AINSLIE

1p., 4to. In fair condtion, lightly aged and creased. With a few autograph corrections by Roberts. Having been unsuccessful in placing an individual with Wilson, Roberts writes: 'Of course forty years ago the advent of a bookshop like yours was a tremendous event, and we all flocked to it as something new and wonderful, as indeed it was.

For more information on Common, see his entry in the Oxford DNB. Both items on aged and worn paper. ONE: Typed Letter Signed. 31 March 1900. 1p., 4to. 'I bought a gross of balls of Hunter and paid for them on the understanding that I should take them as I wanted them'. He has a rough idea how many he has had, and will be 'able to say exactly when I look in my locker'. He ends by asking the firm to refer to Hunter's books regarding the matter. TWO: Typed Receipt, signed by Common over two red Inland Revenue penny stamps. 12 May 1900. 1p., 4to. 'Received of Messrs Emmerson & Co.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, on creased and aged paper. Docketted on reverse: 'Ld de Blaquiere to Sir R A | 1772.' The letter begins: 'It may give you some pleasure to hear, & it may be of some use to you, to know; that Ld. Harcourt is appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. I have not however the merit of giving you the intelligence, it is, by my Lord's desire, and His Lordship tells me [last four words deleted] that I shall certainly attend him to that Country as the principal secretary.' He concludes by inviting Ainslie, on Harcourt's behalf, to dinner the following day.

4to, 31 pp. In original grey printed wraps, with the bookseller's ticket of Messrs. Bolster of Cork. Text clear and complete. A fair, tight copy, on aged paper. In worn red calf quarter-binding, red cloth. Neatly priced up in manuscript (the sale totalled £803 4s 6d), and ruled with red lines.

12mo, 2 pp. Good, on lightly-aged paper. He is sending a cheque for thirty-five pounds for 'Skirving's picture of my mother with which I am well pleased', which he 'got from the Hall porter at the Reform'. Reports that the picture 'has been exposed to a very serious risk of entire destruction, the plate-glass having been shivered to pieces in the packing case. Wonderful to say, the damage done is confined to the dark & unimportant parts of the drawing'. When Grahame 'heard the broken glass rattling in the Box', he had 'no hope of the picture being sound'.

8vo: 55 pp. Disbound. Tight, on aged, grubby paper, with wear to the title-leaf, which has a 7cm closed tear along the spine. Inscribed at head of title-page: 'Rev. S. Martin wh ye Authors Affec regards'. An informed discussion, with footnotes, tables and statistics, of the desirability of the education of the poor, by a correspondent of Charles Darwin. Excessively scarce: no copy at the British Library, and the only copy on COPAC at King's College, London.