BLACKWOOD

1p., 16mo. On recto of first leaf of bifolium; second leaf attached to card, which carries notes in a Victorian hand. In good condition, lightly aged, but with thin strip cut away at top, presumably carrying details of place of writing. He is sending 'Mr L<?>'s sheets for the Printer', together with the title page, 'which however should not I think be printed off till we see whether he is to add any new matter - as that should be stated'. After stating that he has cut out a diagram, he concludes: 'I have not yet got any proofs'.

Printed in black on one side of an 8.5 x 13.5 cm piece of blue paper. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with minor creasing to corners. Formerly an insert into a book, a nice piece of ephemera relating to one of the greatest English novels of the nineteenth century. 'Middlemarch' was first published in eight installments between 1871 and 1873, before its first complete publication in book form in 1874. No other copy of this item traced on either OCLC WorldCat or on COPAC.

viii + [1] + 77pp., 8vo. In purple cloth binding, gilt. Internally good, on aged paper, in worn binding, with dulled gilt title on spine. Inscribed on flyleaf 'To | G. A. R. FitzGerald Esq | With the kind regards of | Theodore Martin | 3d April 1886.' Above this the ownership signature of 'R G E Sandbach', whose bookplate is on the front pastedown.

2pp., 16mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Written with the essence of Victorian tact. 'We shall be extremely glad if you can give us the evening of the 7th. instead of the 5th. and I trust you will permit us to consider you engaged to us for that night - 8 oClock - | I am grieved to think that my note should have reached you at a time of grief. Thank you for kindly consenting to come.'

114pp., 12mo. In wraps printed in green and red, with striking illustration of jester bursting through the front cover, and advertisements on the rear. In fair condition, on aged paper, in worn wraps. Frontispiece, engraved title, and numerous illustrations in text. A collection of nineteen pieces in prose and verse, with such titles as 'A Chat concerning a Couple of Chairs' and 'Mephistophiles at Malvern'. Scarce: the only copies on COPAC at the British Library and Durham.

4pp., 16mo. Bifolium. Very good, on lightly-aged paper, with slight traces of glue to fold edge. The first two pages carry the 'Prospectus', beginning: 'NO Scientific subject can be so important to Man as that of his own life. No knowledge can be so incessantly appealed to by the incidents of the every day, as the knowledge of the processes by which he lives and acts. At every moment he is in danger of disobeying laws which, when disobeyed, may bring years of suffering, decline of powers, premature decay.

4to, 4 pp. Bifolium. Nicely printed with vignette of flowers and ribbons on first page. Fair, on aged paper. The firm, boasting establishment in 1849, is described on the first page as 'late of Lovell's Court, Paternoster Row, E.C.', where the announcement is made 'that they have Transferred their Business to the Above Address'. Six new editions of works are advertised on the following two pages, with details given of contents. The last page advertises 'Blackwood's Diaries for 1911' and 'Blackwood's New Series of Scribbling Diaries'.

12mo, 24 pp. Unbound. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper, with rusting to staples. Hundreds of titles, in such series as 'The Unique Library', 'Choice Readings. Books suitable for presents, etc.', 'Universal Library of Standard Authors', 'Blackwood's Edition of the Poets', 'Library of Thoughtful Books' and 'Choice Books for Young Persons'.

8vo: 2 pp. The 'idea is worth Consideration', but Blackwood 'can hardly see how any large sale cann be depended upon, so as to repay the expense of printing advertising &c.' Asks that Morris send him 'one sermon, to indicate style, length & to estimate cost'. Asks what size of paper should be used. Notices that Morris's works are 'principally on natural history'. Likes the idea of 'the <?> natural history', and 'will take an early opportunity of looking at it'. This notable London publisher is a surprising omission from BBTI.

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.

Small 8vo: [ii] + viii + 240 + i. Many illustrations in text. In original cream boards, cream endpapers, with leather label. Binder's ticket of 'F. Westley, | BINDER, | Friar Street, | - NEAR - | Doctors Commons'. All edges gilt. Tight, with spotting to endpapers, prelims and last few leaves. Binding heavily discoloured and worn, with remains of spine laid down. Last leaf carries an advertisement for the 'Christmas Box' of 1828 by 'John Ebers and Co. 27, Old Bond Street'. Contributors include 'Miss Edgeworth' ('Garry Owen; or, the Snow-Woman'), 'Mrs.

American diplomat and author (1817-1911), editor of Benjamin Franklin's works. All three items are very good on paper discoloured with age, though all with small punch holes for binding in upper corners, resulting to loss to six words of text. All three signed 'John Bigelow'. The second letter represents an important exposition of Bigelow's religious position at the very end of his life. LETTER ONE (14 March 1911, 21 Gramercy Park, two pages, octavo): In response to his correspondent's 'Syrenic appeal' he is sending a cheque for $25, 'at the rate of $5 for the next five years'.