LONDON

For information on Graves see his generous obituary in The Times, 18 April 1944. Both items in fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with minor staining from paperclip to first leaf of letter. The work was not published, and although Graves states in Item One that the greater part of the text is 'in the hands of my typist', there is no record of its survival, or of the thousand related documents he states were sent to him by M. H. Spielmann. ONE: ALS from 'C L. G.' to 'Dear Evoe'. 4pp., landscape 8vo.

In addition to his achievements, Young is remembered for holding a dinner party in 1877, at which the Prince of Wales arranged to sit next to Lillie Langtry while her husband was discreetly seated elsewhere, thus beginning their affair. 2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged and ruckled, with two small pinholes at head of first leaf, and traced of mount on blank reverse of second leaf. The letter begins: 'I have just got note from Mrs Langtry saying that she will have to go out of Town tomorrow morning and asking me to write to you to tell you'.

On 5 x 10 cm slip of paper. In good condition, lightly aged. Reads: 'Yours faithfully | George du Maurier'. The first line lightly inked, the signature itself bold and strong. Nothing else on the card, except for the number '92' in a contemporary hand at top left above the signature.

An attractive Chiswick Press item (on the firm's own paper), possibly printed for Beatty himself. No other copy traced, either on OCLC WorldCat or on COPAC. 3pp., 12mo. Printer's slug at foot of otherwise-blank reverse of second leaf. On laid paper with 'Chiswick Press' watermark. Aged and worn, with pin-hole through top inner corner of both leaves, and light staining at foot of first page. Reprinting a speech thanking the US Atlantic Fleet 'again, again, and again for the great part the Sixth Battle Squadron has played in bringing about the greatest naval victory in history'.

Four good letters, in which the author's love for his wife and grief at her death are apparent. Littleton Powys was the second-eldest of eleven, his siblings including writers John Cowper Powys, T. F. Powys and Llewelyn Powys, architect A. R. Powys, artist Gertrude Powys, lacemaker Marian Powys, and poet and novelist Philippa Powys. His autobiography 'The Joy of it' was published in 1937, with the sequel 'Still the Joy of it' appearing in 1956. The four letters are in good condition, lightly aged. They total 12pp., 12mo.

In the 1940s Guest wrote the lyrics to several songs by the American composer Manning Sherwin (1902-1974), several of them for his comedy 'I'll be your Sweetheart' (1945), but he is not known to have written any music himself. No record has been found of the present item, but it presumably dates from the same period. It is 4pp., 4to. On bifolium of printed music paper. In good condition, lightly aged and worn, with central vertical fold. The title is on the cover: '”Swell” | Lyrics and music by | Val Guest'. There is an illegible name lightly written at top right in another hand.

The four letters are in good condition, lightly aged and worn. Each 1p., 12mo. The first three letters are written to Brooks, as editor of 'Truth'; the fourth is a letter of condolence to Brooks's wife. In the first letter (14 April 1945) he apologises for the delay in sending in a review: 'I have been two months out of the country and nothing could be forwarded.' He adds: 'I wish I saw more of Charles Webster.

An attractive item, neatly written out by Gray on 1p., 4to. In good condition, with central horizontal fold. Headed 'From the St. Paul's Girls' School Song'. The eight transcribed lines begin: 'In Faith and Knowledge! May it prove | When here our work is done, | […]' Beneath the quotation Gray has written: 'With my love to Margery | Frances R. Gray | 3rd. April 1927'. In envelope with the address of the school printed at top left of cover, addressed at centre by Gray to 'Margery Clerk'.

An attractive item, neatly written out in black ink on one side of a 13 x 8.5 cm piece of shiny card, with printed decorative border of flowers in gold and blue. In good condition, lightly aged and worn, with traces of mount adhering to reverse. As a joke, at the foot, in block capitals, the menu is attributed to 'Sala & Co | Refreshment Contractors', at Sala's address. An interesting artefact of the Victorian Christmas. The menu reads:'[fleuron] Menu. | CHRISTMAS DAY | 1881 | oysters on the half shell.

1p., 4to. On bifolium. Aged and worn, with small spots at head and foot. Irving's signature is firm and bold. The only other words in his autograph are 'Dear Hall Caine', but there is slight offsetting of other writing by Irving on the blank second leaf. The circular is an invitation to be 'placed on the list of Stewards on the occasion of the Annual Dinner of "The Actors' Benevolent Fund," of which I am the President'. Irving will be in the chair, and the dinner will take place at the Whitehall Rooms, Hotel Metropole.

4pp., 16mo. Bifolium with mourning border, on paper embossed with the Macready crest. In fair condition, lightly aged, with torn hole to one corner of the first leaf (not affecting text), presumably caused by removal from mount. The recipient is clearly a member of the Hawtrey family (and presumably a relation of Edward Craven Hawtrey of Eton), as the letter concludes with the Macready family's best wishes 'to Mrs. Hawtrey'. It must date from before Macready's departure for Cheltenham in 1860.

On a piece of paper, folded three times into a packet. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. The plan covers the whole of one side, with the names of around 150 invitees (including George Augustus Sala, Henry Trueman Wood, A. M. Broadley, Prince Iskandar Ali of Moorshedabad and the Mayor of Colchester) printed in black ink on a seating diagram in brownish-red. Dead centre at the top table is the Lord Mayor of London, flanked by the French ambassador and 'M. Georges Berger (Director-General of the Paris Exhibition). To the right of the ambassador are Sir Lyon Playfair and Sir Lothian Bell.

1p., 4to. In fair condition, lightly aged, with two punch-holes in margin. He has been reading Brooks's book ('Devil's Decade: Portraits of the Nineteen-Thirties') 'during a few days' holiday in Norfolk', and finds it 'excellent': Brooks has 'drawn a very accurate picture of Rothermere'. He proposes a time for them to 'meet again and have lunch'. He wonders whether Brooks 'ever came across that photograph of Northcliffe with Cecil Rhodes which I remember you mentioned you thought you had somewhere or other', asks for a sight of it.

An interesting exchange, casting light on manegerial practices in late-Victorian theatre. ONE: Typed Letter Signed by 'W. Lestocq'. 2pp., 4to. In good condition, lightly aged. A long letter, single-spaced. He has 'talked over the whole matter of the prospects of “The Christian” tour with Mr Frohman for next season, and he does not desire to send out a company on tour himself. Now I could of course let it on Mr Frohman's behalf or perhaps sell his rights and the production outright.' He gives details of his first choice if the latter course were pursued.

The three letters are in good condition, lightly aged. All three signerd 'J Bertrand Payne'. The first has a letterhead in red, the other two have a different letterhead in blue. Both designs feature exuberant monograms and lettering in Victorian Gothic type, which, together with Payne's exuberant handwriting (the last letter also being written in purple ink), accurately reflect the character of the man Tennyson angrily dismissed as 'peacock Payne'. Three excellent letters, the background to which is of interest.

Hope calls (Item Four below) for 'a frank recognition of the fact that the faith of the nation is to be found under various, and in some cases discordant, forms, which each require cultivation in conformity with the conscientious beliefs of those who hold them', this being the only way that religion 'as a national institution' can be saved from 'eventual submergence under the floods of indifference and infidelity which are yearly making way in our own as in other European peoples'.The five items attached by a piece of string.

6pp., small 4to. Stitched into brown wraps with lithographed title on cover, in pastiche of Gothic design, including monogrammed initials 'IS' in shield, with the letters picked out in red. In fair condition, aged and worn. An extremely scarce item (no copies found on OCLC WorldCat or COPAC), whose text and illustrations cast light on the practices at the Royal Academy in the mid-Victorian period.

Both items in good condition, lightly aged. The autograph receipt is on a slip of paper attached to the invoice with sealing wax. The invoice is docketed: 'For Par Re: Richd Clarke | 1825 | Sepr. 13th. | Mr Lupton Rolfe Bill for Books | £2 13 6 | No 13 Cornhill London'. ONE: Invoice. 1p., 12mo. Handsome letterhead for items 'Bought of Lupton Relfe | (From J. Hatchard's Son's [sic]) | Bookseller, Publisher & Stationer. | No.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium on grey paper. In good condition, lightly aged. The letter would appear to concern both of the books which Shaw published with Routledge in 1913: 'The Encyclopaedia of the Poultry Yard' and 'The Encyclopaedia of the Kennel'. He begins by explaining that he is finally sending in 'title page, & dedication, which I should have sent in earlier had I not been awaiting Mr T[?]s permission to dedicate the book to him.

1p., 4to. In good condition, lightly aged. He acknowledges Wilson's 'kind letter regarding Dalglish', who 'suffered a good deal during the latter weeks of his life, but I am glad to say that even then he still retained that brightness of disposition of which you speak'.

1p., landscape 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. The letter reads: 'Dear Madam, | As far as I am concerned I shall be very glad for you to copy Cromwell into Braille, but I think you ought to get the formal permission of my publishers, Messers Sidgwick and Jackson, which I am sure that they will give you.'

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Addressed to 'My dear Richard'. In the first paragraph he explains that he will not be able to accept his inviation as he is 'obliged to go into the country'. In the second he writes: 'Arthur Locker will succeed me here after the first of May; and he will attend at the office, with me, for about a week before his engagement begins. If you don't know him and if you will look in I will introduce you.' The Graphic was first published on 4 December 1869 by William Luson Thomas's company Illustrated Newspapers Limited.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. The brothers ask Gregory to 'please accept this special copy of RIDERS ACROSS THE BORDER, with our warmest regards, and with every good wish for Christmas and the New Year.' Gregory had published his book with the firm earlier in the year.

R. J. L. Kingsford, in his history of the Publishers Association, describes Young as 'a bookseller of outstanding character and ability, a friend of Arnold Bennett, and the discoverer of the literary distinction of George Sturt'. 1p., 12mo. Neatly and closely written. Headed 'private', and addressed to 'Dear John'. Young is apparently following a dinner (of the Publishers Association) at which George Bernard Shaw was present, and the subject of the letter would appear to be an exhibition Wilson's firm has mounted of books by the London publisher John Murray.

1p., 12mo. On grey paper. Aged and with light discoloration and chipping along one edge. A somewhat barbed missive, reading: 'Sir, | I thank you for your offer, but I have so many subjects on hand just now that I fear I could not find room for your article even if I approved of it.' The Graphic was first published on 4 December 1869 by William Luson Thomas's company Illustrated Newspapers Limited, with Henry Sutherland Edwards (1828-1906) as editor. Locker had taken over the editorship only a few days before the writing of this note, on 1 May 1870.

2pp., 4to. In good condition, lightly aged, with the two leaves pinned together. Referring to his wife Emilie, Harmsworth has written in red pencil at the head of the letter 'Em to see'. Physick begins by thanking Harmsworth and his wife for their 'most generous appreciation of our efforts'.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged, with small circle of ink placed by Hake at bottom right. Regarding his 'Parables and Tales', illustrated by Arthur Hughes and published by Chapman & Hall in 1872, he writes: 'Dear Sir [sic] | Please to give me a line to say when Mr Hughes drawings will be ready for press and when you will require my proofs - | Yours truly | T. G. Hake'.

Printed and in manuscript on both sides of a ragged 19 x 19.5 cm piece of paper, extracted from an Exchequer document (the first page is headed in manuscript 'Bk | (608)'. Aged and ragged. The recto, printed and completed in manuscript explains that the document relates to the 'Repayment of Loan on the Duties on Salt, granted for the Service of the year 1741, and further continued for Seven Years from the 25th Day of March 1746'.

1p., 8vo. In good condition, lightly aged. Closely written in red ink. He begins by thanking him for being 'awfully sweet & kind' in writing, before going on to deal with the state of his health, it having been 'a difficult time, especially as I became so ill – but at the moment things aren't too bad'. The results of 'all the horrible tests' in hospital have 'come out first class', and the 'weird symtoms [sic] have now been proved to have been caused by yet another of those unknown viruses which first of all attacked my guts & then my brain'.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged. Strip of glue from tape at head of page. Written in response to a request for an autograph. Centred in the page, and reading: 'Yours truly | James Payn | March 28th 1887.'