Autograph Letters

All three items 4to, 1 p. All three good, on lightly aged paper. The first and last bearing the stamp of The Royal Society of Arts. Letter One (addressed to H. T. Wood by Menzie's secretary '): 22 June 1917. Wood's letter will be 'placed before' Urquhart on his return from Russia, where he is at the time of writing. Letter Two (addressed to G. K. Menzies by Urquhart): 9 November 1917. He will be pleased to attend the meeting at which he will 'receive the medal awarded me by the Society for my paper on Russia read in November last'.

12mo: 3 pp. Bifolium. 27 lines, written in a shaky hand. On creased, discoloured paper, and with some damage to the second leaf caused by careless removal from mount. Two irregularly-shaped closed tears on the second leaf, one to the left of the signature, have been neatly repaired on the reverse with archival tape. He is glad that his correspondent likes 'our Odyssey: the Iliad is less attractive. [...] I dare not remember all my books, but will ask Messrs Longman to send a list of what they possess. All are very unpopular.' He doesn't write in 'T.

On piece of paper 13 x 8.5 cms. Lightly spotted and discoloured. Traces of previous white paper mount on blank reverse. Reads '<...> certainly go, & see with a true sentiment of respectful Love, the Bust you mention. I have been very ill for sometime, & I am very much still of an Invalid. I am very | Truly Yours | [signed] Jane Davy | Monday | May 19th. 1851.'

12mo: 1 p. On lightly spotted and creased paper. Quintessential doctor's handwriting. He is sorry he cannot be present 'to hear Dr 's paper', and that he cannot find time to write a paper himself. 'The subject is an interesting & important one, & is part of a still larger one <...?> physiologically considered'.

Mackenzie (1816-83) was the founder of the Australian city of Brisbane. One page, 12mo. Good, but with two-inch glue stain, and with traces of mount adhering to verso of blank second leaf of bifolium. Unsigned formal letter in the third person. 'Sir Evan MacKenzie would feel obliged by the Editor of Debrett's restoring the two Highlanders /the supporters to Sir Evan's shield/ which are suppressed in all the editions of Debrett that have hitherto appeared. They appear in "Burke" & the Scutcheon looks bold without them.'

8vo: 3 pp. On grubby, lightly creased paper. The recipient has made Meldrum a 'pretty present' of her edition of Burns (COPAC provides no clue as to her identity). He finds the volumes 'very dainty', and will read her notes 'with interest'. He has already read her 'Introductions' with 'great pleasure'. He comments on her assessment of a couple of poems and finds her 'standpoint' on 'the man & the poet' 'capital'. 'But you must allow me one criticism: you read into the poems a political significance which I'm sure wasn't there.

12mo, 2 pp. Good, on lightly aged paper with slight creasing at head. He is enclosing a letter (not present) apologising 'for absence from Dr. Patersons funeral'. Asks if MacLehose can help him find the address of 'A. Craig Paterson'. 'I know that one of the sons is an English clergyman, but am not sure whether this is he.' The envelope, addressed by Caird to 'Jas. MacLehose Esq. | St. Vincent St. | Glasgow', bears a purple penny stamp, postmarked '159' beside a circular postmark in black ink, containing '4 H | GLASGOW | JU 29 | 81'

12mo: 3 pp. Bifoilum. Thirty-six lines. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper, with several pin holes, light spotting, and a 1 cm closed tear along a fold. A lighthearted epistle, beginning 'Dear Everard, Dear Everard | The Cistercians make an awful mistake in giving free meals. My Charity-organisation Society temperament rises in wrath: if they wd only apply the labour test for an hour or less - but free meals! I have watched the moral ravages of free meals and feel more strongly abt that kind of thing than about Home rule or Mediaeval Brases.

One page, 12mo. Very good. 'Do forgive my delay. I had lost your letter!'

Two pages, 12mo. Very good. In a case involving ['The Sphere'?] newspaper, Crooke has accepted the judgement in the case of the printers Hodge & Co., but he has appealed 'to the Inner House of the Court of Session' against the judgement in the case against the publishers. 'If the appeal is proceeded with it is not likely to be heard sooner than about December.'

Three pages, 12mo. Very good: lightly aged and with the merest glue spot to blank verso of second leaf of bifolium. Mackay's 'signature' appears to be in the same hand as the rest of the letter. He has had a 'severe attack of inflammation of the eye', and this has prevented him from reading or writing during the previous week. For the same reason he is replying to Alford's letter of 1 March through an amanuensis. Three weeks previously Mackay 'received a packet from Mr.

12mo, 1 p. Six lines of text. Good, on lightly aged and creased paper. Inviting Macmillan to join him and 'some of the lads' in a dinner at the Reform Club, 'on the occasion of Colin Hunter's being made an Associate'.

4to, 1 p, 17 lines. He 'deeply appreciate[s] the spirit undlying the contents' of Cavangh's letter, which he found waiting for him on his return the day before 'after attending our beloved late King's Funeral'. 'As you say, the sword and scabbard must have belonged to my great Grandfather, the 4th Earl of Aberdeen, who was Prime Minister during theh Crimea War by the express command of Queen Victoria. He accepted the Premiership on the condition that he should be allowed to resign at the conclusion of the war.' Suggests a meeting in Aberdeen.

The letter (8vo, 1 p) is foxed, but otherwise very good. Had he not been 'engaged for ten days past to dine three or four miles off with an old acquaintance', whom it is too late to disappoint, he would have been happy to avail himself of the kind invitation. Sends best wishes and prayers to the recipient's family, 'from the elder to the youngest'.

12mo: 1 p. With mourning border. Text clear and entire. Good, on lightly-aged and creased paper. Fifteen lines of text. She is returning the 'very interesting & rich autograph book with what I fear isn't a very satisfactory page added. Not caring to mutilate letters, of which I have a few, I cut out a signature of Don's [her husband, killed in an accident in the blackout that year] from one of his note books together with one of his reflections from a notebook'. She has added one of her own notes ('short enough'). She feels sure the fete will be a success.

16mo bifolium (leaf dimensions 11 x 9 cm): 2 pp. 17 lines of text. Very good on lightly aged paper. Wonders whether Lockyer would like to spend his Easter holidays at Altnaharra, for a fortnight from 14 April. (The Altnaharra Hotel was used by anglers visiting the nearby lochs.) 'It is an expensive journey; but the sport is good - at least it has been good this last fortnight, but now we are sadly in want of rain. The weather is like June, only more so.' Forty salmon have been killed 'in these two weeks, averaging 11 lbs each'. Black's publisher was Alexander Macmillan.

Scottish geologist (1810-79). Sir Richard Owen (1804-92) was a naturalist. One page, 12mo. Very good, though grubby and creased in one corner. Traces of mount adhering to blank verso. 'I have much pleasure in at length having it in my power to send you a proof of your memoir. It has been far longer delayed than I expected. I send you the press proof as there are a good many connections and queries in the margin'. Signed 'James Nicol'. Note: Perhaps concerning "Memoir of William Clift, F.R.S." (1849).

Wife of the noted Scottish naturalist (1830-82). The recipient (1812-1904) is author of the celebrated 'Self-help' (1859). Three pages, 12mo, with mourning border. Very good on slightly discoloured paper. She has found among her late husband's letters 'one from you in which you ask for any information which was in my husband's power to give about the late Mr. Robert Dick of Thurso and for any letters of his which might be of use in preparing a Memoir of Robert Dick's life'.

12mo bifolium: 3 pp. Good, though lightly creased. Tipped in on the blank verso of the second leaf, to a green paper folder on which an eight-line biographical entry of Shand has been laid down. He has left the packet containing the letters which Mrs Smith 'values' so 'highly' at the Reform Club, not wishing, in case it has changed, to send them to Smith's 'address in the Blue Book'. As he cannot 'make a decent excuse' for the delay in returning them, he throws himself on Smith's mercy.

Scottish historian (1762-1818), friend of Charles James Fox and Sir Walter Scott. 1 page, 8vo. Bifoliate, in very good condition, addressed on reverse of second leaf to 'Mr. John Mounsey | Furrier | Sunderland'. Difficult handwriting. 'Dear Sir. | <?> the beginning of March I sent to Lowth, by Mr Sir Joseph Banks, to be forwarded to you at Sunderland, Two matts or packages of Rabbit skins, containing 2127 Skins.

Scottish art critic and engineer (1864-1950). One page, octavo. Very good. Bearing the Society's stamp. 'It is very good of the Council of the Royal Society of Arts to ask me to become a member, but, while thanking them, I regret that I do not see my [^ way,] at present, to join any more societies.' Signed 'James L. Caw'.

Scottish noble (1755-1836) and Chancellor of Glasgow University. 2 pages, 16mo. Creased and with one closed tear, but in good condition overall, and with the blank second leaf of the bifoliate attached to a piece of card. He has received Daniel's letter of 6 January, and although he hopes that 'the Publication in question, may do honor to the Contributors, & promote the prosperity of the University of Glasgow', he does not 'consider that it would be judicious, for the Chancellor of the University to appear as a Subscriber'.

Scottish aristocrat (1789-1858). Sharp (1781-1849) was an antiquary of some note. Three pages, 12mo. In poor condition: folded twice and with considerable staining along the folds. Attached, by verso of second leaf of bifoliate, to larger piece of paper.

Symington (1825-98), a minor Scottish poet, traveller and author, spent a year in America and edited a selection of President Garfield's speeches, and thus was accorded an entry in Appleton's Cyclopaedia. The poem (four pages, 12mo, on bifoliate, very good with light spotting and staining) is printed in blue, with an engraving in black of (according to the poem) 'a Harp [...] of rare beauty [...] On either side, an alabaster Cross | Of snowy whiteness twined with dew-sprent flowers' and a 'white Dove with an olive branch [...] | Descending'.

Dickson (born 1850) was Tory M.P. for Glasgow, Lord Advocate and Lord Justice Clerk. The four letters, all 12mo and all on House of Commons Library notepaper, are dusty and creased. Three are dated (30 and 31 December and 2 January) and signed; the other letter is undated and initialed. LETTER ONE: 'I spoke to the Lord Advocate to-day & he then definitely informed me that the Lord President entirely approved of the Bill.' LETTER TWO: 'I have spoken to the Advocate about the date of the committee stage & we will I believe have some weeks yet.

Scottish scholar, folklorist, poet and man of letters (1844-1912). Four pages, 12mo. Good, but the last page in particular grubby and stained. Shaky hand indicating old age. He wishes his correspondent (presumably a member of the noted firm of solicitors), 'or some other discreet and learned person, had seen the portrait [owned by Freshfield?] in its quite untouched condition. The eyes are not of the usual long heavy lidded kind, and the mouth is rather "restored," I think. | It should be of 1579, when Mary was allowed to send presents to James VI, which he was not allowed to accept.

Scottish diplomat and governor of India (1819-98). Four pages, 12mo. On mourning paper. Folded twice. Creased and grubby and with traces of previous mounting adhering. Slight loss at foot of first leaf of bifoliate, affecting one word of text. Headed 'Private'. Haly's letter to the private secretary of the Governor of Madras has been placed in Napier's hands. 'I regret that I feel myself under the necessity of declining the dedication of your intended work.

Lord High Chamberlain (1782-1865). One page, quarto. Very good if somewhat grubby. Lightly folded. Reads 'My Lord/ As principal heritor in the parish of Cargill allow me to petition Your Lordship to obtain the Royal presentation to the church and parish of Cargill in the county of Perth and presbitary [sic] of Dunkeld vacant by the death of The Revd. [last word deleted in pencil and replaced by 'Mr J. F'] Bannerman, in favor of the Revd ['Mr' added in pencil] Michael Stirling of Crieff ['Minister of the Gospel' added in pencil]'. Signed 'P Burrell'.

Scottish naval architect (1860-1936) and shipbuilder, President of the Institute of Marine Engineers. Seventeen items, various formats. In good condition though dusty and creased. Several items docketed and bearing the R.S.A. stamp. Correspondence indicates Denny's involvement in the R.S.A. matters (lecturing, serving on council, etc). LETTER ONE (30 January 1917): Asks for a dozen copies of the R.S.A. Journal. 'We have in our Works here Committees of Workmen collecting money for war charities and I am anxious to let them read Mr.

Scottish aristocrat and soldier (1871-1942). One page, quarto. Very good. Docketed in ink. The delay in replying is 'due to my having been extremely busy changing houses.' '[I]t is not possible for me to accept your invitation to take the Chair at Professor Stebbing's lecture [...] as I explained to you I am afraid I am almost certain to have to be away from London on that day.' Signed 'Atholl'.