Yonge'. The other side reads: '[...] when of course we can accept them or not as we please. | Mr Hughes & some others were unwilling to write under a possible Editor who they thought might [...]'.

On one side of an 11.5 x 12.5 cm piece of paper, cut down from a larger leaf. In good condition, lightly aged; laid down on a 15.5 x 15 cm piece of card to which a typed biographical slip is attached. Reads: 'Dear Madam | I have just received your note and write in haste to say that I shall do myself the pleasure of waiting upon you tomorrow (Wednesday) about ten oclock. | I remain Dear Madam | Your very respectful Servt. | Allan Cunningham'.'