REGENCY

Both items in very good condition, on aged paper, and both with minor traces of mount. The letter is 1p., 12mo, on a bifolium. The envelope is a leaf of paper, also 1p., 12mo. It is addressed by Eldon to 'John Cross Esq | 19 Lincolns Inn', franked in the bottom left-hand corner 'Eldon', and is without postmarks. It carries the seal in black wax, with the barest of impressions. Docketed in pencil in a contemporary hand '1819'.

A supporter of William Pitt, and later of the Liverpool ministry, Blackburne was regarded as an assiduous - if lacklustre and increasingly eccentric - country member. The present collection provides a valuable insight into the network of mercantile figures (e.g. cotton magnate Henry Sudell) and members of the local gentry (Sir Nicholas Ashton, Sir Henry Philip Hoghton) required to return Blackburn to parliament at a particularly difficult election, with reports and advice coming from various quarters.

The poster, in the mixture of typeface and font size characteristic of the period, is 31 x 25 cm, and headed: 'TO THE | Gentlemen, | CLERGY, | AND | FREEHOLDERS | OF THE | County Palatine of Lancaster.' Signed and dated in type at foot: 'JOHN BLACKBURNE. | HALE, | November 12th, 1829. Printed on one side of a piece of wove paper, and with one central horizontal fold.

The three items all cropped, but in good condition, on lightly aged and creased paper. ITEM ONE: Headed 'Extract from the Star of Thursday, 17th October, 1805. | Royal Westminster Volunteers.' 1p., 8vo. Printer's slug in bottom left-hand corner. Autograph note by Twining at foot: 'This was printed by the voluntary act of my honor'd friend Dr.

On piece of 6 x 8.5 cm. laid paper, cut from a document, with discoloration and traces of glue from previous mounting. Sherbrooke's signature is large and firm, with the words 'Commander of the Forces' in another, contemporary hand, beneath it. A scarce signature.

1p., 4to. In fair condition, on aged and creased laid paper with watermark '1810'. The letter reads: 'The Duke of Marlborough is very sorry it will not be in his power to obey His Royal Highness the Prince Regent's commands on Thursday the 23d of April, which he should have been very happy to have done had it been possible for him. | Blenheim | April 19th.' The only 23 April falling on a Thursday during the Regency before the 4th Duke's death was in 1812.

40 + 3 + 4 pp., 12mo. With frontispiece, and three plates on one fold-out strip. In original grey printed wraps (giving the price as 2s 6d). In good condition, on lightly-aged and spotted paper, in worn wraps. Excellent frontispiece portrait, with tissue guard, captioned 'Rev. Joseph Nightingale. | Drawn by Shoosmith - Engraved by R. Roffe. | Published by J. Robins & Co. London. Feby. 1. 1824.' Six-page preface, dated 'Southwark Square, 1823.' Three plates on one fold-out strip, facing p.12.

1p., 4to. Bifolium, addressed on reverse of second leaf by Stafford to 'Mr. Nichols | 25. Parliament St. | Westminster'. Very good, on lightly-aged paper, with seal cut away from second leaf and thin strip of stub along one edge. The letter reads: 'Lord Stafford received from the late Duke of Norfolk a Copy of Mr. Dallaway's work, & has since subscribed to one by Mr. Dallaway & Mr. Cartwright - if the volume referred to by Mr. Nichols is an additional work Lord Stafford will be happy to have it. | Ap. 27.

2pp., 4to. Bifolium. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed by Waylett on reverse of second leaf 'To/ | J. M. Donnell Esq | Theatre Royal | Cork', with oval postmark in red, in two parts: 'MIDDAY MAIL | 20 AP | 1829'. According to Waylett's entry in the Oxford DNB, 'On 12 May 1825 she made, as Zephyrina in The Lady and the Devil, her first appearance at the Haymarket, under D. E. Morris. It was a successful début, but she was not encouraged by the managers, and after playing many different parts, some original, she went to Dublin.

On both sides of a piece of 11.5 x 7.5 cm card, with rounded edges, and with the reverse paginated '(2)'. A nice piece of provincial printing, in very good condition, lightly-aged. The first page headed: 'INSPECTION EXERCISE | FOR THE BRIGADE OF | BUCKS YEOMEN CAVALRY.' , and with the slug '(Seeley, Printer, Buckingham.)' at the foot. The first page carries 23 lines of commands, from 'MARCH past by half Squadrons.' to 'Wheel on Centre of Squadron, by the Right.' The reverse carries 25 lines of commands, from 'ADVANCE, File from right of threes. Front form.' to 'General Salute.

An attractive example of provincial printing, in letterpress on one side of piece of 9 x 6 cm card. Headed: 'RICHARD TUCKEY, | WINE & SPIRIT MERCHANT, | High Street, | FAREHAM.' Giving prices in shillings and pence for four Wines (Fine old Port; Sherry; Maderia [sic]; White Cape) and six 'Genuine Spirits' (Cognac, Fine old; Jamaica Rum, old and soft; English Geneva; Hollands ditto. pure white; Porter; Cyder). Printed in roman, with four words in black letter ('FAREHAM', 'Wines' and 'Genuine Spirits') and two words in italic ('High Street,').

The sheet is 38 x 27.5cm; and the dimensions of the plate are34 x 25cm. At foot of plate: 'London, Published by Thos. Mc.Lean, 26 Haymarket, 1824.' The engravings, each 11 x 8cm., are arranged in two rows of two. In good condition, lightly-aged and with a torn pin hole at head, presumably where the print was torn from its string. Moving clockwise from top left, the prints are as follows.

2pp., 4to. An excellent letter, stylish and charming, and a lucky survival. In poor condition, apparently as a result of fire damage: with wear and chipping repaired with archival tape.

35 + [1] pp., 8vo. Stitched and unbound. Well printed, on good laid paper, watermarked 'IPING | 1813'. In fair condition, on aged paper and lightly-discoloured paper, and folded into a packet, showing the title on the reverse of the last leaf as quoted above. The drophead title reads: Sess. 1818 - 58 Geo. III. | An Act for Inclosing Lands in the Parish of South Moreton, in the County of Berks.

1p., on 29 x 7 cm piece of unwatermarked laid paper (probably cut down), with no indication of printer or date. Printed with the long s. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. 64 lines, arranged in eight eight-line stanzas. The first stanza reads: 'BRITAIN! brave and generous nation, | Listen to my plaintive strain, | Tho' exalted be my station! | Day and night I sigh in pain; | Here I came a helpless stranger, | With no friend to take my part, | Braved the stormy ocean's danger, | From home for ever to depart.' She appeals to her 'Good Uncle' (i.e.

2pp., 12mo. In a windowpane mount on a leaf removed from an album. The letter itself very good, on aged paper; the mount worn at extremities. He begins by informing the recipient that his 'last Letter has made ample atonement for the provocation of the preceding', and he has 'ever been the foremost, both in word & deed, to keep my wings in motion. I speak this seriously: my former note was only a temporary petulance'. The second paragraph begins: 'I must positively have another Paper for my Orators'. He has 'run to a fearful length, & yet have cramped myself all the way.

1p., 12mo. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, with a creased corner. The note reads: 'The Duke of Buckingham and Chandos incloses [sic] an order for Mr Blair to the House of Peers for to-day, & begs to acknowledge the receipt of the Pamphlet on the Corn Laws. | 17th May'. The paper is watermarked '<...>YNSON | 1839'.

Trollope's letter: 3pp., 12mo. 48 lines. Bifolium. In fair condition, on aged paper. Addressed, with postmarks, on reverse of second leaf, to 'Messrs. Cadell & Co. | Booksellers | Strand.' Trollope begins by announcing that he has 'a work nearly ready for the Press, wh. may probably be worth your attention [...] It is designed as companion to Mr Horne's work on the Scriptures, of wh. as you are the publishers, you may perhaps have no objection to engage in another, wh.

2pp., 4to. Good, on lightly-aged paper. 43 closely-written lines. An interesting letter, in which Foster closes 'a long and amicable communication' with the bookseller, the reason being given in the following passage: 'I am sorry for what you intimated, that your more recent undertakings have not been so advantageous as you had expected. From your hint of the possibility of a continued residence at Hastings I may conclude that you withdraw from business (that of books at least) altogether.

Three pages, 12mo. Good only: some staining but text clear and complete. He's been away and so has only just received his correspondent's letter. He continues: "It is impossible for me to give you any information as to the probable amount of the Expence of presenting your claim to the Earldom of Huntingdon before the House of Lords. As however the pedigree is a very long one & the attendance of many witnesses with the original parish Registers will be necessary I apprehend that it must be very considerable.

2pp., 4to. Printed in small type, with manuscript additions on both sides of the first leaf; addressed on the recto of the second leaf, with broken red wax seal: 'P. P. 9d | Mr Baldwin | Copper plate printer & | Birmingham | Sheffield | Oct 8th.' Great St Helens was a centre for firms concerned with bankruptcy and liquidation, and this interesting document offers banking services for 'needy Manufacturers and Tradesmen', with a use of Masonic imagery which is designed to reassure.

Printed on one side of a piece of laid paper 28 x 23.5 cm. The hand-coloured engraving (showing Mathews in riding garb with long whip in foreground, and a coach and four in the background) is 16 x 22.5 cm. Fair, on aged paper, with wear and slight loss to extremities (not affecting the engraving or text), and the reverse showing signs of removal from an album. Above the engraving are the words 'BANG UP - RANDOM, OR TANDEM.' and beneath are the publication details, followed by the full title: Some Push Along With Four In Hand, While Others Drive At Random. Written by J.

45 + [ii] pp. Frontispiece. Two pages of advertisements of the firm's books at end. In original pink printed boards with further advertisements for the firm on back. Lightly-aged in worn boards with wear to spine. Scarce: no copy of this 1837 Darton & Harvey edition on COPAC, which lists only four copies by them alone: one from 1831 (NLS), two from 1834 (TCD and Bodleian), and one from 1838 (V&A). This title does not feature in Linda David's catalogue of the 1992 Lilly Library exhibition of 'Children's books published by William Darton and his sons'.

1p., 4to. 31 lines. Fair, on aged paper. On paper with watermarked date of 1814. Initialled 'G. C.'; with the words 'Copy to Morris' in the top left-hand corner. Docketed on reverse 'Copy to Morris March 1815'. Colman writes that is is now his intention, 'as it ever has been, to use every effort in my power for the interest of the Theatre, by carrying on the business in the best manner that the continual obstacles opposed to my plans will permit'. He states that he is 'in treaty with various Performers for the approaching Summer'.

2pp., 4to. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed by Elton, on reverse of second leaf, to 'John Taylor Esq.' (Taylor had assumed the editorship of the London Magazine on the death by duel of John Scott in February 1821.) Elton begins by informing Taylor that he has 'not been able yet to manage the Batrachomyomachia to my mind'. (Elton's translation of 'The Battle of the Frogs and Mice' would appear anonymously in the issue of October 1821, as the second of a series named 'Leisure Hours'.) He has instead 'sent some chit-chat to serve as an introduction'.

1p., small 4to. Very good: trimmed and neatly laid down on backing. Egerton has had 'some communication with our Managers', and if Egan will 'write a Farce, with a good part for Keeley, in his way, perhaps some sort of continuation of Jerry', he knows it will 'be accepted, & put into training'. He asks to hear from Egan by return, as he wishes to see the managers on the subject 'previous to Mr. Fawcetts leaving Town on Tuesday next, or the matter must rest three months'.

1p., 12mo. On aged and lightly-spotted paper. Reads: 'My dear Sir, | Mrs. Hope's house will do & I shall be obliged to you to engage it for me, from the Saturday before the show for a week & the stables at Mr. Wrights also. | Yours most truly, | [signed] Spencer'. Mrs Hope is probably the Hon. Louisa Hope (d.1851), wife or widow of the connoisseur Thomas Hope (1769-1831), and one of the wealthiest women of England. If this is the case the letter was written before her second marriage in 1832 to her cousin Viscount Beresford.

1p., 4to. On aged and grubby paper. The letter provides an interesting insight into the niceties of Regency theatrical practice. Colman peremptorily addresses it to 'Madam', before expressing his displeasure and defending his imposition of a penalty, as a result of the non-attendance of the recipient (apparently an actress) at a performance at the Haymarket.

Letter: 2pp., 4to. 28 lines of text. List: 1p., on a 12mo strip. Both letter and list in very good condition, neatly placed in windowpane mounts on the two leaves of a bifolium. Salt is 'just finishing the List of Manuscript Erdeswick's' and will bring it to Nichols when he returns to London. He wonders whether Nichols has 'nearly come to the end of the Book in your reprint? I do not think you will make your first sheet answer satisfactorily - without printing the whole or part of it over again - but of course you will be the best judge of that'.

3pp., 16mo. Bifolium. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, with traces of previous mounting to the reverse of the last leaf. Horne writes that he is enclosing a copy of his play 'Gregory VII' for 'Mr Chas Kemble'. 'I have not written his name in it, because as you were so kind as to interest yourself in the matter, I thought I would leave it in your hands so you may give it him; or say you asked me for a copy for the purpose, or say nothing - or anything. Isn't this a fine mode of expressing my confidence in your judgment?