SIR

2pp., 4to. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased. After beginning 'Dear Popie / | How are you?' she asks what the 'immediate prospects' are for her to 'get a book and a series in the paper running', as she has 'scanned a tremendous amount of George's material' since moving to 'The Lawns'. In a postscript she describes the material as a 'wonderful story for T.V. too to say nothing about the films!', adding that she has 'got G. to record a lot of his old & recent material ready!' Macqueen-Pope was an admirer of Robey's, as his 'The Melodies Linger On: The Story of Music Hall' makes clear.

2pp., 4to. In good condition, lightly-aged, folded into packet. 34 lines of text. He begins by expressing his pleasure on Bateson's 'kind attention in naming me one of the God Fathers to your little Boy' [the future Conservative MP Robert Bateson (1816-1843)]. He next turns to the agricultural crisis: 'The accot. you give me of the state of the North of Ireland is very distressing under these circumstances. I feel no inclination to witness it by visiting my Estate there this Summer.

All items in good condition, with minor signs of age. The drafts are both printed on yellow paper. Each is 4pp., 4to. The two appear the same textually, but one has two slips of paper with amended text attached, and the autograph emendations to the two are different from one another. Also present is a leaf from 'Lifewise' magazine, November 1993, with one page carrying Pitt's memoir, accompanied by a photograph of Wodehouse being interviewed at Tost by Angus Thuermer. The piece begins: 'I first saw P. G.

Both items nicely printed and in good condition, with light signs of age and wear. ONE: 'The Encyclopaedia Britannica Dinner given by Sir Donald Mackenzie Wallace. Hotel Cecil, Friday Evening, November 21st, 1902. Plan of Tables.' 28.5 x 80 cm, folding up into a 28.5 x 13.5 cm packet. Printed in black and red on the whole of one side, with the other side carrying a 'Programme of Music' ('M. G. Fericescu, Musical Director'), an alphabetical table, and a cover with engraved illustration. Made out in pencil to 'Mr. A. Williams | K24' (i.e. the Liberal MP Aneurin Williams).

Both pamphlet and reservation in fair condition, with light signs of age and wear. Pamphlet: Titled: 'Sir Walter Runciman's Dinner, Connaught Rooms, Great Queen Street, Kingsway, W.C. | Friday, April 11th, at 7.30. | Alphabetical List of Guests with Allocation of Seats and Plan of Grand Hall.' 26 + [1]pp., 12mo. With fold-out 'Plan of Grand Hall | Showing Numbered Tables'. With lightly-rusted staples. Fifty-two tables of the great and the good, with the fifty sitters at 'Table "A"' including Lord Denman, Augustine Birrrell, H. H.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condiion, on aged and worn paper. Marked 'Private', and written with an urgency suggesting the involvement of royalty behind the request. The letter begins: 'Sir William Martins presents his Compliments to Mr Webster and at theh rather earnest wish of a former Lord Chamberlain entreats Mr Webster, if it be practicable to allow the Farce of "Powder & Ball" to be played at the Adelphi one evening this Week either Wednesday Thursday or Friday'. He will 'explain further' and writes 'in case he should not be fortunate enough to meet Mr Webster at the Theatre'.

1p., 12mo. Addressed to 'My dear Mrs. Atkinson', and with contemporary note at head stating that the letter is 'To Mrs. Atkinson Grove end - about the year 1829', Grove End in Paddington being the estate of the architect William Atkinson. In good condition, lightly-aged, with minor traces of stub adhering to one edge on blank reverse. He thanks her for her 'beautiful present' and informs her that he has 'secured 6 places in the front Boxes for to-morrow evening - and shall do myself the pleasure of bringing up admissions for that Number either to day or early to morrow morning'.

1p., 4to. Bifolium. Addressed on second leaf to 'Wm Campbell Esqr. | Brook Street'. In good condition, lightly-aged. The letter begins: 'Had I been aware, before dinner, of what our friend Geddes has just informed me after dinner, - that you are at present a Batchelor, you certainly should have had no excuse for not returning with him to a friendly knife & fork in Mount Street'. He asks him, if he is 'quite alone', to 'come immeditely & lecture him for his remissness - & drink to his better behaviour - we are quite en famille with only Geddes'.

158pp., 4to. Typed text on rectos only. With manuscript emendations (possibly in the hand of Judith Spearman, stage manager) throughout, including deletions and a few short additional passages, as well as stage directions. Makeshift thumb index at head. In fair condition, with moderate signs of age and wear, bound with pink ribbon into buff card covers. Typed label on front cover, together with 'Judith Spearman' and 'Effects' in pencil.

[1] + 14pp., 16mo. Unbound stapled pamphlet. A frail survival (no copy found on either OCLC WorldCat or COPAC). Aged and worn, with rusting staples. Stencil of the Division's insignia on cover. Divided into seven sections: 'Tactical Notes', 'Appreciations', 'Orders', 'Approach and Contact', 'Attack', 'Defence' and 'Breaking Contact'. In his 'Foreword' Keightley urges the reader, somewhat confusingly, to 'make absolutely certain that there is nothing left to help him ['your men'] fight efficiently and gallantly which it is in your power to do'. From the papers of military historian Barrie Pitt.

3pp., 12mo. Writing in a difficult hand, he thanks him for his very curious & interesting letter respecting Chr. Smart, of whose birthplace I had been previously ignorant, tho' his name was not unknown to me in connection with Horace'.

3pp., 4to. Bifolium. On aged and worn paper. Arnald's appeal begins: Appealing to the 'known humanity' of Lawrence and the Council, Arnald writes on behalf of 'Mrs. Abigail Whitcombe, widow of Mr. Thos. Whitcombe late of Clarendon Square, marine painter, and for 40. Years an annual contributor to the Exhibition of the Royal Academy', who has previously received assistance, but is now 'almost totally deprived of sight, and otherwise afflicted', and is dependent on 'the assistance afforded by friends on whom she has no Claim'.

15pp., folio, on 10 leaves of laid paper. In a number of hands, with marginal glosses. In good condition, on aged paper. The conclusion reads: 'Wee will also &c that ye aforesaid Sr. Jno Foster have &c these our Letters Patent under our great Seal of England &c without fine or Freedom because before mentiond & expressed &c in Witness &c Tested at Gothamburg ye 28th. of March'. On reverse of last leaf: '17. Eliz. [i.e. 1575]. The document begins: 'The Queen to all to whom &c.

English electronic engineer (1849-1945), inventor of thermionic valve. Widely considered to be 'the founder of electronics'. All three items good though grubby and on slightly discoloured paper. Item three dog-eared and grubby in top left-hand corner. All signed 'J. A. Fleming' and bearing the Society's stamp. ITEM ONE (two pages, quarto, 15 November 1915, University College, Gower St, to Wood, docketed): On the subject of a paper he proposes to give to the Society entitled 'The Organisation of Scientific Research'.

The two signatures are on one side of a 14 x 18cm leaf of cream paper removed from an album. In good condition, lightly aged and worn, with laid down. Good clear examples. Beecham's signature 'Thomas Beecham' is above that of 'Ethel Frank'. Probably given on Franks first visit to Britain in 1921. Small magazine cutting of photograph of three musicians laid down on reverse.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition. He has been 'clinging' to Lucas's umbrella since the return from a trip to Ostend, where Cust had 'an awful quart d'heure with the luggage people, who were very unwilling to send it on, [...] but by bribery and threats of weeping and pcitures of you all shivering on deck, I <?> them to entrust the 16 or 17 packages to the guard of the train next due'. The letter continues in much the same chatty tone.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, on aged paper, in aged franked envelope ('J. Cowell') addressed to 'The Right Reverend The Lord Bishop of St. Helena.' Reads: 'My Lord - | I am desired by His Royal Highness, Prince Alfred, to forward you the accompanying portrait of himself. | Believe me | My Lord | Yours faithfully. | J. C. Cowell'.

ONE: Northcote's letter to Barnett. 7pp., 12mo. On two bifoliums, in a close hand. In good condition, in aged envelope, with red wax seal and two postmarks (one of Woodstock), addressed to 'Henry Barnett Esqre | Woodstock | Oxon.' At the time of writing Northcote was Gladstone's personal secretary at the Board of Trade. The letter begins: 'Coleridge has left town for Sessions, and will not I fear return for some time. This will account for your letter of the 1st. remaining so long unanswered. I am sure we are much indebted to you for your suggestions, by which I doubt not we shall profit.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly-aged, with small part of paper mount adhering at head. Accepting a dinner invitation on 20 November.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Written in pencil. A long and interesting complaint, casting an interesting light on the journalistic practices of the period. Hurd begins without preamble, pointing out, with reference to a previous letter, that he 'never promised 35000 words', and stating that the publisher 'would doubtless be able to put in a few extra illustrations to fill it out'.

Printed in a single column on one side of a piece of 64 x 15 cm piece of paper. Aged and worn, with a couple of holes at head causing loss to eight lines of text. Full heading in manuscript: 'On occasion of the reading of a paper on "the Imperial Institute & its advantages to India" by General Sir Orfeur Cavenagh K.C.S.I. before the East India Association. Sir Richard Temple in the chair'.

2pp., 12mo. On leaf with mourning border. He thanks him for his letters, and expresses disappointment that he 'could not come to the Cricket Match', which was 'not finished, but decided in favour of Knebworth according to the score of the first Innings'. He asks him to obtain 'estimates for lightening [sic] conductors to each of the 8 turrets at Knebworth'. He fears that 'these copper domes are themselves lightening conductors which are now cut offf from all communcation with the earth'.

1p., 12mo. Bifolium. Addressed on second leaf 'To | Sr John Chetwood Barrtt'. On aged and worn paper. Neatly and attractively written out. Reads: 'Sr | I brought down from London the Prince's Patent for ye levyeing 3000 Markes in Cheshire due to his Royall Highness, as Earle of Chester on whic a Comis[si]on is issued out directed to you and Others for ye levyeing the Same which Comis[si]on I am oblig'd to acquaint you will be at Chester on Tuesday the first day of October next'.

Hertford's Letter: 1p., 4to. Bifolium. Addressed on reverse of second leaf, with broken seal in read wax, 'To | Sir Robert B. Harvey Bt'. In good condition, lightly aged, with closed tear caused by breaking open of seal. Reads: 'The dissolution of Parliament will I trust apologize for the liberty I take in requesting the continuance of your friendly offices in the county of Antrim, but I cannot apply for a new favor without expressing my obligations for those already conferred, and of assuring you that I remain most truly, Sir, Your faithful & very humble Servant'.

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Attached by one corner to a leaf from an autograph album. 23 lines of text in a difficult hand. He thanks him for his 'notice in L<?>, & for the long & valuable as well as kind & flattering notice of my Novels'. He considers that the review is 'written with great talent - & is altogether the best of the kind notices of these works which I can remember to have seen'. He invites him down to Knebworth and asks whether he has 'succeeded with Lord Malm[esbur]y'.

1p., 4to. In good condition, lightly aged, with tiny stain in margin. He thanks him for his letter, and invites him to 'call again' at 'this enchanting place'. He has 'finished Octave 5' and is 'at work now on another Ben Nevis story'. He has asked his publishers Chatto & Windus to send him 'Octave 3'. A letterhead with Mackenzie's Edinburgh address is printed upside down on the reverse.

The first two items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The third in fair condition, aged and worn. ONE: Typed Letter Signed (over a penny tax stamp) by 'W Senior' and 'R B Marston', announcing their resignation as trustees, to be replaced by Walter Durfee Coggeshall, William Milner Ratcliff, and John Assheton Rennie'. 1p., 4to. Manuscript postscript. With a 'certified copy of the resolution of the General Meeting of Members by which the above appointments were made'. 1p., 4to. Signed by Major-General Desmond O'Callaghan and the secretary.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Addressed to 'Dear Sir & Brother'. He had been hoping to see him 'at the consecration of our Tenbury Lodge. I begged Brother Barber to invite you, & I think I told you we would put you up here on that occasion'. He hopes he will come 'at some future lodge night when we have got into work'. He informs him that he has that day 'received a notice of the Royal Arch Chapter' the following Thursday, adding 'I see I am to be ballotted for, & if elected to be exalted'.

1p., folio. Good, on a lightly-aged piece of ruled paper. In two columns, with the left-hand column, written out by Roberts with his address at the foot, headed 'Name of Exhibition', and listing twelve international exhibitions between 1862 (Amsterdam) and 1898 (Brussels). The right-hand column, headed 'Picture Exhibition', carries Alma-Tadema's responses, some of which are written in darker ink than others, indicating that they were added at more than one point. Alongside 'Paris (EU) 1867' he writes '13 pictures amongst them.

1p., 16mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Docketted on reverse of second leaf 'Sir H Bishop June 17th/46' (17 June 1846 was a Wednesday, so probably a mistake for the previous day). He is much obliged by her 'kind thought, in sending me a Ticket for you Concert', but it is uncertain whether he will be in London at that time, 'but I wish you, most sincerely, every success'.