MATTHEW

See the entries on Tierney (Physician-in-Ordinary to George IV and William IV) and Freeling (also a noted bibliophile) in the Oxford DNB. The letter is 3pp, 12mo, with underlinings in red pencil (probably by Freeling), and the reverse of the second leaf carrying the address and annotations by Freeling and Critchett. In good condition, lightly aged and worn, with folds for postage and strip of tape from mount adhering to reverse of second leaf, which also has a strip of paper with an ANS by Critchett laid down lengthwise along the outer edge.

A contemporary manuscript note to the present item reveals for the first time the identity of ‘Niger’, one of the two correspondents of whose letters it consists. (And minor manuscript corrections to the last of the four letters would seem to suggest the involvement of the author.) This is Sir James Robert Carmichael (1817-1883), 2nd Bart, who was intimately connected with British Guiana through his father Sir James Carmichael-Smyth (1779-1838).

An interesting glimpse into the late-Victorian world of English art. Corbet and Swan were close friends - one of Corbet’s paintings remained in Swan’s family until the 1990s. See the two men’s entries in the Oxford DNB. The three letters are addressed to ‘Dear Swan’ and signed ‘M. R. Corbet’. All three on grey paper, lightly aged and worn, with creasing to Letter One.

xiv + [1] + 38pp, 12mo. No.16/500. In blue cloth binding, titled in gilt on cover and spine. No dust wrapper. Printed on thick paper. In good condition, lightly aged. Annotated in pencil throughout, and with a page of annotations at the end. The handwriting is distinctive (and certainly not Block’s), with the capital N in particular. Some of the annotations give dates from the 1970s, but the handwriting is that of someone from an earlier generation. As an example, one of the longer pencil annotations, on p.5, listing an additional item: ‘Caught Napping. / c. 1883.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. Mill had died on 8 May, and in his 2018 biography, Timothy Larsen gives an account of the controversy over the efforts to have buried in Westminister Abbey. (In any event by his own desire Helen Taylor had her husband buried at Avignon.) 2pp, 12mo. With thin mourning border. In fair condition, lightly aged. Folded three times.

Colenso’s enormous significance in the history of Victorian theology and ideas is reflected by a long entry by Peter Hinchcliff in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.

Green Card, 9 x 6cm, laid down on small album page sl. larger than the card, Some creases at corner and across the B of Burgess, sl. soiled but signature clear. See image.

Green Card, 9 x 6cm, laid down on small album page sl. larger than the card, Some creases at corner and across the B of Burgess, sl. soiled but signature clear. See image.

Lady Cynthia Asquith was Barrie's personal secretary in his later years, and inherited the bulk of his estate, but not the rights to 'Peter Pan'. The letter is 2pp, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged, with small holes to one corner from staple. With red date stamp marking receipt. Begins: 'Dear Sir | Sir James Barrie directs me to express his regret at your letter having remained unanswered for so long – but he has been absent from London, and unable to attend to his correspondence.

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged and a little grubby. Folded once. Twenty-seven lines of text. Written in a far more ragged style than Bridges's usual calligraphic hand, perhaps suggesting undermined health. Wilson is 'at liberty to quote the verses of mine that you ask for – I take it as a complement [sic]' He thanks him for 'the kind gift of your book, wh I have not had time to read'. Noting that Wilson is 'interested in sacred wells', he states that 'our “Chilswell” is probably not a well.

1p, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with strip of paper from mount on reverse, which also has another strip of paper strengthening a crease. The document is written out by Halford, with Tierney signing beneath his signature. A general announcement, with no recipient named. Reads: 'The King is not able to receive company at the Drawing Room to day – His Majesty having experienced an attack of the Gout in the night. | Carlton Palace | April 23. 1823 - | Henry Halford | Matthew John Tierney'.

On both sides of a 17.5 x 20.5 cm piece of wove paper cut from the first leaf of a letter, with 14 lines of text on the recto, and 20 lines of text on the verso. In fair condition, lightly aged, with two small labels used as mounts still adhering. Annotated at the head of the first page, in a small light hand, dating the letter by reference to Arnold's 'Memoirs', and explaining that the letter is written 'To Mrs. Arnold who gave me this | [?] from Her dear hand | Autumn 1860'. For the context of the letter see the Memoirs, 'Appendix C. | VIII. Tour in the South of France'.

In very good condition, on 12mo leaf, with light horizontal folds above and below the signature. Clearly written in response to a request for an autograph. Excellent underlined signature, firm and bold, centred on the page, and reading: 'Matthew Arnold. | February 1st, 1868.' Arnold is one of the great Victorian poets, author of 'Dover Beach' and 'The Scholar Gypsy'.

The influential potter Herbert Minton (1793-1858), of the Staffordshire firm Thomas Minton and Sons, had died on 1 April 1858. A couple of months later, on 26 May 1858, Wyatt read before the Society of Arts his paper 'On the Influence exercised on Ceramic Manufactures by the late Mr. Herbert Minton'. The first four letters carry the stamp of the Society of Arts. All five items in good condition, lightly aged. The first two 1p., 12mo; the third 2pp., 12mo. The fourt 3pp., 12mo. The fifth 1p, landscape 12mo. ONE ('Saty'): Reads: 'I have selected at Phillip's (Chamberlaine's) in Bond St.

4.5 x 18.5 cm slip of paper. In fair condition, aged and laid down on piece of card. Four lines from the conclusion of a letter. Reads: '[…] Things here are going on as usual, – and all our Friends are well. – Tucker will write to you soon himself about your Visit to Malling, - which I yet hope will be accomplished. I hope your next Letter will contain some Account of the State of the Inhabitants of Fled:, and when you expect your Uncle Home – Adieu & believe me ever your | very sincerely attached & affectionate Friend. | T. Arnold.'

Anderson College was founded in 1796 following the will of John Anderson, Professor of Natural Philosophy at the University of Glasgow. Initially known as Anderson’s Institution, in 1828 it changed its name to Anderson’s University and finally to Anderson’s College in 1877. Its medical school was founded in 1800 when Dr John Burns commenced lectures on anatomy and surgery. In 1887 the medical school of Anderson’s College became a separate and distinct institution known as Anderson’s College Medical School. It merged with Glasgow University in 1947.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. The name of the addressee has been amended from 'J. B. Waring' to 'J. R. Planché Eqr.' In 1854 Wyatt and Waring had collaborated on four architectural guidebooks to the courts of the Crystal Palace at Sydenham, and the present item relates to sculptures present there. The letter beings iwth Wyatt thanking Planché for 'a copy of your interesting comments on Professor Cockerell's views with respect to the Wells & other sculptures', which he has read 'with care and interest'.

1p., 8vo. On aged and worn paper, with vertical closed tear (away from signature). Laid out in the usual style, with printed text completed in manuscript. Recording payment of three pounds on an annuity. With signature of witness 'J Thomas'.

1p., 8vo. On aged and worn paper. Laid out in the usual style, with printed text completed in manuscript. Records a payment of £12 10s 0d to the 'Ministers and Elders Of the French Church of St Martin Orgars of London as Assigned by Margin', and signed at foot by 'James Eynard Minister', 'David Durand Minister', and elders 'Jno Bonnet', 'Matthew Clarmont', 'Philip Rigail' and 'Peter De Visme junr'.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. Arnold, whose conversion to Roman Catholicism hindered his academic dvancement in England, was grandfather of the writer Aldous Huxley, and taught James Joyce at Dublin. At the time of writing he was running a private tutoring establishment at Oxford. He begins the letter by explaining that it has hardly been possible to reply to Hutchinson 'during term time [...] I had so much work on my hands'.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly-aged. 'I shipped on yesterday to you through Mr J. D. Brink Jr Forwarding Merchant of this city a box containing 4 Oil Pictures which I wish you to expose for sale at your Exhibition Rooms. | The titles and prices of the same will be given you by my friend Mr G. du Mourier. Please let me know when they come to hand.' The Berner's Street Gallery's association with American artists would continue: in the following decade it would gain notoriety for exhibiting Whistler's 'Symphony in White, No. 1'.

In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with discoloration to the reverse showing through slightly at corners. Dimensions: paper 23 x 32 cm; plate 20 x 30 cm; image 15 x 23 cm.

Note that Varenne's Christian name is spelled with one 't' on the bookplate, and generally with two 't's by later sources. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, tipped in onto a grey paper mount. Engraved on a 12 x 8 cm piece of wove paper, with no margin.

Corrie was the son of Rev. Josiah Corrie (1725-1800) of Kenilworth. He was educated at Daventry Academy and New College, Hackney. He was a schoolmaster and a Unitarian minister at the Old Meeting House (1817-19), and president of the Birmingham Philosophical Society, to which, in 1819, he introduced Maria Edgeworth, who notes in a letter her admiration for his 'very agreeable benevolent countenance, most agreeable voice'. In William Field's memoir of Dr Samuel Parr he is numbered among the 'clerical friends' in whose company Parr 'delighted'.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. 77 lines of text. In good condition, on aged paper, with a little wear and a few closed tears along folds. He begins by describing his 'prospects': 'My first year in Canada I stayed with Mr. Bridges, during which time I got a pretty fair knowledge of the country. I then decided to speculate on a woodland Lot of Fifty Acres, price Five Hundred Dollars.

xii + 56 pp., 12mo. Disbound. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper. Presentation inscription on half-title: 'W. W. Hull Esq | With the Authors | Respects'. Uncommon: four copies on COPAC (not counting the 'electronic resource' ones).

3pp., 4to. Bifolium. 56 lines. Good, on aged paper. Addressed on reverse of second leaf to 'Mrs. Curling'. Casamajor is taking 'the earliest opportunity' to inform Mrs Curling 'by the last Packet', that he has 'received an Acc[oun]t. from my agent in Antigua, that the Court of Chancery in that Island had disallowed all Charges of Interest on the Arrears of the Annuities on the late Mathew Christians Estates amounting to £2567.2.5 also the Trustees Commission of £50 a year for 16 years, to this our Counsel'.

Printed on both sides of a piece of 7 x 9 cm paper. Worn and aged, with damage along edges on both sides, affecting a few words of text, but not the signatures. Both sides with ornate decorative borders. On one side with printing details and decorative pattern of foliage; the other with the number filled in in manuscript, engraving of Royal Crest, and printed declaration, dated 'in the sixteenth Year of the Reign of His Majesty GEO. the Third. Dated at Philadelphia, the 8th Day of December, 1775. Signed at foot 'Jos Redman', 'Wm. Smith' and 'M Clarkson' (the second signature faded).

Folio, 1 p. Text clear and complete. Lightly-aged and creased. Remains of red wafer in left margin. Folded into a packet, and docketed on reverse 'Case for Mr. Wheler | 1 G[uine]a. | Martin & Hay for Nevill'. The upper half of the document consists of eighteen lines in the hand of the enquirer (presumably one of a firm of solicitors named 'Martin & Hay", acting for one 'Nevill'), with the last two lines posing the question; the lower half consists of fifteen lines in Wheler's hand, signed by him 'Frans Wheler', and dated by him in the bottom left-hand corner.

12mo, 10 pp. Stitched. In original red wraps, with title and illustrations printed on the front in red. Good, on lightly-aged paper. An attractive pamphlet, with the illustrations accompanying sections entitled Summer and Winter. At end: 'The text was set in 12 pt. Bodoni by A. File and A. Morris and the machine work is by D. Jackson and B. Dove'. Scarce: no copy on COPAC.