Autograph Letter Signed to [Sir Charles Edward] Trevelyan.

English historian (1809-91), author of a celebrated account of the Crimean War, and of the book 'Eothen' (1844). The recipient Trevelyan (1807-86) was another historian, and Macaulay's brother-in-law. Three pages, 12mo. With mourning border. Good, but on discoloured paper, and with traces of glue from previous mounting adhering to blank verso of second leaf of bifoliate. Date on watermark 1875. Interesting assessment of one celebrated historian by another. 'My dear Trevelyan | I will not fail to ask for you today at the Athenaeum & to take any opportunity I can find of being being [sic] useful in the matter. | I am very glad you apprised me. The circumstance you mention makes it right to be on the qui vive, but I must say the Club would make itself ridiculous if it were not to elect you & elect you too with a great welcome, for it is certain, as I consider, that (if you & your friends had chosen the plan) it would have been the duty of the Committee to elect you for the high "distinction in literature" which you have achieved. I say this with more confidence than my own mere opinion could give me. I once heard Delane [John Thadeus Delane (1817-79), editor of The Times] speak of "Cawnpore" [published in 1865] in terms shewing that he thought it almost the greatest book in our language. | I trust for my own sake that you will be a frequenter of the Club.' Signed 'A W Kinglake'.