ADAM

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, on aged paper, with negligible traces of mount adhering to the blank reverse of the leaf. Addressed to 'Dr Clarke | Harper St.' After explaining that the Commissioners of the Public Records want lists of the new plates for the first volume of 'Foeder', and another list of 'the old ones necessary to be re engraved', reminds him that he promised the latter list 'in September last'.

1p., 4to. 31 lines of text, written in a neat and close hand.

A substantial letter, 3pp., foolscap 8vo. 100 lines of text. Bifolium. In very good condition, on aged paper, with one closed along crease line neatly repaired with archival tape. Addressed on reverse of second leaf, with Chatham postmark, frank, and black wax seal, to 'Viscount Ingestrie M:P. | 2 Wilton Crescent | Belgrave Square | London'. An interesting document, in which a distinguished Victorian naval architect makes detailed criticisms of an innovation in his field. (HMS Gorgon was designed by Sir William Symonds and launched in 1837.

2pp., foolscap 8vo. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Docketted on reverse of second leaf, including the information that this is the second recording (the first being made at the time of the document in 1814). The extract ('Sexto') concerns the payment of an 'Annuity of Eleven hundred pounds Sterling bequeathed to he said Mrs. Catherine Robertson by the said Lieut. General Archibald Robertson'. Robertson is the subject of a portrait by George Romney, now in the Museum of Fine Art, St Petersburg, Florida.

1p., 4to. In fair condition, on aged paper with loss to corners caused by removal from mount. Glencairn writes that with Eglinton's 'approbation' he offers 'to raise for His Majesties Service an Independant [sic] or Volunteer Company in the Parish of Kilbride Ayrshire Consisting of Sixty Men inclusive of non comissioned [sic] Officers Drums & Fifes or otherways as shall be deem'd most proper - upon the Same Footing and Regulations as other Independant [sic] or Volunteer Companys - and to serve within the District'.

The background to the collection is simply stated. On the death of the 15th Earl of Glencairn in 1796 the title became dormant. It was claimed by Fergusson (praised by Boswell but dismissed by Johnson as 'a vile Whig' and derided by Burns as 'aith-detesting chaste Kilkerran') as heir of the line of the 10th Earl. Fergusson's claim was opposed by Sir Walter Montgomery Cunningham of Corshill, as presumed heir male along with Lady Henriet Don, sister of the 15th Earl, and wife of Sir Alexander Don of Newton Don, Roxburghshire.

4pp., 12mo. 51 lines of text. Bifolium. On aged paper. The context is explained by the fact that until 1927 one canonry in the cathedral establishment of Norwich was attached to the Mastership of St. Catharine's College. The letter begins: 'I have requested the Master of Catherine [sic] [Charles Kirkby Robinson] to read you two letters from Canon Nisbet, which will show you how very litle prospect there is of our getting permission from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners to spend any part of the money gained by our sale of the Barracks in the improvement of our Canonry Houses.

Both letters fair, on aged paper. Letter One: 12mo, 4 pp. Discussing the possibility that McCamic might be able to 'stop-over in New Haven' on his journey to Smith. 'You might be interested to see the proofs of the Bibliography'. 'This has been a hard letter to write, and doesn't sound as cordial as I should wish, [...] I wish I could invite you to stay with me on the night of the 15, but I live in a small apartment and have no accomodations [sic] for guests'. Letter Two: 10pp., small 4to.

3pp., 12mo. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper with a thin strip of glue in gutter from previous mounting. Lankester complains that he has 'not received a copy of Mr. Sedgwick's translation of Claus' Handbook of Zoology'. He has 'a large number of students (annually over 60) at University College' to whom he would recommend the book if he had it. 'I should wish to be able to place it on the lecture table for them to see.' He claims that it is 'usual for publishers to enable teachers to do this kind of thing - by sending them copies of works likely to be recommended'.

8vo, 23 pp. In original yellow printed wraps. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper; wraps worn and with slight loss to a couple of corners. Red label on rear cover: 'Education Department. Reference Department.' Library stamp and shelf marks on front cover and title page. Signed in type at end: 'ADAM CROOKS, | Minister of Education.

Four pages, 4to, fold marks, closed tear, mainly good. He's taking advantage of a trip by one of his parishioners to deliver a letter thanking in fulsome and inventive terms Mrs Foster for sending Professor Sedgwick's Discourse. He says of it, Of the talent and temper of the orator only one opinion can be formed. For the Studies of the University [A Discourse on the Studies of the University] he is not responsible, but for his representation of them the University owes him thanks.

On one side of a piece of vellum, dimensions 25 x 35 cm. Neatly folded to make eight rectangles. Red wax under paper in top left-hand corner, embossed with the royal seal. Above this is the King's signature, in what Rawlins ('Four Hundred Years of British Autographs', p.53, no.4) describes as 'un uncommon form'. Three blue 2s 6d stamps in left-hand margin. Small paper stamp on the reverse, which is docketed 'James Paterson Gent: | Lieutenant | In the Sixty Ninth Regiment of Foot commanded by Colonel Colvill.-' Text entirely legible on lightly discoloured vellum.

4to, 2 pp. Bifolium. Good, on aged paper. Addressed, with postmark, on reverse of second leaf. Since Wren's letter of the previous May, 'nothing material has occurred to occasion my troubling you'.

4to, 1 p. Fair, on aged paper, with a couple of closed tears neatly repaired on reverse with archival tape. Letterhead ('Importers of Violin, Violoncello and Harp Strings'), with decorative device of two violins, gives the 'Proprietors' as 'S. Bernard Withers, Douglas S. Withers', but with the first name crossed out. Withers writes that 'In this sad time of the loss of my Brother Bernard' Miss Gunn's 'condolences are sincerely appreciated'.

Letter One (12 September 1887): 12mo, 4 pp. Bifolium. On aged paper with a little wear to extremities. He has read in the paper that 'Aberdeen & some Gladstonian M.P's are going to deliver Home Rule Addresses in Crieff on 27th. Sept.' and thinks that 'the Liberal Unionists ought to be very active in Scotland' during the autumn. If it is 'of any service' to Currie or 'to the cause' Camperdown is 'ready to make a speech in Crieff on any night you like'.

8vo: 4 pp, surrounding a bifolium carrying 4 pp of photographs. Stitched. Printed on laid paper and nicely produced. Lightly creased, and with the covers grubby and lightly-spotted. Begins 'CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS, their London house having outgrown its quarters in Regent Street, have moved to twenty-three Bedford Square where they are occupying one of the old Adam houses, the lease of which they have purchased from the Bedford estate.' The four photographs consist of an exterior view, the 'Manager's office', 'One of the Adam fireplaces' and 'Entrance hall'.

Landscape 8vo (leaf dimensions roughly 15.5 x 23.5 cm): [iv] + 98 pp of letterpress, and 24 tipped-in full-page lithographic engravings ('taille-douce' over a tinted background), one illustrating each of the book's twenty-four chapters. Woodcut engraving on title-page. In contemporary brown cloth with green patterned endpapers. A tight copy, with the first few leaves somewhat grubby and worn at bottom outer corners. Occasional foxing throughout. Alhoy (1802-1856) was co-founder of 'Le Figaro'. Second and last edition.

On one side of a piece of laid paper, with pot watermark, 26 x 20 cm. On sound, crisp paper, heavily foxed, and with slight wear to extremities, and remains of previous mounting at corners of reverse. Two small oval stains beneath text, and small clipping from autograph dealer's catalogue laid down in bottom left-hand corner. Firm signature. Fifteen lines of text beneath two-line date in Latin.

12mo: 1 p. On recto of first leaf of bifolium. Good. Reads 'Sir | Mr. Gladstone having resigned the Rectorship of the Edinburgh University the Students have today elected Mr. Carlyle as his successor in opposition to Mr. D'Israeli [sic] -'.

Harper (1863-1943) was a writer and charming 'pen-artist'. His 'The Hardy country: literary landmarks of the Wessex novels' was published by A. and C. Black in 1904 and reprinted in 1911 and 1925. Quarto scrapbook of approximately fifty leaves. Leather half-binding in poor condition, worn and with much loss to spine. Internally very good, with minor spotting and discoloration. The cuttings, from newspapers as diverse as the Weymouth Telegraph and the New York Post, are mostly laid down, with several on slips of the Author's Clippings Bureau.

On piece of aged paper roughly one inch by one and a half inches wide. Signature, underlined and overlined, less than an inch long.