LITERATURE

4to, 1 p. Ten lines, edges a little damaged but text clear and complete, on flimsy paper. "You are welcome to the quotation from my school-boy story - if it is worth while. I could have wished, however, that in an anthology of serious prose you had given me credit as a serious writer & chosen something more interesting. With compliments [...]"

Two pages, 12mo, bifolium, tipped on to larger piece of paper, substantial, good condition.

14pp., 4to. In exercise book with green printed wraps. Good, on lightly-aged and worn paper. The first page carries the title 'The Element', with the words 'Peter Levi S.J. | Nov. '57-Jan. '58' in the top right-hand corner. With occasional light corrections. The second poem ('Out of shaking') has the directions: 'No title & no commas', and the last but one ('Unfinished Elegy'), which is the longest at 4pp., is annotated: 'There ought to be three parts or possibly four.

2pp., foolscap 8vo. In fair condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. A fair copy of a twenty-eight line poem, arranged in seven four-line stanzas. Signed at end 'P. L. | December 1960.' The first stanza reads 'Rain-threaded gull-wheeling bell-clamorous air, | by wind shifted, by smoke lightly weighted, | in which sirens beautifully despair, | no monumnet crumbles uncelebrated,'. The poem ends with a simile of 'Adam when he woke: | stood for a moment as if he had been blind, | and bent suddenly over Eve, and spoke.' There is no indication that the poem has been published.

2pp., 16mo. 17 lines of text. Good, on lightly-aged paper. He begins by thanking him for 'the History of the Flitch of Bacon Custom at Dunnow. I well remember reading in the papers of 55 the celebration of the fete at which you & poor Made. de Chatelain were the hero & heroine'. He has called on de Chatelain to thank him for the 'Fleurs et Fruits' which he sent him, but did not find him at home. He will try again before leaving town for the autumn, 'which I shall do in a few days'.

4pp., 16mo. On bifolium. In fair condition, on lightly-aged and worn paper. He begins: 'No - I am not going to write the sequel to The City [his 1909 book 'The City of Beautiful Nonsense'] - but I am now hard at work on a book that is going to give me more pleasure to do than anything I have done yet. It is all laid in Ireland - which I have not written of for some years - & I believe will be as interesting to read as it is engrossing to me to write.' He asks him to 'go & see my play "Driven" when Johnson does it - some time this month in New York - & let me know - in

The present short story, based on Bernardin de Saint-Pierre's 1787 novel Paul et Virginie, was expanded into a novel published by Chatto & Windus in the same year, and is regarded as a significant example of the dystopian literature popular during the period. The three items are attached to one another along margins. All in good condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. Letter One (28 March 1898): 2pp., 12mo. He explains that he is hoping to send her a copy on the following day 'a copy of a new production of mine, which is to appear in the "Contemporary Review".

ALS, on letterhead of 4 Whitehall Court, London; 'Tuesday' [1924], in envelope, 2pp., 8vo. 'You know all sorts of useful things - can you tell me of any way of getting in touch with Mary Ansell - Mary Barrie - Mary Cannan - Mary? here my knowledge stops. [...] Are you "sitting under" Bernard Shaw evening after evening - as I believe is said of preachers? I am going to begin my course on Friday.'

On a 4to leaf removed from an album, with Bennett's piece on one side of the leaf, and Gray's on the other. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper, with a short closed tear to the fore-edge. Bennett's note reads: 'Dearest Brethren, ye know how that a good while ago, God made desire among us, that the Gentiles, from my mouth, should hear the word of the Gospel & believe. And God, who knoweth the hearts, bore them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us: put no difference between us & them, purifying their hearts, by faith'.

2pp., 4to. Bifolium. In very good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with minor evidence of previous mounting. Apparently addressing an autograph hunter, she writes: 'I beg to forward you a specimen of my "pothooks and hangers" trusting you will "admire" if you honestly can. Believe I have pleasure in gratifying your request and am with truth my dear | Ever yours faithfully | Eliza Cook'. The poem, also signed 'Eliza Cook', is four lines long, beginning 'That stroke indeed would deeply gash'. There is no indication that the poem was published.

Brodrick's Autograph Letter Signed to Mathers: 1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. 'Dear Sir - It may interest you to read the enclosed, written by Ex-President Reitz whose "renderings" of "Maid of Athens" & "Tam O'Shanter" are so well known. Somebody once said that "the only thing that doesn't lose by 'translation' is a Bishop" and as a rule this is correct, but I think in this instance I have gained'. In a postscript he asks for the return of the 'M.S.', underlined twice.

2pp., 8vo. Neatly written out on two leaves of laid paper with watermark of Caxton Superfine Vellum. In very good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The poem consists of twenty-eight lines arranged in seven four-line stanzas, the first reading: 'On lake and fell the loud rains beat, | And August closes rough and rude.

1p., 4to. Bifolium, addressed by Alison on reverse of second leaf to 'The | Lady Charlotte Campbell | D<?>cks Hotel'. Good, on aged paper, with label at head in a contemporary hand attributing the letter to Alison, who was seventeen at the time of writing, but already at Edinburgh University. Docketed by Campbell 'from Mr. Alison | recevd Edinh. | March Seven 1809'. An interesting letter, casting light on the reading practices of the upper classes in Georgian Scotland. Alison's conceit is that he is writing a letter of introduction for a real person.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. The poem, of 60 irregular lines, is placed (with a facsimile of Verhaeren's signature at the foot) within a thick floral border, reminiscent of the Arts and Crafts movement. It begins: 'Ce n'est qu'un bout de sol dans l'infini du monde. | Le Nord | Y déchaîne le vent qui mord. | Ce n'est qu'un peu de terre avec sa mer au bord | Et le déroulement de sa dune inféconde.' Scarce: no copy in the Bibliotheque Nationale, on COPAC or in the Imperial War Museum.

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, on aged and worn paper. The letter reads: 'Dear Prof. Candy, | I think you would wish to see enclosed which please return after perusal. | If you hear of anything kindly let me know. It is the most pressing difficulty we have and we see no present way of surmounting it. | With renewed thanks, | always sincerely yours, | Mackenzie Bell'.

2pp., folio. On two leaves of yellow paper, with 'PATENT' lion and unicorn watermark. Text enclosed within faint blue vertical lines. Good, on lightly aged and worn paper. No record found of the publication of this item, the first page of which is headed 'Opening: -', with the last section ending two thirds down the page, suggesting that it is complete. A rhymed poem of 36 lines: the first section consisting of 10 lines, the second of 16 lines, and the third of 10 lines.

Note: 1p., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly-aged, laid down on paper with traces of glue to one margin. In response to a request for an autograph it reads: 'Novr 10/69 | 21 Beauvoir St | Portland Place | London. W. | Dear Sir | I send this in accordance with your request to Mr Lacy.' | I am | Dear Sir | Yours | R. H. Holden Esqre'. Engraving: On 14 x 10.5 cm paper, laid down within border on 21 x 14 cm paper. Good: Photogravure 11 x 8 cm image cut from a magazine. Showing a bearded Horne in old age, with velvet writing cap.

4pp., 12mo. In very good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The letter is addressed to 'My dear Father'. He begins by thanking him for his letter: 'I can picture the long-nailed Neb. sitting down to answer your request for an autograph. Strange, that you should have been hearing of Vaughan Williams just at that time!' He reports that he has been 'doing many poems for The British Weekly. The Editor saw something of mine & asked me to send whatever I liked. And his nonconformist readers do not seem to jib.

2pp., on both sides of the lower half of a 4to leaf. The recto is numbered by Reade '2', indicating that the two pages constitute the second leaf of a letter. The text reads: '[...] therefore you will consent to do me a bare act of justice viz not to let that gentleman be my public critic in "the World." Of course I should be still more pleased if you would do me the honor to see the play yourself and pronounce upon it. However half a loaf is better than no bread.

In good condition, on lightly aged and creased paper. Galsworthy writes: 'Dear Evans | Here is the MS. Price £300 [amended from 315] less half your Commission £30. = £285. nett. | Sincerely yours | John Galsworthy'. For such a short message, the manuscript shows signs of indecision: the latter part, from the word 'less', has clearly an addition, and the word 'half' has been inserted with a caret. While the manuscript referred to may well be the second collection of Forsyte Novels, 'A Modern Romance', published by Heinemann's in 1929, Galsworthy's price does seem rather cheap.

2pp., 4to. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. In envelope, with postmark and stamp, addressed to 'John Bacon Esqr.

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. In worn envelope, with stamp and postmark, addressed by Buchanan to 'J. T. Baron Esq | 18 Griffin Street | Witton | Blackburn | Lancashire'. Both letter and envelope have thick mourning borders, Buchanan's wife having died the previous November. The letter reads: 'Dear Sir, | The works you mention, with the exception of "Idyls of Invention," are just now out of print. The plays have never been pubd. | Thanking you for your kind expressions I am | Yrs truly | Robt Buchanan'.

12pp., in original buff wraps, with 'EIGHT POEMS' in red on front cover. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with rusty staples. A nice production, With the name 'Robert Lynd' added in manuscript, probably by Bax himself, in a space provided on the title for such personalisation. Uncommon: the only copies on COPAC at the British Library, National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh and Cambridge.

Item One: From Havengrove. On reverse of printed 12mo prospectus for the first issue of 'Poetry Folios' magazine (which appeared in 1942), edited by Comfort and Peter Wells. 1p., 12mo. Fair, on aged and creased paper. He thanks him for his letter. 'It is appreciation of this kind that makes one want to go on writing. [...] I wish I could meet you.' Item Two: From Havengrove, on letterhead of 'Poetry Folios'. Undated. 2pp., 12mo. Fair, on lightly-creased and aged paper.

1p., 8vo. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with traces of previous mounting along two edges. Headed, in a contemporary hand: 'Given to Mrs. Richards by Miss Calhoun Fanshawe'. 22 lines of verse, in couplets. Signed in the bottom right-hand corner, apparently at a later date than the rest of the text: 'William Sothbey | Sepr 26 - 1804'. The extract - possibly written out by Sotheby for an acquaintance - begins: 'Sweet Isle!

Each of the thirty poems ends with the typed name 'Louis How'. The collection is in good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with each poem printed on one side of a 4to leaf. There is no record of any of the thirty being published. Six of the poems have minor manuscript emendations, and several include minor corrections in type. A prolific poet, in 1915 How was grouped with Amy Lowell and Ezra Pound in an article by Zoe Akins in Reedy's Mirror (published in his native St. Louis).

1p., 12mo. On thick deckled-edge paper. He apologises for the delay in sending a copy of his 'Iron Pirate', due to a delay in receiving it from the publishers.

The engraving, which is not in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery, is on a piece of 19 x 14 cm paper, with tissue guard. The image measures around 8 cm square, and shows Landor's head in profile, looking to the left, with 'A. D'Orsay' beneath to the left, and 'H. W. Smith' beneath to the right. In good condition, lightly-aged, with small stain to one edge of border. Attached to a piece of paper, along with the piece of Landor's autograph, which is on a 1 x 18.5 cm strip of grey paper cut from a letter, and is in fair condition, lightly-creased.

2pp., 4to. An excellent letter, stylish and charming, and a lucky survival. In poor condition, apparently as a result of fire damage: with wear and chipping repaired with archival tape.

ONE (memorandum): Headed: 'Memorandum of an Agreement between Messrs: Henry S. King & Co: of 65 Cornhill London of the one part and Mortimer Collins Esqre. of Knowl Hill, Twyford, Berks of the other part.' 19 March 1872. 1p., folio. In fair condition, on lightly-aged and worn paper. Pencil annotations. Five stamps at head (four embossed and one ink).