MANUSCRIPT

This item can be roughly dated from the fact that the firm of 'Letts Son & Co. Limited' only traded in this style between 1870 and 1885, the public company going into liquidation in the latter year. There is an indication (see below) that Wilson hailed from Kent, and the present volume provides a valuable first-hand record into the state of the moth population in England at the end of the Victorian period. 12mo, 158 pp. Text clear and complete. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, in worn brown leather quarter binding, marbled endpapers. Letts label on front cover reads 'J.

Sergius Mikhailovich Kravchinsky, Russian Revolutionist and miscellaneous writer (1852-1895). 3pp., 12mo, small hole (loss of part of letters), small closed tear not affecting text. Perhaps writing to someone organising a lecture by him, he says, Excuse me generously for not having replied to you earlier, which was caused only by my unability [sic] to definitely accept your kind invitation.- The fact is that I want to leave Manchester with the quarter past six train. There are no earlier trains on Sundays and I will be obliged to come on Saturday.

Apart from the card (12mo, 1 p), totalling 4to, 10 pp; 12mo, 2 pp. All items in good condition, with text clear and complete, on lightly-aged paper. All post-1960. Two of the eleven (20 January and 13 June 1974) are fully dated by Devas; another four have day and month. The card from 1960 is the earliest item; the three from Wetherby Gardens date from between this point and Devas's second marriage to Rupert Shephard in 1965, and the seven from Limerston Street from after the marriage. A good-natured correspondence, written in a chatty style.

12mo, 1 p. Twelve lines. Text clear and complete. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, and with remains of tissue mount adhering to one margin. He cannot provide her with the reference she requests on Catherine Cubby. 'The volume on Sir Walter Raleigh was written more than twenty years ago and though all the best authorities were consulted I could not without looking them up again remember what the authority was'. From the papers of Alicia Amy Leith.

12mo, 4 pp. Bifolium. 57 lines. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged and lightly-creased paper. Weekes is by far the most likely of the four Royal Academicians whose initials correspond to those of the recipient of this letter, the others being Henry Tamworth Wells (1828-1903); Henry Woods (1846-1921); Hubert Worthington (1886-1963). Well-written and entertaining letter, addressed to 'Dearest old Boy'. Begins with a discussions of the merits of 'Scilly as a sketching ground'.

The subscription Liverpool Library within the Lyceum, founded in 1757, is believed to have been the first circulating or lending library in Europe, and the first two of these items provide a valuable insight into its status at the time when the advent of the public library system was undermining its position.

12mo, 4 pp. 40 lines. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed to 'My dear Spencer'. He is sorry to have missed Childers: 'I came back early on Sat: morning fairly driven home by the weather.' Reports that 'Better reviews of the book are now appearing Athenaeum - evidently by Dilke: Tablet: Pall Mall &c.' Thinks 'Clarke will use his influence with the Times', the idea that 'King' has done so being 'entirely out of the question'.

12mo, 4 pp. Bifolium. 36 lines. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper. He is sending a 'leaf of the Leeds Mercury containing a review of your Life of your father, which is good & appreciative', along with a copy of one of his sermons (neither enclosure present). Not having yet seen the book, he asks if he 'put in the extraordinary prophecy which your father made in March or April 1892 of the numbers of members who were to be elected in the July of that year?' He has 'the letter he wrote to Fanny with the exact number', and wishes he had reminded him of that fact before.

All three items good, on lightly-aged paper. All bifoliums. Letter One (1 July 1901): 12mo, 4 pp. 42 lines. He is pleased to have received Childers' life of his father (published that year). 'I knew your Father well, [...] I was in the House in the Parliaments of 68 & 80 when he had his most serious work'. Praises his 'amazing pluck in going out as he did to Australia [Childers was first Vice-Chancellor of the University of Melbourne] & in his conduct there in the early days & during the gold discoveries time, the story of which in his letters is very curious'.

4to, 2 pp. Seventeen lines. On worn aged paper, with the cropping of one margin resulting in minor loss to a few words of text. Requesting inclusion in 'any arrangement which may be made' regarding 'a move from Halifax [Nova Scotia]' as a result of a 'late vacancy at the Navy Board'. He is writing despite having 'neither claim or pretension' to Spencer's 'goodness', but 'having received an answer not sufficient to banish hope, in an application about 3 years ago', he is induced to try again.

On rectangle removed from autograph album. In good condition. Reads 'Albert Coates | 1929'.

Black and white studio photograph, postcard format (13 x 8.5 cm). On leaf removed from autograph album. Good, on shiny photographic paper, with margin making dimensions of image 12 x 8 cm, captioned in bottom right-hand corner 'PHOTO | LAIRD | ABERDEEN'. Showing a kindly-looking Coborn seated in country tweeds, with spectacles in hand and paper on his knees. In addition to a facsimile in the bottom-left, the picture has Coborn's genuine dated signature across his chest: 'Charles Coborn | 28/5/29'.

Black and white studio photograph, postcard format (14 x 9 cm). Laid down on leaf removed from autograph album. Good, on shiny photographic paper, with margin making dimensions of image 12.5 x 8 cm, captioned at foot 'JOHN STUART' and, in smaller type, 'PHOTO BY | L. PROTHEROE'. Stuart's inscription, in bottom right-hand corner, reads 'Best wishes | Sincerely yours | John Stuart'. Stuart's two Hitchcock films were the director's debut 'The Pleasure Gardens' (1925), and 'Number Seventeen' (1932).

On leaf removed from autograph album, with one set of rounded corners. In good condition. Reads ' Good Morning - Bill! | With every good wish | Yours Sincerely | Peter Haddon | 1928 -'. Together with a loose newspaper cutting carrying a photographic portrait.

On piece of light-blue paper, removed from an autograph album. Firm signature. In good condition. Reads 'Robert Easton.'

On rectangle removed from autograph album. In good condition. Reads 'Shura Cherkassky | 1929'.

On rectangle of pink paper, removed from autograph album. In good condition. Reads 'Wolfi Schneiderhan | 1930.'

12mo, 3 pp. 44 lines. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper, and with the reverse of the second leaf tipped in onto a leaf removed from an autograph album, with manuscript caption reading 'Sir George Cox to Miss Cobbe | given me June 1902.' The letter itself docketed at foot of third page in a contemporary hand. Cox's hand is crabbed and difficult. He thanks her for sending 'Mr Wright's sermon', but can make little use of it: 'The historical portions I must leave on one side.

12mo, 1 p. Fifteen lines. Text clear and complete. Very good on lightly-aged paper. The valediction ('Yours sincerely | C. Bradlaugh') in Bradlaugh's hand, the rest in a secretary's. Addressed to 'F. Harris Esq'. Docketed by Harris: '18 or 20th of Feb. or March. Length unlimited: but more valuable short.' Bradlaugh is working on the article, but 'must not send it' before the report is presented to parliament, which Lord Derby assures him 'will be within fourteen days of the Reopening of the House'. He asks about length and deadline.

Seven documents, all in folio, a total of fifteen pages. Texts clear and complete. Good, on aged paper, with one document with rusted staple. All are police circulars, but only the first is clearly specific to Brighton. ONE: 'Police Box System - Going-off Points'. 3 pp. Short introduction, followed by a list of points to be deleted, and their substitutes. TWO: 'No. 6 District Police Training Centre, Larceny Act, 1916'. 1 p. Table giving 'Time', 'Place', 'Manner' and 'Intent' for four offences from Sacrilege to Housebreaking with Intent.

12mo, 3 pp. On bifolium, with the printed playbill for the 'Benefit of Mr. Chas. Calvert' at the Theatre-Royal, Newcastle, on the recto of the first page (including a performance of Much Ado About Nothing, with Calvert as Benedick and Miss Fanny Alexander as Beatrice. The letter is 42 lines long. She feels that, 'with but one rehearsal', the 'Merchante's Storye will scarcely go', and suggests performing 'Nine Points, The Household Fairy, and Head of the Family' instead, considering it 'a good bill' and 'lighter works for all the company'.

Printed on one side of a piece of vellum, 19 x 20 cm. With two government stamps but lacking the Archbishop's seal. Copy of grant of administration to Walsh's daughter Philis, the estate being sworn under three hundred pounds. Mention made of Walsh's two other daughters, Katharine and Margaret. Ostensibly written on behalf of the Archbishop of Canterbury by George Gostling, James Townley and Robert Dodwell, Deputy Registers.

12mo, 3 pp. 28 lines. Text clear and complete. Good, on aged paper. He does not understand how they can have 'a record of a second edition [of Burns's poems] dated 1786, for the book was not published until April 1787'. He describes the two issues of the second edition ('a stinking or a skinking issue') and concludes that he will be glad to hear from them, should they 'meet with a 1786 second edition, or with a copy having the addenda incorporated in the list of subscribers, or one having Roxburgh spelled correctly'.

The letter is of 23 lines, written on the front and back of an opened envelope with the cancelled address of 'John Wickham Flower Esq, Park Hill, Croydon'. In good condition, on aged paper. The rear of the envelope carries a good impression of a red wax seal, and the letter begins: 'My dear Sir, I had written this letter having obtained my object through my friend the York Herald and I still send it on account of the Seal which was the counter seal of Richd Neville Earl of Warwick killed at the battle of Barnet'.

12mo, 1 p. Nine lines. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Docketed in pencil on reverse 'R. A. Bennett re T. P. O'Connor'. He is enclosing 'the promised note to "T. P". I see that he is ailing and going to the Riviera at an early date, so you had better try and catch him at once.' Bennett had to get the recipient's address from his publishers, as O'Connor left without passing it on.

Two pages, oblong folio, folded, good condition. The writer of this manuscript reveals that Lord Gambier was in the Chair and then summarises what various people contributed to the discussion, columnising names then summary. He lists: Lord Gambier, Rev. Tho. King, Captain Pakenham R.N., Chas. Henty (Quebec), The Bishop of London, The Bishop of Gloucester, The Chaplain to the Royal Artillery- Quebec, A Lieut. of the Bengal Artillery just returned on sick leave, Revd Basil Wood, Captain Montague R.N., Major General Neville, Thos. Babington Esq., M.P., Benj. Shaw Esq., M.P., Willm.

Both letter and estimate clear and complete; both good, on lightly-aged paper. Letter: 4to, 3 pp. Bifolium. Addressed, with faint circular 'ABER | DEEN' postmark in black ink, on reverse of second leaf, to 'The Right Honourable | The Earl of Aboyne | Montrose'. The letter is in two parts: the first (12 lines) on the recto of the first leaf, informs the Earl that 'The Buttons were sent by yesterdays Mail', and that, 'Some days since', he 'sent by the Mail Coach a pattern Coat as a Uniform for the Band.

4to, 1 p. Twenty-lines. Text clear and complete. He has found 'il Barone' and is going to see 'Der Freishutz'. Monico is 'una gran bella citta', where he has seen 'molte belle cose'. He finds the Madonna of Rafael 'Divina'. A postscript concerns the print-seller Ackermann, as well as the art dealer Woodburn, and 'Cockerill'. The reverse carries a closely-written 30-line manuscript, in another hand, apparently in German, and followed by an indecipherable signature. It contains at least two references to 'Campball' [sic].

All texts clear and complete, and good, on lightly-aged and worn paper. Several annotated in pencil, one extensively. Letter One: 27 January 1936; on letterhead of County Hall, London. 4to, 1 p. '[...] if it be the case that under a given government the finances are really getting into difficulty but that the Chancellor will not be frank with his colleagues and insist upon action, the civil servants concerned are put in somewhat of a difficulty.' Letter Two: 21 May 1943; on letterhead of the Home Secretary, Whitehall. 4to, 2 pp.

Uniformly bound in worn half-calf, marbled boards, black label, gilt. Internally good and tight, on aged paper, with all texts clear and complete. The 1906 diary is titled 'Waterlow Bros. & Layton's Legal Diary and Almanac for 1906'. The diary proper is 316 pp long, sandwiched in the middle of the printed almanac (866 pp). References throughout to the Leicestershire area: Nuneaton, Monks Kirby, Earl Shilton and other places. Clients include the Stoney Stanton Co-operative Society and the Female Provident Society.