PERCIVAL

Humphris wrote a number of books, including biographies of Fred Archer, Mathew Dawson, Adam Lindsay Gordon. See Power’s entry in the Oxford DNB. From Power’s library. The material is in good condition, lightly aged, in good tight green cloth binding made for Power, with ‘BOB POTT’ in gilt on spine. The printed article is 36pp, 4to, paginated 69-104, with two plates: black and white photographs of George Romney’s portraits of Pott and his wife Emily. A couple of minor manuscript emendations by the author at the start, and a few pencil annotations by Power.

From the Macqueen-Pope papers (see his entry in the Oxford DNB). Merriman was accorded the honour of an episode of the BBC’s Desert Island Discs in 1964. 2pp, 12mo. Signed ‘Percy’ and addressed to ‘Dear Popie’. In good condition, lightly aged, with one dog-eared corner and folded twice for postage. Begins: ‘Am not of course seeking any publicity over your book on St. James Theatre [published in 1958] only wish I could help more. / You know of course Allan Ainsworth [sic, for ‘Aynesworth’] is alive the doyen of the Garrick Club! He played often with G[eorge]. A[lexander]. - in Pinero & Wilde.

1p, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased. Folded once. Her letter has been forwarded to him and he has 'much pleasure in sending you my autograph. In order to make it a little more personal, I am sending it on one of my own private book-plates.'

2pp, 4to. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged, with thin strip of paper from mount adhering to reverse of second leaf, which is endorsed 'Docr. Johnstone | 6 Sep. 1786'. The recipient is not named. Twenty-eight lines of text, beginning: 'Dr Sir | I got home tuesday night and sent my son over to Mr Pott, to let him know your wishes. He answered he was engaged every day to dinner, and could not fix any particular time to be at Malvern.

1p., 4to. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. Name in block capitals in red pencil and stamped date at head, with holes to one corner from stapling. The 'matter' of the invitation to Perry to join the Society has 'been delayed because I have been the victim of very distressing domestic illness'. He is sending the completed application, but explains that he has been 'ordered to winter abroad', and is 'leaving for the Bahamas within the month, and will not 'be back in England until the Spring of next year'.

Two good tight copies, on lightly aged paper, in worn original bindings with gilt decorations on front covers, with engravings on browning paper because of high acidity content. Both volumes with bookplate of Alan Angele and manuscript library shelf label. ONE: 'The Comic Latin Grammar'. 163 + [3]pp., 8vo. Eight engravings and numerous illustrations in text (the first engraving is positioned as frontispiece rather than at p.23 as specified).

The item provides an interesting insight into the editing process of the Thinker's Library, 140 volumes of which Watts & Co. published for the Rationalist Association between 1929 and 1951. The book is xiii + 240pp., 8vo, in red cloth binding, gilt. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with slight wear to one corner. A couple of leaves have been neatly torn out, evidently in the process of revision. Stamp of the Rationalist Press Association Ltd on reverse of title.

viii + 218 + [1]pp. In quarter-bound boards with blue-grey covers and buff spine. Ex Libris of Thomas Brayshaw and Percival F. Hinton on front pastedown, and ownership signature of 'Heber' (not the book collector Richard Heber) at head of title. 'Preface' on pp.iii-v, dated 'Bingley, July 28th, 1827.', followed by two-page table of contents, listing 25 poems. 'Notes' on pp.201-218, followed by a page of advertisements by G. & E. Nicholson.

5pp., 8vo, with five plates. Stitched. In brown printed wraps headed 'Compliments of the Author', with 'Reprint from Popular Astronomy' at foot. Heavily aged, in worn and stained wraps repaired with tape. At the head of the cover Lowell has written 'iss Mary E. Proctor'. Manuscript note in another hand (presumably Procter's) on cover: 'Contains a note in Lowell's own handwriting on page 2'. Lowell's autograph note on p.2, with slight loss due to trimming of the edges of the pamphlet, reads: 'For further story by me see Jan. '97 pular stronomy'.

A total of 1290 pages, in six 4to notebooks. Internally clean, on lightly aged paper, in worn and repaired bindings, with the back cover of one of the volumes loose. Day has signed three of the covers, and decorated the cover of one volume with the crests of three Universities: Montenegro, St Andrews and London. All the texts are carefully written out Day's neat, close hand, with tables and graphs, some titles in red ink, and occasional pencil annotations. A list of the contents of the six volumes ends this description.

52pp., 4to. Stapled. Aged and worn, with slight loss to fore-edge of title. With label, stamp and shelfmark of the Education Department Reference Library. Scarce: no copy in the British Library, and the only copy on COPAC at Leeds.

4pp., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. He considers the cut excellent, and is grateful to Brooks for having 'managed so well' with his article. 'Many such an article of mine has been sacrificed, though absolutely a pretty good one, and comparatively to that which stood in its place, superexcellent. But such is my luck. By the by, don't measure the quantity of all that I do by what appeareth.' He reports that 'Fred is much amused with the verses on the Queen's first baby. I said that there are two men here besides himself who understand a joke.

4to, 27 pp. Stitched with red thread. In original buff wraps, printed in red and black, with photograph of a Masai woman tipped in on front cover. Fair: slightly dog-eared, in worn wraps, with ownership inscription on front wrap. Printed on twenty-six leaves of art paper. Consisting of a covering page of text and 24 pp of captioned black-and-white photographs, two to each page, with two pages of advertisements at rear. Photographs of wildlife and members of the Meru, Masai, Wakamba, Samburu, Turkana, Waikikuyu tribes. Printed on rectos only, except for last page.

Fraser's Magazine launched in London in February 1830, and to begin with its most popular feature was Maginn's 'Gallery of Illustrious Literary Characters', with illlustrations by Maclise (collected in book form in 1873). The four portraits, all busts, are somewhat reminiscent of those in that work, but must be earlier if the identification of John Nichol, who died in 1828, is correct. The four are on separate pieces of paper, laid down 2 X 2 (with the four sitters looking inwards towards the centre of the page) on a leaf torn from an album.

4to, 1 p, 22 lines. On aged paper, with chipping at extremities neatly repaired with archival tape. Text clear and entire. He thanks him for his 'interesting paper', commenting on the 'Lucretian passage'. Postgate's 're-arrangement [...] is undoubtedly more attractive & logical than the ordinary arrangment, and as such I welcome it: but must we suppose always that artists do as well instinctively as they might if they had taken counsel?' 'Ex silentio I judge that all is well with you, as far as anything can be well for any of us these terrible times.