VICTORIAN

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair conditon, lightly aged. Brougham's handwriting is bad, and the reading is in part tentative. He is 'extremely sorry to learn from Mrs A's letter' that the recipient has been indisposed. Brougham could not have made the appointment suggested in A[rmstrong]'s letter as he was 'in the House of Lords every day except Wednesday'. He has received the document, but has not been able to look into the matter, 'so oppressed as I have been with business which could not be postponed'. He will be free to do so after the following Monday, and will write to A then.

1p., 4to. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with two ring-binder punch-holes. The letter begins: 'Dear Mr. Armsrtrong, | I see no other course than that which you are following. It would be looked on as a slight if you were not present at the gathering of Darlington Liberals, though we shall be very sorry not to have your company.' He trusts they will be 'rightly guided with regard to Mr. Ward', whom it will be difficult to replace 'at the “Birmingham News”'. He will 'leave the matter for a few days until we can come to a definite decision'.

From the papers of the family of the second wife of the geologist Alexander Henry Green (1832-1896), previously Miss Wilhelmina Maria Armstrong of Clifton. 1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged, with slight creasing to bottom corners. Reads: 'Dear Mrs. Green | I fear I shall be on the way to Japan to see the Eclipse. Very sorry to miss your dinner party | Yours sincerely | H H Turner'.

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Written in a shaky hand. The letter begins: 'Dear Sir | I was much obliged to you for the extra copy of The Inquirer which I was glad to have, containing very good letters supporting Free Trade. It is a subject on which I feel strongly – perhaps inherited from my father!

A plain 'Carte Postale', with the address, with three postmarks, on one side (coloured lilac), reading 'Mrs. A. H. Green | Rosa House, Church Walks | Llandudno | N. Wales | Angleterre'. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with central horizontal crease. He is sorry to hear of her 'continuing illness', and hopes 'the air of Wales' will do her good. 'Dolgam is a farm-house about 2 or 3 miles below Capel Curig towards Bettws[sic]-y-Coed. I can quite recommend it. Mrs. Jones is (or was) the landlady. The air is probably not so bracing as some places as it lies in a sheltered hollow.

From the papers of the family of the second wife of the geologist Alexander Henry Green (1832-1896), previously Miss Wilhelmina Maria Armstrong of Clifton. 1p., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged. Addressed at bottom left to 'Mrs Wilhelmina Armstrong'. The letter opens: 'Dear Madam | I heartily wish I could see my way – but the clouds of work are growing so thick I cannot see each of them - & my elasticity is failing.' He does not dare undertake anything at the present time, but feels 'grateful & flattered by the invitation'.

[31]pp., 4to. In grey wraps with title reprinted on cover. In poor condition, heavily creased, in creased, worn and damaged wraps. Contains eleven items, mostly statistical tables: 'Order of Sessions to print Reports and Accounts', 'The Committee of Visitors', 'Report of Visitors to Quarter Sessions', 'Confirmation of Report', 'Superintendent's Annual Report', 'Statistical Tables', 'Accounts of Receipts and Payments', 'General Statement of the Receipts and Payments', 'Summary of the Cost per head per week', 'Farm and Garden (Stock)' and 'Farm and Garden Account'.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, on aged paper, with light staining to corners from previous mounting. Reads: 'Dr Jacobson presents his Compliments to Mr Baker and begs leave to inclose a Post Office Order for the Amount of his Bill of May 21st.'

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Clearly addressing the editor of a journal, Molesworth writes: 'Dear W. I cannot do an article, but I give you a beginning, which I hope you'll finish. | I'll attend to what you say. | Yrs. | W. M'. The note is accompanied by an engraved portrait of Molesworth, orating with right hand held high, captioned 'Sir William Molesworth, Bart., M.P.', from the Illustrated London News.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged. He is enclosing 'the Extract from "Men and Women of the Time"' that the editor sent him, with corrections and additions, and would like to see a proof.

1p., 12mo. On grey paper. Aged, with wear and creasing to corners. Reads: 'My dear Lord | I hope to attend without fail the sitting of the naturalisation commission on Wednesday.'

1p., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Franked on reverse of second leaf, with broken seal in red wax, to the firm of London solicitors 'Mess. Platt & Hall | New Boswell Court | Carey Street', with Halls signature ('B Hall' between two horizontal lines) at bottom left. The letter itself reads: 'Gentlemen/ | I have just received a letter from Mess: Prothero & Philipps who state that you will call here to know my intention respecting the Petition presented against my return.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium on monogrammed letterhead. In fair condition, lightly aged. The body of the letter is written by a secretary. A useful communication, laying out the requirements for a batchelor's degree in music during Ouseley's tenure as Heather Professor, between 1855 and 1889. Ouseley writes in reply to Le Tenore's letter, setting out what is 'required of Candidates for the degree of Mus. Bac.', beginning with the composition of 'an exercise in 5 real parts, with accompaniments for a quintett [sic] band.

A good firm signature, appended to a document in another hand, simply reading: 'Admit the Bearer to the House of Commons'. The illegible address and date are in the same hand. In fair condition, lightly aged, with traces of mount on blank reverse.

1p., landscape 12mo. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper, with closed tear and tape stain at head. Reads: 'British Museum | Sept. 12. 1842 | My dear Sir | I was not at home when Mr Justice Norton presented your Note of recommendation to our Reading Room. I lose no time in enclosing a Card for him, with our Regulations. | Yours very truly | Henry Ellis'.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged. Addressed on reverse of second leaf, with red wax seal, to 'Mr. Andrews | Bookseller | New Bond St.' (BBTI has John Andrews at 167 New Bond Street from before 1831 to 1857.) The letter reads: 'Mr. Andrews - | As the French Play is popular you may be able to transfer to other Customers one or two of the Tickets you have taken for me this evening.

On both sides of a piece of thin laid paper, roughly 10 x 12.5 cm, torn from a letter. Aged and worn, with chipping to extremities. The recto reads: '[…] work is to be published? I sh also be much obliged to you i you will give me any informat about America. Is anything done with that distracted countr in the way of early copies? I dare say it is time to sen Baron Tauchnitz the proofs through Williams & Norgate. I trust you will kindly see to that for m We shall be g to the coun […]'.

Both cards around 9 x 12 cm. The first written on one side and the second on both sides. In fair condition, lightly aged. ONE: Begins: 'My dear Plarr, | We were delighted – for your sake – to see the announcement in the Times of your election to the <?> district, which we hope is well worth your acceptance'. He sure that 'we shall all be very sorry to lose you at King's. However I trust we shall sometimes see you.' Postscript: 'We are off to the Borders & the Roman Wall next week.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. He very much regrets that his 'occupation and residence for 1/3rd of the year in the S[outh]. of France render it almost impossible for me to be of use in the way you propose to the L[iver]pool. Arch[itectura]l. Society: for your Session commencing just at the time, when I ought to set out for the Continent.' He will do his best to delay his departure for that year, 'so as to enable me to comply with your request, if you can manage to give me the first week in October'.

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. He has asked his friend 'Mr Reilly' to assure the recipient that he will be with him on the arranged date. 'Independently of my personal interewst in Methodism from the fact of my family having been for 35 years < full?> in connexion with that body, I take as a Christian, an extended interest in the success of your mission, one of the most valuable, I believe, in existence'. After attending a public meeting in Belfast, he will travel 'the same night to Liverpool' and then to London.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged, with traces of mount adhering at corners of reverse. The recipient is not identified. The note is written in a neat hand, and reads: 'Sir | Permit me to offer you my sincere thanks for the valuable communication you have so obligingly procured, relative to the restoration of Rooksey'.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged, with dog-eared corners at foot. Brenton's florid signature is placed at the foot of a numbered list headed 'Plates not returned'. The plates are all on maritime themes, and may be connected with his 'Naval History of Great Britain from the Year 1783 to 1822' (1823) or his 'Life and Correspondence of John, Earl of St. Vincent ' (1838): 'St. Vincent By Beechey | Howe | Battle of Trafalgar | St Johns New Fd Land | Scheldt | Algiers | Sir Charles Pole | Lord Duncan | Copenhagen'.

The Greville Memoirs caused an uproar on its publication in 1874. Queen Victoria described it as a 'dreadful and really scandalous book' which should be 'severely censored and discredited'. Disraeli characterised its author as 'the vainest being—I don't limit myself to man—that ever existed; and I don't forget Cicero and Lytton Bulwer […] when he was not scandalous, he was prolix and prosy—a clumsy, wordy writer […] a more verbose, indefinite, unwieldy affair, without a happy expression, never issued from the pen of a fagged subordinate of the daily press'.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Reads: 'Dear Mr Case, | You are most welcome to my Autograph, which I send in signing myself - | Yours faithfully | Agnes Giberne'.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and with wear to edges. Reads: 'Dear Sir | I have the pleasure of forwarding the official notice of your election as Member of the Society, and send by the same post a copy of the last issue of the Society's Journal. | Your subscription, as intimated, of 10/ may be paid at your convenience.'

1p., 12mo. On grey paper. In fair condition, lightly aged. Reads: 'Dear Sir, | Will you please give me an appointment on Thursday next when I am in town? | Faithfully yours, | Lewis Melville'.

On one side of a 7.5 x 11 cm piece of paper cut from the conclusion of a letter, laid down on another piece of paper. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Reads: '[...] I have got in the birds they come all night - I send in either tomorrow or next day. The above is my new address | Yours truly | William Roberts'. Addressed at bottom left to 'H. Roberts, Esq'.

All three items are in good condition, lightly aged. Both letters are signed 'Richard Bentley'. ONE (ALS, 4 May 1927): 2pp., landscape 12mo. Annotated by Heal at head of first page: 're Writing Masters'. Begins: 'My dear Sir | I thought you MUST have the mezzo of Tomkins! The private schools being adjacent to that of St. Pauls is hardly accidental? It would seem to imply a connection of duties (though not of schools.) and in former times people lived close to their work. No railways – no omnibuses even then. Stage Coaches, pre-Palmer, also slow'.

Sepia-coloured studio photograph on 19 x 14 cm card. Backed on the reverse with brown paper on which are printed the details of the photographic studio responsible, Swaine's of London and Southsea. The print itself is in good condition, lightly aged and worn; the reverse is heavily-worn with traces of glue from previous mounting. Vachell has written his underlined signature in black ink diagonally upwards at the bottom right-hand corner: 'Horace Annesley Vachell.' This studio photograph of Vachell is not present in the National Portrait Gallery collection.

1p., on 12 x 11.5 cm piece of paper, possibly cut from the conclusion of a letter. In fair condition, lightly aged, with traces of glue from mount on reverse and slight loss to two words of text from wear. Apparently written to a family member or intimate (but see note below), the note reads: 'The enclosed is the list of the books that will reach you tomorrow morning by Messrs.