LONDON

See the entries for Mrs Maurice’s sister Octavia Hill and their mother Caroline Southwood Hill in the Oxford DNB. Book: viii + 77 + [1]. 12mo. Errata slip between pp.56 and 57. In original green cloth, gilt. Good copy, lightly aged and worn, in original green cloth binding gilt. Bookplate of Queen’s College, London, on front paste-down, stamped ‘WITHDRAWN’. Presentation inscription on recto of front free endpaper: ‘Queens College Library / Presented by Mrs C. S. Maurice / 1931’.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. The recipient Philip Dosse was proprietor of Hansom Books, publisher of a stable of seven arts magazines including Books and Bookmen and Plays and Players. Both items 1p, 4to. ONE (11 July 1972): Signed 'A. Wesker'. In good condition, with short closed tear at one edge of central postage fold. He begins by explaining how to apply for permission to print his play 'The Old Ones', adding: 'But as for writing an introduction to it, I am afraid I would prefer not to. It is a very simple, straight-forward play and doesn't need a great deal said about it.

See his entry in Encyclopaedia Britannica. 2pp, 12mo. Closely-written in a neat and elegant hand, signed ‘Philip Schaff’. In good condition, on browned paper, folded twice for postage. Begins: ‘My dear Mrs. Reynolds: / Many thanks for your kind invitation in which Mrs.

See her entry in the Oxford DNB. The recipient Philip Dosse was proprietor of Hansom Books, publisher of a stable of seven arts magazines including Books and Bookmen and Plays and Players. 1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. She thanks him for his note, adding 'Would this do?', and stating 'I will write my piece definitely by March 15th.' Signed 'Nora Beloff / NORA BELOFF'.

An interesting item, linking the editors of two prominent literary magazines. See his entry in the Oxford DNB, which states, without giving a date, that ‘Chaotic working conditions led to desperation: Grindea sold the title to Frank Cass and retreated to Hove hoping to write his memoirs, but quickly decided he didn't want to and “in agonies of self-flagellation begged Cass to sell back the magazine”’. The recipient Philip Dosse was proprietor of Hansom Books, publisher of a stable of seven arts magazines including Books and Bookmen and Plays and Players.

See Astley's entry in the History of Parliament (he was created a baronet at the end of the year in which this letter was written). The ‘Lavender’ mentioned in the letter is Bow Street Runner Stephen Lavender (fictionalized in a series of books by Karen Charlton), who was leaving to take up the position of Deputy Chief Constable at Manchester.1p, 4to. On recto of first leaf of bifolium. Verso of second docketed: ‘Chas. Humphreys / recomn to be an Officer’ and in another hand ‘Dugdale Asteley [sic]’. In good condition, lightly aged, with reverse of second leaf slightly grubby.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. All four items are signed ‘Edward J. Poynter’. The first is somewhat discoloured, with cut corners (not affecting text), the others are in good condition, lightly aged. ONE: ALS to ‘My dear Robin’, 11 July 1874. 1p, 12mo. He has received ‘the four £10 notes’ and reports ‘the most tremendous thunderstorms’. TWO: ACS to ‘Mr. Gilkes’, 30 July 1890. He apologises for being unable to ‘attend the distributions of the School prizes’ that day. THREE: ALS to ‘Waterlow’, 5 November 1905. 1p, 12mo. ‘Your letter gives me the key to the memorial.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 16mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded once for postage. Signed ‘W. L. Wyllie.’ He is sorry that he will be unable to avail himself of ‘the kind invitation to dinner sent me by the Master of the Salters Company’. He is starting for Norway on the last day of the month, and will not return until the end of July.

See his entry, and that of George Doo, engraver, in the Oxford DNB. The four items are in good condition, lightly aged and worn The items of 1832 and 1838 are in the third person; those of 1837 and 1839 are signed, 'D. Wilkie' and 'David Wilkie' respectively. The 1832 letter, accepting a dinner invitation from 'Dr and Mrs Baillie', is 1p, 16mo; the other three items are each 1p, 12mo. In 1838 he writes to 'Capt Seymour' to ask for 'the present address of Sir William Knighton'.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. Wilkie was in a good position to assist Waagen, who was touring England making notes on significant art collections, for use in his ‘Kunstwerke und Künstler in England und Paris’ (3 vols, Berlin, 1837–39), which formed the basis for his influential ‘The Treasures of Art in Great Britain’ (translated by Lady Eastlake, 4 vols, London, 1854 and 1857). Wilkie had strong connections with Wellington. His 1822 painting ‘The Chelsea Pensioners reading the Waterloo Dispatch’ had been commissioned by the Duke, and was sold to him for the unheard-of sum of 1,200 guineas.

See her entry, and his, in the Oxford DNB. On the reverse of a colour postcard of the Radcliffe Camera in Oxford from the Old Bodleian. In fair condition, lightly aged and with slight creasing to one corner and at the head (not affecting text). To the right, in the section reserved for the address, she writes: ‘Hardy / with all very / best wishes & love / from / Iris !’. Beneath this is a pencil note identifying Amies as the recipient. At top left, in another hand (her husband John Bayley’s?) is written ‘Born before all time: / a dispute over Christ’s origin / Karl Joseph Kuschel’.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 2pp, 12mo. On first leaf of a bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged, with the blank second leaf damaged on removal from mount. Addressed to an unnamed woman (‘Chère Madame’) and boldly signed ‘A. Legros’. He accepts her dinner invitation with ‘le plus grand plasir’.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged, with slight discoloration at one edge and minor repair on reverse. Addressed to ‘Dear Mrs. Bicknell’ and signed ‘Danl. Maclise’. Reads ‘I very much regret to say that I have accepted an invitation to dinner on Wednesday when I might have had the pleasure of repairing to Tulse Hill and perhaps in company with my friend and your father whom I sometimes dare to call David’.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. An unillustrated post card, apart from the letterhead. Addressed, with stamp and Paddington postmark, to ‘Dr William Roberts / Briarlea / Mortimer / Berks.’ The message reads: ‘I vote for Osbert S. [i.e. Osbert Sitwell] as next chairman Soc. Authors [etc?] / Yrs / C. Day Lewis’. Image on request.

See the two men’s entries in the Oxford DNB. In good condition, on the first leaf of bifolium. (There are extensive pencil annotations in a later hand on the second leaf.) Very neatly written. Addressed to ‘J. G. Wilson Esqre.’ and signed ‘Anstey Guthrie’. He has ‘much pleasure’ in answering Wilson’s question. ‘‘Shut Out’ is a short story of mine which was published in Longmans Magazine about 1895 or 6, afterwards included in a volume of short stories under the title of “The Talking Horse”. I think published by Messrs. Smith & Elder - but now long out of print.

The Peace with Ireland Council was founded in November 1920 by Lord Henry Cavendish Bentinck, following a meeting at the House of Commons by a group concerned at the deteriorating situation in Ireland following the introduction of the Black and Tans, and spurred on by the treatment of former MP Annan Bryce and his wife Violet. Among those involved were the historian Basil Williams, who acted as treasurer, and the suffragette Margaret Buckmaster (daughter of Lord Buckmaster) who served as honorary secretary. From the Sylvia and Robert Lynd papers.

The Peace with Ireland Council was founded in November 1920 by Lord Henry Cavendish Bentinck, following a meeting at the House of Commons by a group concerned at the deteriorating situation in Ireland following the introduction of the Black and Tans, and spurred on by the treatment of former MP Annan Bryce and his wife Violet. Among those involved were the historian Basil Williams, who acted as treasurer, and the suffragette Margaret Buckmaster (daughter of Lord Buckmaster) who served as honorary secretary. From the Sylvia and Robert Lynd papers.

Two items from the Robert and Sylvia Lynd papers. The first item is well represented in academic libraries, no copy of the second has been found. Item Two below asserts that ‘Under these Acts the Home Minister of Northern Ireland is furnished with what are practically dictatorship powers’, which are ‘now a permanent part of Northern Irish law’. (Robert Lynd’s interest in the matter was no doubt heightened by the fact that he was himself an Ulsterman.) ONE: Printed pamphlet.

From the papers of Sylvia and Robert Lynd. Scarce: this number is lacking from the run in the National Library of Ireland. The title as one word ‘INISFÁIL’ on cover, but as the two words ‘INIS FÁIL’ on first page. 12 pp, 4to. Stapled in light-green printed wraps. In good condition, lightly aged, on high-acidity paper, in lightly-worn wraps carrying advertisements.

From the Sylvia and Robert Lynd Papers. Scarce: five copies on JISC, and at the NLI, but no copy in the BL. The Lynd copies of the third edition of this title, and of the response by T. S. Frank Battersby, ‘60 Points against Home Rule’ (answering point by point many of those made here), are offered separately. [4] + 52pp, 16mo. Stapled. In green printed wraps. In fair condition internally, on browned newspaper stock, with dogeared corners, staples slightly rusted, in brittle and chipped wraps, with some damage repaired with archival tape.

From the Sylvia and Robert Lynd Papers. Scarce: one copy on JISC (Bristol University), and at the NLI, but no copy in the BL. The Lynd copies of the first edition of this title, and of the response by T. S. Frank Battersby, ‘60 Points against Home Rule’ (answering point by point many of those made here), are offered separately. [4] + 52pp, 16mo. Stapled. In green printed wraps. In fair condition, on aged paper, with dogeared corners, staples slightly rusted, in worn wraps. Preceded by index and preface, of two pages apiece.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. Eighteen lines, closely written. On creased grey paper, with short closed tear at edge of central crease. The year 1944 has been added in another hand. Addressed to ‘Dear Mr. Macdermid’ and signed ‘Michael Redgrave’. He is grateful to him for the suggestion that he ‘should be an Hon. Associate Member of your Club, to which I wish every success’, but feels ‘rather strongly that I must not put my name to anything more than I can actively take part in - even if activity is confined to letter writing etc.

See Smirke’s entry, and those of Cooke and Heath, in the Oxford DNB. His most celebrated design is the Reading Room of the British Museum. 2pp, 12mo. With monogram and mourning border. On first leaf of a bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded for postage. Begins: ‘My dear Sir, / Vernon Heath, of Piccadilly, has made me a photograph of our new front, which is I think fairly satisfactory.’ He has told Heath to deliver a copy ‘addressed to you at the R. Academy’. As it is ‘rather large’, he did not like to send it ‘by post or Parcel’, as it ‘might get crushed on its way to you.

See her entry in Grove. The letter can be dated by the reference to Sir William Mitchell (see Oxford DNB) and the operetta 'The Rival Beauties', which he produced in London and then Plymouth. The letter is on one side of the paper, has been cut down to 11 x 9 cm, and laid down on a piece of card. Aged and worn, with slight loss at top right, affecting one word of text. Thirteen lines of close and neatly-written text, addressed to ‘Dearest Mrs. Sprague’ and signed ‘Yours affectionately, / Erminia Rudersdorff’, with a little of the flourish beneath the signature cut away.

[7] + 243pp., 8vo. On aged paper, with slight damage at top edge of first few leaves; in heavily-worn binding with blind-stamped decoration; corner torn away from front free endpaper, and glue spots to front pastedown. Described in an advertisement by the publisher in The Times, 16 July 1897, as 'A SOCIAL SATIRE.' Six copies on COPAC, but now a scarce item. Note: In Pantalas Mr. Jenkins is at his best.

See her entry in the Oxford DNB. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice for postage. The letterhead is both printed and embossed. Addressed to ‘Miss M. G. Hocken, / Meadow Way House Studio, / St. Ives, / Cornwall.’ Signed ‘Ninette de Valois’. Reads: ‘May I suggest you write to the Director of Productions at The Royal Opera House. I do not know what our theatre does with regard to the many requests for such exhibitions - so I would be grateful if you would forward your request to this particular department.’

See his entry in the Oxford DNB: ‘In 1848 he was articled to the staunchly Quaker P. B. Alley, then in partnership with Richard Lane, the leading neo-classical architect of Manchester. In 1853 his education was completed with a ten-month tour of France, Italy, and Germany, after which he set up in practice as an architect in Manchester.’ (Waterhouse’s first success would come with his winning design for the Manchester assize courts in 1859.) 1p, 12mo. On the first leaf of a grey-paper bifolium. In good condition. Folded for postage. Addressed to ‘Thomas Haigh Esq:’ and signed ‘A Waterhouse’.

See his entry, and that of his fellow Academician Horsley, in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. On the first leaf of a bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice for postage. Signed ‘A Waterhouse’. Reads: ‘Dear Horsley. / You are quite right. No “mystery” between us if you please. / I say “yes” to your query to the extent of 2 guineas. / I hope you will soon gain the sum you desire without any great trouble to yourself’.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 4pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, with slight wear at top left-hand corner of second leaf (not affecting text). Biographical details added in small type at head of first page. Addressed to ‘The Honbl Spencer Ponsonby’ and signed ‘Alaric A. Watts.’ Begins: ‘Dear Sir / May I trespass so far upon your kindness as to ask you to place the enclosed letter [not present] to Lord Clarendon. It is on the subject of the London Library of which his Lordship is the President’.

A scarce item. See Somerville's entry in the Oxford DNB, for the controversy, involving Churchill. 8pp, 8vo. With two plates of maps, the first a fold-out extending to the width of three pages. Stapled. In fair condition, on lightly worn and discoloured paper. In the customary double column. Begins, despite the date of the number, 'Wednesday, 5 May 1948 / Action between British and Italian Forces off Cape Spartivento on 27th November 1940. / The following Despatch was submitted to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty on the 18th December, 1940, by Vice-Admiral Sir James F.