George Lillie Craik (1798-1866), Scottish author and literary critic, Professor of English Literature and History at the Queen's College, Belfast [John Hunter (1801-1869) of Craigcrook]
Publication details:
The first letter addressed from Holywood, Belfast; the other two in envelopes with Belfast postmarks. Three letters dated 25 July 1861 and 13 and 23 January 1862. The other letter undated.
£220.00
Totalling 16pp., 12mo. In very good condition, on lightly-aged paper. With two envelopes (both initaled 'G. L. C.') with Penny Red postage stamps and Belfast postmarks (13 and 25 January 1862), both addressed by Craik to 'John Hunter, Esq: | Craigcrook | by Edinburgh', also a similar envelope, with Belfast postmark dated 27 August 1861, addressed to Hunter at 'Robertson's Lodgings | 24 St. Stephen's Green North | Dublin'. Chatty, friendly letters in a crabbed, difficult hand. On 13 January 1862 Craik writes: 'I am very glad you have spoken to Dr. John Brown.
Francis Jeffrey (1773-1850), Lord Jeffrey, editor of the 'Edinburgh Review' [John Hunter (1801-1869) of Craigcrook, son of Professor James Hunter (1745-1837), and nephew by marriage of Jeffrey]
Publication details:
Craigcrook. 25 October 1849.
£50.00
4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, on aged paper, with closed tears unobtrusively repaired with archival tape. Addressed to 'John Hunter Esqre | Auditor of Court of Sn.' Written three months before Jeffrey's death, the letter begins: 'My dear Hunter - I hope you do not think that I have been forgetful of you - or indifferent to your fortunes - or ungrateful for your very kind expressions - and I firmly believe feelings - towards me - because I may appear to have been slow in offering you my congratulations on your late appointment [as Auditor of the Court of Sessions]'.
Thomas Knox, Esq., J.P., President of the Watt Club; W. B. Hodgson, Esq., LL.D., Professor of Commercial and Political Economy, &c., in the University of Edinburgh [James Watt; Heriot-Watt University]
Publication details:
ONE: 'At the Annual Dinner of the Club, held on Saturday Evening, 19th January, 1878'. [J. & T. L. Allan, Printers, 15 Grassmarket, Edinburgh.] TWO: 'At the Closing of the Ffifty-Eighth Winter Session, April 1879'. [Edinburgh: William Green, 1879.]
£220.00
Both items are scarce, with the only copies on COPAC (other than 'electronic resources') at the National Library of Scotland. ONE: 'The Watt Club. Instituted 1854. Address by Thomas Knox, Esq., J.P., As President of the Watt Club, in proposing "The Memory of Watt,"' at the Annual Dinner of the Club, held on Saturday Evening, 19th January, 1878. Reprinted by the Club from Public Reports for Distribution among the Students.' 8pp., 12mo. In grey printed wraps. Stitched. Disbound. In good condition, on aged paper, with central vertical fold line.
John Corrie (1769-1839), dissenting minister of Woodville, Birmingham [his daughter S. E. Hill; Dr Samuel Parr; James Watt; Matthew Boulton; William Galton; Lunar Society]
Publication details:
The account is dated to 1841. The letter is written from '<Stockley?> Rectory | Wedy. night'.
£200.00
Corrie was the son of Rev. Josiah Corrie (1725-1800) of Kenilworth. He was educated at Daventry Academy and New College, Hackney. He was a schoolmaster and a Unitarian minister at the Old Meeting House (1817-19), and president of the Birmingham Philosophical Society, to which, in 1819, he introduced Maria Edgeworth, who notes in a letter her admiration for his 'very agreeable benevolent countenance, most agreeable voice'. In William Field's memoir of Dr Samuel Parr he is numbered among the 'clerical friends' in whose company Parr 'delighted'.
Francis Wheler of Whitley, lawyer [Matthew Boulton (1728-1809), business partner of John Watt; Boulton's brother-in-law Luke Robinson; John Barker, Lichfield banker; Lunar Society of Birmingham]
Publication details:
Wheler's opinion dated 'Temple July 12 1764'.
£125.00
Folio, 1 p. Text clear and complete. Lightly-aged and creased. Remains of red wafer in left margin. Folded into a packet, and docketed on reverse 'Case for Mr. Wheler | 1 G[uine]a. | Martin & Hay for Nevill'. The upper half of the document consists of eighteen lines in the hand of the enquirer (presumably one of a firm of solicitors named 'Martin & Hay", acting for one 'Nevill'), with the last two lines posing the question; the lower half consists of fifteen lines in Wheler's hand, signed by him 'Frans Wheler', and dated by him in the bottom left-hand corner.
Sir William Henry Preece (1834-1913), 'Engineer-in-Chief and Electrician, General Post Office, London; Vice-President of the Institution of Civil Engineers.'
Publication details:
London: Printed by William Clowes and Sons, Limited, Stamford Street and Charing Cross. 1897.
£120.00
8vo: 13 pp. Stitched. In original cream printed wraps. On aged, spotted paper, in heavily worn wraps. Facsimile of handwriting at head of front wrap reads 'With the Author's Compliments'. Two diagrams in text.
Four pages, 8vo. She declines to translate "White Fang" because the similarity of its "most important scenes" to those in "The Call of the Wild" ("leading" Paris editors agree with her) would jeopardise sales, suggesting that compression into one third of the original length would be necessary. She remits eight guineas to be forwarded to Jack London, and makes a play for the rights to translate a new Robert Hichens novel. WITH: typed note signed, 8vo, in German, from the publishers, Ferdinand Schoningh, to A.P. Watt, 20 Nov.
Sir Anthony Hope Hawkins (d.1933)(DNB) From the archives of literary agents, A.P. Watt, letters, copy letters, listings of publishers, titles of books (inc. Zenda, etc) and contributions, royalties and valuations inc. literary estate, payments to Lady Hawkins c. 18 pages, 8vo and folio, most in manuscript.
(Oxford Companion, ed. Drabble)) From the archives of literary agents, A.P. Watt, letters, copy letters, listings of publishers, titles of books (Pimpernel, Lady Molly etc) and contributions, films, translations, royalties and valuations inc. literary estate, foreign rights, c. 25 pages, 8vo and folio, most in manuscript.