Autograph Letters

Two pages, 4to, foxing but text clear and complete. In Germanof which I understand little, but he seems to be describing his official travels in Germany after the War ("Legal Division"), mutual acquaintance and interests. He asks if he has read his book "Political Reconstruction". He concludes by discussing the state of the defeated German nation and the Military Government under General Clay. Scan provided on request.

16mo (13.5 x 10 cm): 2 pp. A bifolium, addressed on the reverse of the second leaf. The first leaf has been slightly trimmed at the bottom, resulting in some loss to the bottom line of the recto. A formal letter in the third person, written in a close, difficult hand. Carefully detailing the missing sections in his copy of the 'Dictionnaire Anamitique-Latin'.

Text of all three letters clear and entire. A well-written and well-informed correspondence relating to 'locomotive matters'. Letter One (14 October 1942): Manuscript. Foolscap, 4 pp. Good, on aged high-acidity paper. 'Knowing, and to some extent, at least, sharing' King's 'interest in loco matters', Pimm informs him that the Ministry of Supply 'have ordered 360 L.M.S. mixed traffics generally like the 227 that AW's [Armstrong Whitworth] bill as their last order'.

12mo: 1 p. Seven lines of text. On creased and lightly-aged watermarked wove paper. Regarding Sir Henry Bate Dudley's farce 'At Home', performed 'with universal approbation' at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden, in 1813. 'Should the Box of the Prince Regent be disengaged on Monday next at Covent Garden Lady Landsdowne [sic] (the Dow-) is anxious to see "At Home" Could she have it?'

On a piece of yellow paper (roughly 7.5 x 10 cm), laid down on a light-green page (roughly 14 x 8 cm) torn from an autograph album. Lightly aged and spotted, but good overall. Reads ' "Remember that if you are in the right you can afford to keep your temper. When you are in the wrong you can't afford to lose it" | [signed] J B. Hobbs.' And in a smaller hand, diagonally in the bottom right-hand corner 'Best wishes to Peter Briggs | [signed] JBH'.

16mo (11.5 x 9 cm): 1 p. On aged paper with a diagonal crease towards top right-hand corner. In a shaky hand. Reads 'With much pleasure I accept your hospitable invitation for Nov. 20, at 1/4 to 8; - and am | Very truly Your's | [signed] J. Doran'.

12mo: 1 p. Seven lines of text. Monogram in red in top left-hand corner. On creased and aged paper, with pinholes at head (not affecting text). Scan on request.

12mo: 2 pp. Twenty-one lines of text. Very good, on lightly aged paper. Admits that he has 'been very remiss in answering' Harford's 'kind note, and acknowledging the book which accompanied it'. 'I may be excused, for I am, indeed, overwhelmed by letters, interviews, meetings, & all sorts of business'. He will soon read the book, which he hopes will raise his spirits 'from the daily increasing wear & tear of body & mind, in these troublous times in which we live'.

12mo: 2 pp. Sixteen lines of text. Good, on aged paper, with a strip from the previous mount adhering at the head of the reverse. Docketed in a contemporary hand 'Jacob Bell' and 'M. P. for St. Albans 1851.' He thanks him for taking the trouble to search 'the last document which fortunately is found much to my surprise in a store room in my own house'. He 'cannot account for the accident' and apologises once again.

4to: 1 p. Thirteen lines of text. Text clear and entire on aged and creased paper. Remains of stub from previous mounting adhering to reverse, and short printed biography tipped in along margin. A formal letter in the third person. Galway is 'extremely [underlined] sorry that he shold have given Mr. Neale so much trouble respecting the eighth Part of Westminster Abbey', which the peer had assumed was missing, but 'finds upon farther examination that it is with the other numbers'.

12mo: 1 p. Dimensions of leaf 11 x 9 cm. Twelve lines of text, headed 'P. 320'. In poor condition: grubby and aged. Laid down on piece of grey paper removed from autograph book. 2 cm closed tear in bottom left-hand corner affecting a couple of words of text. Difficult hand. Criticising a note, giving references to three works. Ends 'I don't see any use in printing this letter - but Sir F. Madden will tell you better. | JM -'.

12mo: 1 p. Good, on aged and lightly-ruckled paper. Text clear and entire. Difficult hand. Asks the recipient to 'allow the Bearer to see the L<?> Papers laid on the Table yesterday'. Also asks that the papers 'be printed as soon as possible as I shall mention them in the house'.

12mo: 1 p. Nine lines. With black mourning border. In poor condition: creased and grubby, with wear to extremities, pin holes and closed tear neatly repaired on reverse with archival tape. The letter is written out by a secretary, and signed by Faure. Thanks him for the 'exemplaire des statistiques du commerce avec la côte d'Afrique', a 'document dont j'ai pris connaisance avec le plus vif interêt'. Hutton took an interest in African affairs, and was a friend of David Livingstone's finder Henry Morton Stanley.

On a piece of paper roughly 4 x 7 cm. Very good, on slightly discoloured paper. Reads '<...> 34 years of His Maies <...> | [signed] Arlington'. The second of the two versions of Arlington's signature reproduced by Rawlins ('Five Hundred Years of British Autographs', p.63, no.8). Arlington was the first 'A' in the CABAL ministry, the name made up of the initials of the five privy councillors who conducted Charles II's government after the fall of Clarendon in 1667: Clifford, Arlington, Buckingham, Ashley and Lauderdale.

Four pages, 8vo, good condition, much underlining. "Thanks for your letter and the wonderful 'Lecture on Art' - no magic lantern & no slides - nothing equal to black and white - Thanks for the tie too! - I have worn it ever since in 'umble honour of the great 'Lika Joko' [Furniss's pseudonym]." He continues in the same jocular manner, discussing a performance Furniss didn't get to and one for which he wants five tickets.

Total thirteen pages, mainly 8vo, fair to good condition, texts clear and complete. Jocular, often obscurely, and in a difficult hand, subjects include: an invitation to ride; Furniss missing the Cardinal; trip to Calais; Paris trip for "Mr Punch"; "night gatherings of clubs"; Lord Rosebery; another ride, giving directions, suggesting meeting at Tenniel's place, and concluding with cartoon of a mill on top of a hill (obvious destination); reference to the Punch table and something confidential happening involving the proprietors.

Total four pages, 8vo, dusted but text clear and complete. (Sept.) He is sorry to have missed him and has to go to Dumfries the following day "on Territorial Force business". He looks forward to luncheon during the subsequent week. "If you care to put a fly over Loch Elrig, pray do so, and tell Hannan you require the boat. There are good trout up to 3lb in the loch. | I hope you are not going to allow the Wye to be polutted. That would indeed be an inhuman outrage." (Oct.) He appreciates the three photograpsh Hutton has sent of the "House of Elrig.

Card, c. 10 x 8cm, good condition. Text: "For the Suffrage Bazaar | Israel Zangwill". On the reverse a printed biography of Zangwill is laid down (cutting) obscuring a phrase written there, starting "For the Manchester & Distri [ rest obscured".

One page, 8vo, grubby but text clear and complete. He introduces a colleague from his Green Room, Frederick Mervin, whom he describes as a good fellow as well as an actor and singer of ability. He hopes his correspondent will make Mervin's "trip to the Colonies pleasant to him (presumably Australia) . "I hear all the news about you from your brother Alfie when I meet him. I trust this new venture will be hugely successful." Note: Lyster opened in Melbourne with a new company but died in Nov. 1880, presumably shortly after receiving this letter.

One page, 8vo, good condition. Boddy of letter in secretrarial hand, signed "Yours sincerely | C Bradlaugh". Text: "Protest against war in the Sudan. | Dear Sir | I should be obliged if you would kindly add to the letter you have received from me that S Storey Esq MP & Professor Beesly have also consented to attend & speak at the St James Hall meeting on April 2nd."

Six pages, 8vo, some edges dusty but mainly good condition. (1892) He can't leave the House of Commons at 5 o'clock. (March 1905) Thanks Hutton for a copy of the Proceedings at the Banquet of the British Cotton Growing Association, and for references in it to Balfour's contributions to the "movement". (Nov. 1905) Thanks for a copy of the Second Annual Report of the British Cotton Growing Association, and is pleased with the movement's progress. With: A memo (a pencilled note explains), on 13 Jan. 1903, "drawn up by McNiel & corrected by Mr Balfour".

On a piece of paper roughly 5.5 x 13 cm. Good firm signature (8 cm long) on lightly aged and creased paper. Reads 'Faithfully yours | [signed] Marie Corelli'. Fragment on reverse reads '<...> education nowadays <...> hope you <...> induced to <...> estimable'.

Dimensions of paper 3 x 8 cm. Good, firm signature, on lightly aged and spotted paper. The flourish beneath the signature (paraph) has been cropped.

16mo: 1 p. 14 lines of text. Close hand. He is touched that Sainte-Beuve has found time, in the midst of his labours, to write a letter expressing his 'adhésion'. 'Je suis heureux de penser, en vous écrivant rue Montparnasse [Sainte-Beuve lived at no. 11], que la philosophie et l'esprit d'indépendence ont toujours un ami dans la maison de Sainte-Beuve'.

Both items clear and entire: good on lightly aged paper. Both addressed, with postmarks, to 'Mrs. Admiral Paterson, East Cosham Cottage, near Portsmouth.' Letter One, to 'My dear Ellen' (4to, 8 pp). Long letter, leaving his sister 'to judge as a reasonable Being whether I do not do every thing that can possibly be expected from me'. He is at present in debt to the tune of £460. Letter Two, to 'My dear Sister' (4to, 4 pp). Another letter dealing with the financial matters of the family. Docketed 'Dr. Yeats most strongly desiring his Sister Mrs.

12mo: 2 pp. Very good on lightly aged paper. Asks if it might be possible, as previously, to forward a packet to 'Mr. d'Abbadie': 'depuis deux ans je suis sans nouvelles de lui'. It is six months since he had the honour of forwarding a similar packet via the French legation at Lisbon. Good firm signature, but with the words '(Le comte de Montalembert)' in another hand beneath it, and interfering with the flourish (paraph).

On a piece of wove paper, roughly 5 x 14.5 cm. Rough lower edge. Good, on lightly aged paper. 0.5 cm closed tear at left (not affecting signature). Paper folded once vertically. Good clear signature.

12mo: 3 pp. Good, on lightly aged paper. Small spike hole through both leaves of the bifolium. Text clear and entire. Execrable hand. Begins 'I certainly shall not secede from my conditional Promise'. Paragraph describing the weather ('The Heat of the Weather here is intolerable.') 'I agree entirely with respect to the Character of our worthy departed friend. It is a great loss to this Part of the Country.'

12mo, 2 pp. Good, on lightly creased paper. Lists four books about the 1924 Everest expedition. Suggests that the recipient 'ask the librarian of the Alpine Club, 74 South Audley Street London W.1. for the name of the bookseller who specializes in second-hand mountaineering literature'.

Prime Minister (1770-1827), signed “G.C.”, 2pp., 8vo, good. He acknowledges correspondence and asks for copies of the “Civil ListPapers laid upon the House of Commons this year” and those of last year.He could borrow these from a “Mr Backhouse” but would rather not“break in upon his set”.