Autograph Letters

12mo, 3 pp. In bifolium. 28 lines. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper. He is going to do Lanley 'a great favor' by assisting him 'to become acquainted with my friend Mrs. Bigelow Laurence [widow of Timothy Bigelow Laurence (1826-1869)] - who will be in England during the summer or autumn'. Reminisces about 'a book you and Casserly and I once planned at a breakfast table here', which was 'to consist of the best specimens of the skill and power of the Poets giving one chance to each'. To assist Lanley he is letting him know 'a woman who is a judge of poetry in its best sense.

12mo, 2 pp. 20 lines. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with slight creasing to corners. He is glad to have the autographs she has sent him. He is sending '28 of my duplicates'. His wife is 'very fairly well, but the heat tries her a good deal'. He himself enjoys the heat. 'The temperature here in the sun to-day was only 110 degrees - just the same as it was in the shade in Cairo when I was there last June!'

On the lower part of a letter, cut to form a rectangle, 11.5 x 18 cm. In good condition, with traces of stub from mounting along one edge, and a thin strip of paper, with Burgoyne's name in manuscript neatly laid down beneath the signature. Reads 'I have the honor to be | Your Excellency's | Most Obedient | Humble Servant | [signed] J. F.

12mo, 1 p. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with thin strip of stub from mount adhering to an edge. He is enclosing, for his sister's friend, a 'baker's dozen' of autographs, 'all holographs except one envelope'. He refers to a list of the items on the reverse (not present), before concluding 'The letters of Frances Lady Waldegrave & Louisa Marchioness of Waterford are characteristic'.

On one side of a piece of paper, 9.5 x 7.5 cm. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. Minor traces of stub in thin strip along one edge. Reads 'Elderfield | Decr 19 | Dear Madam | The Story you mean is in the Christmas number of the Monthly Packet for 1877 | Yours truly | [signed] C M Yonge'. Docketed on reverse in a contemporary hand 'Miss Charlotte M. Yonge Authoress of The Daisy Chain etc. etc. etc'.

12mo, 1 p. On bifolium, with Stratford Canning's docketing on the reverse of the second leaf. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with thin strip of stub from mounting adhering to one edge. A 'strong wish is entertained' that Stratford Canning's name 'be added to the Committee of the Palestine Exploration Fund'. He is enclosing a paper 'which will show its nature'. Canning notes that the letter was 'Ansd. 18 | No objection to be a member of the Committee provided I incur no responsibility beyond that of throwing an occasional mite into the subscription fund.'

The bill is printed on one side of a piece of grey paper, 25 x 13.5 cm. Good, on lightly-creased paper, with spikehole to one corner. On the bill Castang is described as 'Dealer in Ornamental Waterfowl, Pheasants, Cranes, Rheas, Kangaroos, Deer, etc. Original and many years sole importer of Hungarian Partridges. | Particular attention to packing export orders. Waterfowl in full adult plumage pinioned, taken direct from the water.' Seventeen types of bird are listed, from Teal to Black East Indian.

Letter One: 12mo, 12 p. Fourteen lines. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper. Asks to 'rescind' his promise to go with Robinson to the races, as 'One of those troublesome fellows whom we call clients, but who are sometimes called victims by the ignorant & vicious, has made an appointment for me this afternoon'. Letter Two: 12mo, 1 p. Asking Robinson to join him and two others at a dinner with General Burnett at the Union Club.

12mo, 1 p. With mourning border. In fair condition, on aged paper with pinholes at the corners from mounting. The address Leckie wants 'is given here as "Oriental Bank." May it help you!'

On both sides of card, 9 x 11.5 cm. 16 lines. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged card. Gives dates when they will be in Curzon Street. 'I do hope that we shall find you better. My little red book [possibly a pamphlet printed for private circulation, containing recollections of Gladstone] seems to satisfy everybody, which is an immense pleasure to me'. The book and photograph have delighted 'Agnes Jones' sister', and she has 'letters from Mr Gladstone & Mr Rathbone, & a leader - not a mere review - in the Manchester Guardian'.

12mo, 1 p. In a bifolium. Docketed by Stratford Canning on the reverse of the second leaf. Very good, on lightly-aged paper, with thin strip of stub from mount adhering to one edge. He 'cannot resist' staying there the next day, 'as Lady C. & I hope to bring our Daughter up to London on Tuesday', a day on which, if convenient, he will be 'most happy' to see Stratford Canning at the Foreign Office.

12mo, 2 pp. 11 lines. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with strip of stub from mount along one edge, and two small strips of paper bearing biographical information (he is described as 'Consul Gen Alexandria during riots & bombardment') laid down at head of reverse. He says he will not be 'leaving Alexandria before the middle of July'. He hopes to see Lane-Poole there on his 'way through'. Asks for a telegram giving notice.

12mo, 4 pp. Unbound bifolium pamphlet. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper. Divided into two sections: 'Experimental Physiology' ('From the Morning Post') and 'Anaesthetics and the Lower Animals' ('From "The Spectator."). Note at end of pamphlet reads 'London Anti-Vivisection Society, 180, Brompton Road, S.W. Price 1/2d., per post 1d., 12 copies 5d.; 1/6 for 50; 2/6 per 100 post free; to be had of Mr. R. SYDNEY GLOVER, Secretary, of whom also may be had (free) a Form of Petition to Parliament against Vivisection.

Cut into a rectangle, 4 x 10 cm. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with vertical crease to one side, well away from the signature. Reads 'Yours very truly, | [signed] Frank Harris.' 'To S. Lane-Poole Esq.' in bottom left-hand corner. Docketed on reverse 'Editor of Saturday Review & Author of "Elder Conklin'.

4to, 1 p. Twenty lines. Text clear and complete. On aged and lightly-creased paper. Responding to 'the kind note of his esteemed Country woman Mrs. Wallack'. He is 'gratified to learn, that Mr. Wallack will present to the Parisian public representations in the English language, of the best of our Tragedies & Comedies'. He wishes the Wallacks 'the most complete success, and will with pleasure attend the performances, when his health will permit him & his family to do so'. Two of Mason's family will take up Wallack's offer of tickets for the opening.

12mo, 3 pp. 42 lines of text. Clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Small ink stain at foot of reverse of blank second leaf (not affecting text). Interesting letter, revealing of the politics surrounding appointments within nineteenth-century Harvard. The 'Lectureship' having been 'carried throough', Everett repeats his 'very special request that in some way the Undergraduates may have an opportunity of attending the course - This I regard as vital'. Reports the view of 'Mr. Eliot' on the idea that Everett 'desired to be on the staff of instructors at Harvard'.

According to the diarist Sir Edward Walter Hamilton, the second reading of the Divorced Wife's Sister Bill caused 'great excitement'. Due to clerical opposition, the Bill did not reach the statute book until 1907, and even then in a limited form. These seven items provide an interesting glimpse into the inner workings of the Victorian legislative process. All are clear and complete, and docketed by Dalhousie in red. All in fair condition, with various degrees of aging.

Letter: Foolscap (32 x 20 cm), 1 p. Text clear and complete. 4 lines. In poor condition: on aged paper with chipping and closed tears. Male recipient not named. Heard finds 'no Objection to the Prayer of the annexed Petition of the Right Honble Lord Rawdon that he and his Issue may take and bear the Surname and Arms of Hastings.' Petition: Foolscap (32 x 20 cm), 1 p. Text clear and complete, the body of the petition consisting of twenty lines. On aged, brittle paper, with closed tears along fold lines, and chipping to extremities.

12mo, 1 p. Nine lines. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged and creased paper. He asks for 'a copy of the Tales of the Thames Rowing Club and any information as to its history', as he is 'compiling a book about the Thames' and is 'anxious to have all the rowing clubs right'. He is only troubling Rye because his 'application to the Secretary has produced no reply'. 'Dickens's Dictionary of the Thames' appeared in 1879.

12mo, 2 pp. With mourning border. 42 lines. Text clear and complete. On aged and worn paper, with slight chipping to extremities. Herbert has not yet received Wyatt's 'promised letter', but wants 'to say one word [...] about the lighting of the Wilton Chapel. The Gap must be brought to the centre of the Ceiling before the works are completed, as Mr. Olivier wishes to give Eveng. Lectures to the Servants on different occasions & I thought a Corona in the centre would light the whole [...] I can quite trust to yr. Taste to choose one.

8vo, 3 pp. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. In a difficult hand. Apparently relating to a proposed meeting and dinner for 'tous les trois' (including ''). It is curiously difficult to discover anything, either about Würtz or about the Commission.

12mo, 4 pp, in a bifolium, with postscript on reverse of a Commercial Bank of Scotland 'Paid-in Slip'. Text clear and complete on aged and worn paper. Difficult hand. A fluent and energetic letter. Regarding the queries concerning 'Strasburg, and other words', 'the German Authorities which I fancy you consulted [...] are in my Edinburgh house'. He suggests writing to the London booksellers Williams & Norgate. He is glad to learn that 'Lockhart is turned a golfer.

12mo, 2 pp. On bifolium. 12 lines. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Part of the leaf to which the item was attached in an autograph album adhering to blank part of reverse of second leaf. 'Miss Cross' has written to him again, 'desiring me to use my influence in obtaining an engagement for her. - She states she is "quite disengaged now" '. Sothern states that when she made a similar request on a previous occasion 'there was some little misunderstanding', so he considers it best to 'drop you a line'.

16mo (13.5 x 9 cm), 1 p. On recto of first leaf of bifolium. Good, on aged paper. Traces of brown paper mount adhering to reverse of second leaf. Reads 'You & the young Ladies will be welcome whenever it suits you best. After 2 oClock you will be least liable to Interruption.'

On one side of a piece of paper, an irregular rectangle cut from the front of a letter (10 cm x 13 cm at head and 16 cm at foot). On aged paper with pinholes from mounting. Small signature boxed in to the bottom left-hand corner by Waddington. Addressed to 'Fritz Cunliffe Owen Esqre | 4 Grafton Street | Piccadilly'. Owen's note, above the address, reads 'Dr. friend Leckie. Your sister may like to have this autogr. of the French ambassador Mr. Waddington as you know, a great French statesman - au revoir a Bologna on Sunday morning. Yours affect. [signed] Fritz Cunliffe Owen'.

12mo, 1 p. Eleven lines of text. Good, on aged and dusty paper, with minor traces of mount adhering to blank reverse. The delayed reply is due to the fact that he only returned from the continent on the previous day. 'My fee for a full consultation Palmistry Psychometry & Crystal is £1 - 1 - 0'. As he is 'very busy', an appointment is necessary 'to avoid disappointment'.

12mo, 1 p. 6 lines. Clear and complete. Fair, on aged and slightly grubby paper, with strip of glue from mount on blank reverse, which has laid down on it a ten-line biographical newspaper cutting referring to Slade ('[...] one of the youngest major-generals on the Staff in the Army [...] His most recent appointment was that of Assistant Adjutant-General at Woolwich'). He is sending 'a missed lot of Soldiers autographs. Some that you already have may be useful in exchanging for others'.

4to: 1 p. 10 lines of text. Good, on lightly aged paper. Text clear and entire. Docketed on the reverse of the otherwise-blank second leaf of the bifolium. See preceding letter on same subject (#8136). He hoped to have met his correspondent "ar WestWycombe" to discuss the cottage occupied by a "poor man" which may be on a neighbour's land. A "trifling affair". "I did nequire about it last summer, and was told that it was built on the waste by some poor man and I suppose some small fine might have been set on it by the Jury at my Court as a trespass on the waste.

Four pages, foolscap (33.5 x 20.5 cm). In a bifiolium. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Light staining at foot of second leaf (not affecting text). Apparently written in reply to a request from Bower regarding the number of men able to bear arms within the territory.

The seven signatures are each cut from a letter. They are mounted in two columns on a page of grey paper, roughly 22.5 x 27.5 cm, removed from an autograph album. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper with occasional light spotting. At the head of the page is the word 'Horseman', with each individuals occupation in the same hand on the mount beneath his autograph. One (2.5 x 11 cm): '<...> delivery? | Yrs truly | Roderic Owen' ['Gentleman rider']. Two (5.5 x 11.5 cm): '<...> Yrs truly | Sam Darling' ['trainer']. Three (3.5 x 12 cm): '<...> Yours very sincerely | C. Morton' ['Trainer'].