LORD

On piece of paper 19 x 12 cm. Addressed by Pech on one side, with franks and black wax seal: 'London February twenty eight 1830 | J Richardson Esq | Heydon | Aylsham | N W Peach Norfolk'. The reverse carries the conclusion of Lytton's letter, in his handwriting: '<...> remember. - | Begging again to thank you my dear Sir, for your attention & to assure you of my Consideration & Esteem | I am, very sincerely yours | [signed] E. Lytton Bulwer.'

As Chorley is described in his entry in the Oxford DNB as a 'conservationist' with a 'deep attachment to and lifelong concern for the English countryside', it is a surprise that no mention is made of the matter to which this collection relates, which created some public interest at the time and involved a landmark legal action. The first item in this collection - a copy of typed letter from Chorley to the Clerk to the Hendon Rural District Council on 24 October 1932 - sets the scene neatly.

2pp., 12mo. 20 lines. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Asking Chorley if he would be one of '3 members for the committee which is to be set up to examine the powers of this House over its members relative to their attendance - that is probably not an accurate description of it, but I have not got the reference handy, and I think you will know what I mean!' The committee is to be appointed the following June, 'but Hendriks would be glad to have the names beforehand'. 'Wedgy Benn [William Wedgwood Benn, 1st Viscount Stansgate] and Lewis Silkin' have also been asked. From the Chorley papers.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper. On the first leaf of a bifolium, with the second blank leaf carrying traces of glue from mount. The note reads: 'May /85 | Lord Tennyson begs to thank the Lord Chamberlain for the honour of the invitation on June 6th. He regrets that he is unable to avail himself of it.'

26pp., 12mo. Stitched. In remains of original printed wraps. On aged paper, in chipped wraps, with several leaves loose. An important work in the history of eronautics by one of the great experimental physicists of the nineteenth century. Excessively scarce: no copy of this offprint in the British Library or on COPAC. 'In this lecture Rayleigh discusses the method of calculating the mechanical forces on a plane presented obliquely to a current of air, so far as this can be done. At best, the calculation is very incomplete.

4pp., 12mo. Worn and stained on four leaves with wear to extremities resulting in slight loss of text, and with at least one leaf lacking. Parsons begins by informing Caswell that he is sending him a copy of the Examiner containing his article on 'Tennyson's Literary Career': 'It was sent to the Editor only a few days after the poet's death when I knew nothing about the title or contents of the new book of poems.' He discusses his plans to insert the article when he republishes his pamphlet (Parsons' 'Tennyson's Life and Poetry' appeared in 1892, with a revised edition the following year).

Both items 4pp., 12mo, and bifoliums. Both in fair condition, on aged paper; the first with slight wear to one corner. In the first letter Pauncefote informs Aberdeen that Justice John Marshall Harlan (1833-1911), who has just visited him, is planning a summer holiday 'at Murray Bay in your Dominion'.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In pencil. Lightly-aged and worn. In pencil, with deletions and emendations. Docketed in another hand on reverse of second leaf: 'MS. speech delivered at Guildhall Banquet by Lord Northbrook, First Lord of Admiralty - 9th Novr. 1883.' And with the following in the second hand at the head of the first page: 'Lord Northbrook's Speech - Nov. 9. 1883 at Guildhall'. A very short speech, well reported in The Times of 10 November 1883.

Eight tall and thin 8vo diaries of unusual shape: the first six 34.5 x 13.5 cm, the last two slightly smaller. The first diary has 120pp., the others of similar length. With between two and four daily entries to a page, depending on the volume. The diaries are elegantly printed by a number of different Paris publishers (Dechamp; Pirmet; 'E. J.'; 'M. et H.'; 'F. G.'; 'B. L.'). Five are bound in light-brown cloth, with coloured paper labels stamped in gilt; the other three have printed paper boards.

Lower part of letter with ruled border, laid down on part of leaf from autograph album. Dimensions: 7.5 x 18.5 cm. Lightly aged and ruckled. Reads: '<...> your support at the approaching Election for the County of Durham - having for so long possessed the confidence of this County, it is his utmost ambition to have it continued and should he be honoured with yours, it will be considered the highest obligation | I am Sir | Your faithful Servant | [signed] Ju: Milbank | Seaham | Octr: 27. 1806.' Contemporary ink note reads: '[Lady Milbanke afterwards Lady Noel Milbanke, mother of Lady Byron.]'

2pp., 12mo. Unpaginated. On laid paper. In fair condition: lightly-aged and creased. The deposition begins: 'JOHN Davies, Servant to Thomas Bonnell, Gent. maketh Oath that on or about the 15th Day of June last Mr. Ford, of Coleman-street-Buildings, who is employed as Attorney or Sollictor [sic] for the Right Hon. Henry Fox, Esq; against the said Thomas Bonell, [sic] gave to this Deponent half a Guinea, and promised him, in case he would bring any Books, Letters or Papers of his said Master's, that Mr. Fox would pay him, and make him an honorable Recompence for so doing.

2pp., 4to. Bifolium. Addressed, with red wax seal and postmark in red ink, on reverse of second leaf, to 'Captain Pack | Royal Fusiliers | Barbados'. The letter begins: 'My dear Captain Pack | I take the earliest opportunity of letting you that [sic] the Ship Herefordshire - a noble vessel - has been taken up to convey the 67 to Gibraltar, & the 66 & 72 from thence to the West Indies, proceeding afterwards with the Fusiliers & 19th Halifax'.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. With monogrammed 'CWP' letterhead in red. He was sorry not to have found her at home, 'but we always go out at the same time'. He invites her to dine with them on the Sunday: 'as Mrs. is with you to take care of Col. Hamilton', whom he is sorry to hear is 'so great an invalid'. Powlett died at the age of 19 in 1864; on his father's death two years later the barony became extinct.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium on mourning paper. Good, on lightly-aged paper. He writes to thank Gardiner for sending him 'a copy of your printed but unpublished Report to His Majesty's Government on the danger of governing Gibraltar as a Colony'. Gardiner's report 'forms an appropriate termination' to his 'administration of the affairs of the "Rock," & I shall read it with the interest and attention due to your long Experience in that Fortress'. He ends by sending his compliments to Lady Gardiner.

7pp., 4to. On three bifoliums and two single leaves of watermarked laid paper, all loose, with the bifoliums placed inside one another and the single leaves inserted after the title. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. Written out in black ink, with the titles in red ink, in an excellent uncial hand. The five translations are 'My Own, my Native Land' and 'The Family Dinner-Party', both by Bowra; 'This World is all a Fleeting Show' and 'This defileth a Man', both by Murray; and 'Whom the Gods love', by Byron.

1p., 4to. On aged and lightly-creased paper. Giving breakdowns for different seats in matinee and evening productions, as well as for programmes, with the number of complimentary tickets. The Arts Theatre Club was founded in 1927, 'in an attractive building in Great Newport-street shaped somewhat like the House of Commons' (Times, 9 May 1927). On its relaunch in 1933, its stated aim was 'to select plays of theatrical merit [...] with an entire disregard for their commercial possibilities' (Times, 18 December 1933).

1p., 12mo. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, with short closed tear to one edge and traces of mount on blank second leaf of bifolium. Signature slightly smudged. Brassey writes that he has been 'detained at the House of Lords, where I have been acting as chairman of a private committee', and as a result 'found it impossible to go down to the Albert Docks yesterday afternoon'. The letter almost certainly relates to the Albert Dock Seaman's Hospital, which was officially opened the following year, as a branch of the Dreadnought Seamen's Hospital, Greenwich.

2pp., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. He begins by enquiring whether the recipient is 'the J. R. Clark who appeared recently on TV', whom he 'would love to meet'. 'In 1934 my two aunts were in Germany and wrote letters home. They were keen Nazis and my older aunt met Goering & Goebbles. My grandparents and younger aunt were given luncheon by the Mussolinis when in Rome.' He was 'rivetted' by the television programme, as he was 'transcribing the letters sent to their mother by my aunts when the programme was broadcast'.

Full article published in Edinburgh Review, vol.21, pp.378-424. Manuscript, two pages, 4to, trimmed at bottom with loss of text, with light corrections and additions, giving the text for pp.407-8, excluding two lengthy quotations from the book to which Brougham gives the reference only. The trimming had led to the loss of the passage from "In the Conservatorii or charity schools [...] He gives as an instance one Conservatorio where four hundred ... where four hundred...",apart from a few words (subject of pasage partly "repentant women" and vice in Naples).

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium with mourning border. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with thin neat strip of paper mount at head of third page.

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged grey paper. He notes an advertisement for Campbell's 'Lives of the Chief Justices' in that morning's Athenaeum. 'Had I been earlier aware of the preparation of the work it would have afforded me much pleasure in offering for your Lordships acceptance a Copy of the probate Copy Will of the Lord Chief Justice Fitzjames which I have in my collection of M.S.S. &c.' The will is very long and contains 'much curious matter'.

The seven letters total 23pp, 12mo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The third letter, written from Hickleton on 7 January 1907, is in a secretarial hand, Halifax being 'laid up with Influenza' and 'utterly good for nothing'; it carries an autograph postscript by Russell at the head of the first page. The first letter (14 July 1900) invites Russell to fill the 'vacancy on the list of Clerical members of our E.C.U. Council'; Russell's acceptance is acknowledged in the second, which also discusses charges of 'disloyalty'.

1p., 12mo. Fair, on lightly-aged paper. In envelope addressed by De Tabley to 'Mrs. Kate. A. Wright. | Monona House | Small Heath | Birmingham.' In reply to her letter of 18 June, he states that he will have pleasure in permitting her to 'insert the five pieces' which she enumerates in her 'forthcoming Collection of Poems and Ballads of the Nineteenth Century'. Kate A. Wright's 'Dainty Poems of the Nineteenth Century' was published in Birmingham in 1895. The titles of the five poems are given in another contemporary hand [Mrs Wright's?] on the reverse of the second leaf.

3 pp, 4to. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with minor traces of stub adhering to the blank reverse of second leaf. The year 1832 has been added in pencil in a contemporary hand. The letter is on paper watermarked 1831. Docketed at head 'Braybrooke Ld.' He begins by informing Henslow that Lord Grenville has lent him 'the Book in which his Notes upon the growth of Trees, during many years, had been made. He assures me that nothing worth your notice will be found among the MS remarks, but I am not of that opinion.

2pp., 4to. Bifolium. Text complete, on aged paper with a number of closed tears repaired with archival tape. The second leaf of the bifolium, lacking a strip at the top, is docketed 'Dr. Morris of Parliament Street's Success in curing Persons afflicted with Complaints similar to that which His Majesty labours under'. Considering the political content at the end of the letter, the author is probably Charles Hamilton, at the time of writing known by his courtesy title of Lord Binning.

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. 'Revd. Thos. Hartwell Horne presents his respectful Comps. to the Rt. Hon. Lord Londesborough; and regrets that the state of his health will not allow him the pleasure of being present at his Lordship's Conversazione, on the 21st. inst.'

1p., 12mo. On aged and creased paper, with short vertical closed tear at head (not affecting text). The letter reads: 'Dear Sir | By a sad mistake the Copies of my Letter to the Students were not sent off on Saturday | But 250 have been struck off which will sufficiently answer for the present demand - | Yours in haste | [signed] T. Campbell

3pp., 12mo. Fair, on aged and worn paper. Wilde explains that he had previously written regarding the case, but 'by some accident the Letter has been mislaid (I believe) among my mass of papers, and I therefore fear it may not have reached you as I cannot learn who among the Servants dispatched it'.

1p., 4to. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed on the reverse of the second leaf to 'Revd Doct Richards | Newark'. Undated, but docketed by Richards 'E Lord DD | Sepr 2d | 1823 | author of the Biog. Dictionary'. Lord writes that he was glad to receive Richards' letter. 'I have as yet only the offer of a mann to be one of 4 to endow another Professorship. - He is however deliberating of a larger grant. The man on whom I hd placed some dependence, will I fear disappoint me.' He asks if 'any thing in this way' could be done on Richards' 'side of the river'.

7pp., 12mo. On two bifoliums. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Written in a difficult, hurried hand. Jeffrey begins his letter: 'It grieves me to annoy you, in your retreat - especially with dull Scotch matters But they tell me at the Treasury that you are still the person to settle such things as this'. The first part of the letter apparently concerns the Edinburgh solicitors Robertson and Sands, who are to lose salaries of