LONDON

2pp, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged, with traces of grey paper from mount adhering at head of second page. Folded once. Reads: 'The Baroness Burdett Coutts sends her kind compliments and thanks to Mr. Blunt and regrets that she is unable to avail herself of the kind proposal of his Father and Mother, as she has another engagement between the City and Chelsea, but her Ladyship hopes to be at the Rectory as near Six o'clock as possible'.

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged, but with traces of glue on blank reverse of second leaf, which has a vertical closed tear the length of a fold line in blank space beneath signature. The male recipient is not named. The letter begins: 'Dear Sir | Do not think me intrusive but I cannot resist offering you in writing the warm thanks of my heart for your Protest against that hateful thing known as Vivisection'. She has read with 'feelings of thankfulness the expression of your opinion which Mr Froude stated with his own to Mr Cross'.

1p, 8vo. Aged and worn. Four folds. Panel from envelope attached to reverse, with postmark and address to 'Chas. Thompson Esqr. | 34 Bedford Street | Covent Gard.' He has 'already so many unpublished Plays' in which he has 'the right of Representation', that he must 'decline making any further purchases at present'. But even if he were 'inclined to make further purchases, it would most certainly be in Copyright and not in rights to print - which I suppose is what you mean by the term Printing Copyright'. He is however still 'much obliged to you for the offer'.

On 7.5 x 14 cm piece of laid paper, laid down on part of a leaf from an album. In fair condition, on aged and spotted paper. The letter reads: 'G Dr. respects to Miss Lusada - begs she will please to accept the enclosed - 3 more Letters will follow - wch. shall be sent. to Miss Lusada - Dr. is gone to dine with Mr. Morgan, who desires his Compts. and informs Miss L. that he will send to her soon the little Mathematician'. The recipient was in fact Abigail Lousada, the bluestocking daughter of Isaac Barrow Lousada [sic] of Devonshire Square.

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium with mourning border. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Folded twice. He reports that he 'wrote a line to Gladstone about the condition of the East urging the Govt. to take it up either by Equalization of Poor Rates, Emigration or Alteration of License System or all of these'. He considers that 'a good case is made out' and the measures he suggests 'wd do something'. He wonders whether the recipient might be able to 'put a few statistics together'. He thinks that 'the worst part is the permanent depression of the trading class wh takes away all vitality'.

See McCulloch's entry in the Oxford DNB. He was appointed Comptroller of H.M. Stationery Office in 1838. 1p, 16mo In good condition, lightly aged. Folded once. Reads: 'Mr. McCulloch presents compts to Sir James and Lady Em. Tennent, and begs to thank them for their kind invitation to dine with them on the 5th proxo, which he has much pleasure in accepting.'

Phelps's entry in the Oxford DNB gives the background to the present letter, stating that Phelps 'married Sarah Cooper (1810/11–1867) on 11 August 1826; she was just sixteen. However, their marriage was very happy: they were a devoted couple, and Sarah later served as Phelps's dresser. Phelps preferred home life with her to clubs or social gatherings. His other delights were angling and shooting, and he purportedly knew every trout stream in England. They had three sons and three daughters, including William Robert (1828–1867), who became chief justice of St Helena, and Edmund (d.

A nice item, in which, writing to a friend in London, Moulton describes, and encloses a holograph copy of, the poem she has written that very day for the following day's New Year's Eve party to celebrate the engagement of Longfellow's youngest daughter Anne Allegra to Joseph Gilbert Thorp Jr. (1852-1931). 4pp, 12mo. Bifolium. Aged, worn and creased, with damage resulting in loss of a couple of words of text, due to tearing of the letter away from mount. The letter covers three pages, the last written lengthwise, and is forty-six lines long.

A very nice item relating to one of the greatest and best-loved of all cricketers: his signature to a scorecard of his final innings in first-class cricket, in which he scored a hundred, accompanied by a newspaper cutting describing the event. Official scorecard with serial number, printed on both sides of a 24 x 12.5 cm piece of card. Priced at twopence, and headed: 'This card does not necessarily include the fall of the last wicket | 2d. Lords [MCC device] Ground | Middlesex v. Surrey | Saturday & Monday, August 28, 30, 1937. (Three-day Match.)'.

On one side of a slip of laid paper cut from the end of a letter: roughly 4 x 17 cm, the reverse being blank. In good condition, lightly aged. Good neat signature to the valediction of a letter. Reads: 'I am my d [Phippen?] | (in great haste | Yours very truly | Jos: S: Munden'. Munden eas the subject of one of the "Essays of Elia" (Charles Lamb).

The eleven items are in fair condition, lightly aged and worn, laid down on two heavily-worn leaves removed from an album. An interesting slice of social history, relating to introduction into England of a phenomenon which began in the Unites States in the 1850s. Nine of the items relate to spelling bees in Kennington, managed by the compiler of the material T. W. Williams, and one to a 'Grand Spelling Bee' in Guildford.

The two letters in fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Both with contemporary annotation at head of first page. ONE: From 13 North Crescent, and signed 'John M Morton'. 2pp, 12mo. Addressed, with a second signature, to 'J. P. Harley Esq'. Begins: 'Tho' not quite finished, you will see enough of the drift of the piece, to enable you to say whether you fancy it or not. I have written it out without amendments, which are rarely made, if you approve - I began Dainty (you remember the name?) for Mr. [Humby?], but broke down'.

1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice. The recipient is not named, but the item derives from the papers of James Payn, the editor of the Cornhill Magazine, London. Gallenga begins: 'My dear Sir. | The last time I saw you - it may be 20 years ago - you were leaving London to write for Chambers in Edinburgh.

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. Fifty-one lines of text in a close neat hand, the last page written lengthwise. In good condition, lightly aged, with traces of white paper mount adhering to blank reverse of second leaf. Folded once. The letter is signed 'Barry Pain'. The recipient is not named, but is James Payn, editor of the Cornhill Magazine, who had just published the story that made Pain's name, 'The Hundred Gates'.

1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded once. Referring to her son Francis Romano ('Cecco') Oliphant (1859-1894), she writes: 'Dear Mr. Payn | I send you with this in a registered packet by book post a story written by my youngest son, called "The Grateful Ghosts" which he wishes me to submit to you.' Her opinion is that the story 'would bear compression but that is usual to youthful productions'. She will be 'much gratified' if Payn likes it 'and can use it', and feels sure he will give it his consideration.

Two items in the hand of George Whitley, surgeon, of Halton, Cheshire (not to be confused with his namesake the epidemiologist George Whitley (1816-1881), for whose career see Fraser Brockington, 'Public Health in the Nineteenth Century', 1965). The two items are accompanied by the front board of a volume, with the following ownership inscription and note on the pastedown: 'George Whitley, Surgeon, | St. Thomas' Hospital. | London. | Novr. 22. 1819. | NB. See in this Book a Copy of a Letter to Lady Cunliffe pr. Mr. [?] Surgeon, about an Ulcerated Leg of her House Keeper, Mrs.

2pp, 4to. On two letterhead leaves with border in blue. The following endorsement printed at the foot of each leaf: 'ANNA PAVLOVA wrote after visiting the School: "It is with pleasure that I record the very good impression made on me both by the School and your method of training. I wish you the fullest success which I think your School deserves"'.

Four items, in good condition, lightly aged. The three letters with date stamps of the Society of Arts, and two with pencil annotations. All three signed 'Cloudesley Brereton'. ONE: ALS of 4 January 1900. 2pp, 12mo. He thanks him for his 'kindly intervention with the Board of Education', which he believes 'will in time bear good fruit'. He has been 'thinking over' Wood's 'suggestion of giving a lecture on the Rural Schools of France', and would 'much like to take it up if you have still a vacant date & you do not want it too soon - as I am just now overwhelmed with work'.

A nice collection of material, including five letters in which an American actor writes to a London friend while on a visit to England. The recipient of McDonough's letters is John Jabez Stocken (d.1892), head of a leading City of London firm of tobacconists, and an antiquary. (His son Frank Lacy Stocken (1867-1937) was later an actor under the name 'Frank Lacy'.) From the correspondence it is clear that McDonough stayed with Stocken during his stay in England.

The Times, 16 February 1860, announces 'the new drama, called A TALE OF TWO CITIES', at the Royal Lyceum Theatre, 'Sole Lessee and Directress, Madame Celeste'. ('Madame Céleste' [Céline Céleste-Elliott] (c.1815-1882) was a French dancer and actress.) 3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded three times. The recipient is not named. The letter has a large signature ('Henry Betty.') with florid underlining.

1p, 4to. On leaf of aged, worn and creased cartridge paper. Addressed to 'A. T. Q. C., | Care of The Editor of | The Speaker, 115, Fleet Street, E.C., London.' An interesting letter, touching on English and American journalistic practice, 'sensational' copy, plagiarism and fin-de-siècle Paris. The context is not entirely clear: one reading is that the recipient reported on or reproduced in the Fleet Street newspaper the Speaker one of Heilig's 'sensational letters to the American Sunday papers', only to have it 'cribbed' by Pearson's Weekly.

1p, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged, with traces of grey-paper mount on blank reverse, and minor discolouration at one edge from glue used. The actor Henry Leigh Murray (1820-1870) is identified in pencil as the recipient. The letter begins: 'My dear Sir, | You are quite welcome to a P[rivate]. Box if there is one to spare'. He asks him to 'call or send to Mr. Massingham at the Box Office at 1/2 past 4 o'clock who has received instructions to attend to your wishes, if all the Boxes are not let by that time'.

See Meadows' entry in the Oxford DNB. The recipient of the letter is not named, but it comes from the album of the actor Henry Leigh Murray, which also contained a letter regarding a theatre box from Charles Kean (offered separately). 1p, 12mo. 1p, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged, with traces of grey paper mount on reverse, and slight discolouration at corners from glue. Written with mock-pomposity, and beginning: 'My dear Sir | I hereby give you notice that Mr C. Kean has delivered unto me a Card for a Private Box for to-morrow Augt. 19th.

3pp., 12mo. On bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded once. With date stamp of the RSA, and endorsement in blue pencil. He is writing to inform Wood that 'a relative of mine has written a paper on a subject of importance regarding the connection of fat [containing glycerin] with manufacture of explosives in Germany - and showing how that Country is approaching a crisis - when her supply of fat will be approaching exhaustion'.

2pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Folded twice. The letter begins: 'My dear Lloyds, | However I may grieve at any misunderstanding between you and James - I cannot interfere.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 12mo bifolium, with the two-page letter on both sides the first leaf, and the list of plays on recto of second leaf. In fair condition, aged and worn, with closed tear. Folded three times. Addressed: 'To/ | Chas. Perkins Esqr. | 2 North Place | Hampstead.' The letter begins: 'My dear Perkins, | I have not been able to reply to your last earlier - having been confined to my bed-room ever since the 31st. of July by a most severe attack of inflammation.' He has been obliged to postpone his 'Cork engagement on account of this unseen misfortune'.

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice. He announces that he has been nominated for the Presidency of the Medico-Chirurgical Society by the Council, and supposes that he will be elected 'according to custom'.

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged. The reverse of the second leaf laid down on part of leaf from an album, the other side of which carries an engraving of Lord Melbourne. The letter is endorsed '1838 Sept 7# | Lady Holland' on the reverse of the second learf, and at the head of the first page: 'R[eplied]. at Dalmeny | Septr. 12. 1838'. There is no salutation to the letter (which is also unsigned), but the reference to Dalmeny House would appear to suggest that the recipient was Archibald Primrose, 4th Earl of Rosebery, or his second wife, born Anne Margaret Anson.

44pp, 4to. In poor condition, worn and stained, in damaged remains of vellum-paper wraps. Library stamp carelessly cut away from blank part of title, causing closed cut to second leaf. Six copies on JISC LHD (COPAC); now uncommon. The date of publication is mistakenly given in Colbatch's entry in the Oxford DNB as 1729.

Both items in good condition, lightly aged. ONE: TLS. South Africa House, London; 23 August 1972. Written at the start of his second stint as South African Ambassador to London, 1972-1977. He sends warm thanks on Braham's 'good wishes on our appointment to London', continuing: 'We are honoured and delighted to be able to represent our beloved country once again in the United Kingdom'. Braham's 'kind gesture of friendship will serve as an inspiration in the years that lie ahead'. Autograph postscript reads: 'Looking forward to seeing the five of you soon after our arrival ion Oct.