NOVEL

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Ainsworth begins: 'My dear Mr. Fullom, I am happy to tell you that you are under a great mistake. Your manner, on the occasion you refer to, produced the most favourable impression upon me.' Fullom 'exhibited great delicacy and modesty', and Ainsworth 'stated as much to Mr. Hurst'. The omission was in fact on Ainsworth's own part, in neglecting to thank Fullom for his 'flattering proposal to dedicate your romance to me'.

2pp., 4to. 53 lines. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, with minor traces of previous mounting at head, and a light and unobtrusive water stain. The letter is headed by Rose 'Y.M.C.A. B.A.P.O.2 B.E.F. France'. Regarding Sheppard's recently-published 'Quest of Ledgar Dunstan', Rose writes: 'You have a wonderfully keen mental eye which sees everything with extraordinary sharpness, & you have a literary hand which etches with just & delicate touch. The book is also one of singular intensity of feeling which carries the reader along fascinated & thrilled.

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.'

On 12 x 21 cm rectangle, cut from the base of a 4to leaf. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with part of the card mount adhering to the reverse. A firm flowing signature which reads: 'Yours sincerely | Gilbert Frankau'.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium, with leaf dimensions 18 x 11cm. The letter appears complete, in good condition on lightly-aged paper, but a rectangle of about 5.5 x 11cm. (perhaps carrying the recipient's name) has been torn from the bottom of the second leaf.

1p., 4to. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed to 'dear Ernest'. Marked by Gye 'Ansd.' He is sending Gye 'a word of congratulations on the august appointment to Tangier'. He apologises that he cannot be 'part of the celebration on March 23'. He concludes: 'I hope you are pleased and that everything will prosper. | No answer required of course'.

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. She writes that she is enclosing a letter, which she would like sent on 'to the Manager of the Bournemouth Little Theatre Club if you will, as I do not know the address'.

2pp., 12mo. Fifteen lines. On bifolium. Fair, on lightly-aged paper. The male recipient is not named. She apologies that 'the crowd of Christmas engagements' has meant that his letter has gone unanswered until now. 'With regard to the question you ask, my feeling is that where an artist and an author can contrive to work well together illustrations are a decided improvement to novels. But it is most trying to an author to see his characters presented to the public in a way utterly unlike his own conception of them.' In her view it is 'clear gain' if a book can be 'well illustrated'.

[viii], 199pp., 8vo, green boards, gilt, with embossed green shamrock, gilt outline, some foxing, especially first few pages, mainly good condition, . Scarce.

One page, 12mo, good condition. Thanks you very much for writing to me about my boo. It is always nice to hear from oone's readers and I am delighted to learn that both you and your husband found an hour's excitement in this otherwise rather dreary world. | Your good wishes are appreciated. Norte: Apparently Raymond/Chase/Grant only published More Deadly than the Male under the pseudonym Ambrose Grant so letters signed so may well be scarce.

All texts clear and complete. Autograph item with some creasing, otherwise in good condition on lightly-aged paper. Ten items signed 'Compton Mackenzie', and two ''. Eight of the items each one page of landscape 8vo; one 8vo, 1 p; another 12mo, 1 p; the autograph note 4to, 1 p; and the card 16mo, 1 p. The first item (4to, 1 p, in autograph) is dated 22 September 1948. Having met Brett-James he thanks him for sending the proofs of his war memoir 'Report My Signals' (London: Hennel Locke Ltd, 1948): 'I was much impressed by it, and supported it strongly for a Book Society Recommendation.

Two pages, 12mo, remnants of album page to which attached formerly, good condition. I will write to you definitely about teh serial early next week. Do you think you could either get me a cheque for 'A Maker of Fortunes' [not traced], or get Mr Colles [literary agent] to discount the sale to me on the usual terms? I should be much obliged if you could, for I have to find a good deal of money on Saturday & this would help. ...

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, 96 pp, followed by four-page SPCK catalogue (with first page listing works by the Rev. F. Bourdillon). Text clear and complete. In original olive cloth binding, gilt, stained with damp. Damp damage at rear leaving light staining to corners of last few leaves and catalogue, together with heavier damage to rear endpapers. Traces of Library label on front pastedown. Cloth faded, worn and stained. Bell explains in her preface that 'The poor are excellently well provided with all sorts of books of counsel and help.

12mo, 4 pp. Bifolium. 51 lines. Text clear and complete. Good, on aged paper. Chatty and spirited letter. 'I propose myself the honour and pleasure (seldom indeed, save in common parlance!) of paying you a visit, - to present you with a copy of "Westminster Abbey"', which has 'emerged from the press in the orthodox three volumes'. Does not want to give him 'an excuse for not flashing your eye through it'.

One page, thirteen lines, 8vo, small closed tears, text clear and complete. "As I cannot continue my lectures on [? see scan], for some time to come I return a proportion of the balance of money collected in various towns. I have not taken one penny for my labours, but I propose to retain about one third of the balance [underlined] as there were innumerable etceteras about a work like mine. If any of the subscribers object to this, please let me know. - I enclose a cheque for £5." Best has listed 6 recipients of shares of this £5 on the verso of a conjoint leaf ,and with a small sum.

Dimensions of paper 23 x 17 cm; dimensions of image c.16 x 10.5 cm. In fair condition on lightly-aged paper. Captioned at foot 'Nathaniel Hawthorne'. Head and shoulders illustration, with Hawthorne looking at the viewer with his head slightly towards his right shoulder. Placed in modern 34 x 26.5 cm cream card frame with gold and light-green border. Professionally executed in a traditional style. The artist's monogram, centred beneath the illustration, consists of a stalk topped by simple flower design, and with the date '26' at the foot.

Both letters 8vo, 1 p; the first on pink paper. Both texts clear and complete. Both fair, on lightly-aged and creased paper. Letter One: She was surprised to learn that Lawrence had 'Miss Babbington with you because I did not even know that she was on the stage. I thought she was with a publishing house.' After the 'long and wonderful run' she is sorry that Lawrence's leading lady is leaving. 'Although I never intend to go back to the stage again, I shall always have the same keen interest in matters theatrical [...] the variety profession is my first love'.

One page, 12mo, edge trimmed with minor loss of text. She is working too hard to find time for "social duties or politenesses" She will be at a certain place the following day. She has a cold "who has not?") abnd asks whether he will be in his "place" the following day.

4to, 2 pp. Bifolium. Twenty-eight lines of text. Clear and complete. On aged and stained paper. Docketed by the recipient on the reverse of the second leaf. The recipient drew up her will in 1819, but 'the many changes from Deaths &c which have since taken place' mean that it 'no longer expresses my wishes in several particulars'. Asks a number of questions. States that she is 'aware that as a married woman I have no right to make a Will but as in the former distribution of my property Sir George Scott authorized my doing so (as you many remember) so he will now any alteration'.

4to, 3pp. Bifolium. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper, with slight loss to second leaf caused by opening of red wax seal (part of which still adheres), and minor nicking to edges. Begins: 'The task you set me was a task indeed [...] my first attempt at translation'. He comments on some of the difficulties involved ('The Cara so often repeated in the original is beautiful in repetition while it's angliciz'd Dear is so degraded by vulgar use').

4to, 3 pp. Bifolium. Good, on aged paper. Thirty-nine lines of text. Good impression of red wax seal depicting Alexander Pope. In breaking open letter a 7 cm closed tear made to second leaf, and a small part of leaf torn away, and now under seal, with loss to three words of valediction. Slight glue staining from mount at head of verso of second leaf, which carries address and Twining's docketing.

Text on both sides of a piece of paper 6 x 11 cm. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, with a couple of glue marks from previous mounting on reverse. The bottom part of the letter, cut away for the signature. Side with signature reads '<...> yet heard from the Bp. of Petebro on that point. I have to write hastily for our 3.45 post. | Believe me dear Lady Huntly yours very sincerely obliged | [signed] Edward Bradley'. Reverse reads '<...> of the Dining room and Study - & some of the bedrooms - and also paint the whole of the outside of the house.

12mo, iv + 203 pp. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. Rebound in worn green paper wraps, with 'W. I. INGRAM' in manuscript along spine. Unobtrusive 'Sale Duplicate' stamp of the 'BIBLIOTHECA | <?> | EDINENSIS'. The dedication provides a clue to the author: 'To the memory of Jeannie E. D. S. Ingram, once a student in the University of Aberdeen.' Scarce: COPAC only lists copies at the British Library, National Library of Scotland, and Aberdeen.

12mo, 36 pp. In wraps, with art paper flyleaves. Very good. Number 26 in the signed edition of fifty copies, which, according to a note by the publisher, 'contains a second photograph of Mamie and Elmer Gertz, rather than the single photograph which is contained in the Trade Edition [of two hundred copies]'.

Dimensions of card 6 x 9 cm. Good. Printed on the card are the name 'Miss Anna Swanwick,' and the address. Written around the name in MS is 'Mr Palgrave, The Misses Palgrave from [Miss Anna Swanwick] With kindest regards and all the good wishes of the season.'

4to, 8 pp. Stitched pamphlet on grey paper. Text clear and complete. Good, though somewhat creased, and a little stained. In small type. Divided into two sections: 'Selections from the opinions of the London press' and 'Selections from the opinions of the provincial press'. In a long quotation on the front page: 'Charles Dickens made the practice famous, and Mr. Joseph Hatton has begun his platform career in the same modest, careful, and unpretentious way [...]'. (p.1, 'From General Press Notices').

Disbound. Octavo: four pages. Good: slightly aged and with some creasing to extremities. Thirty-one lines of text, followed by a double-column list of subscribers, and amounts subscribed.

12mo, 2 pp. Good, on lightly-aged and creased paper. Giving the details of three titles from Thorp's 'large catalogue' which he hopes are still available (one is ticked in pencil and the other two marked as sold). 'Also can you let me have a cheap copy of John Masefield's "Sea Life in The Time of Nelson" and J. R. Hutchinson's "The Press Gang Afloat & Ashore." Publishers and prices of both items are noted in pencil, with 'Cheque Noted' in margin.

12mo, 1 p. Six lines. Mourning border. Text clear and complete. Aged, creased and a little grubby. Asking to be sent '4 copies of "The Butterfly", if ready', and if not to be told 'when it will be'. Lawrence published his 'Breaking a Butterfly; Or Blanche Ellerslie's Ending' anonymously by Tinsley in 1869.