BOWRING

1p., landscape 12mo (16 x 20.5 cm). Addressed on reverse 'To | John Bowring Esqre | 6 Freeman's Court | Cornhill'. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Folded into a packet for hand-delivery. Written in a crabbed, difficult hand. Begins: 'Tomorrow I will send you a copy of my Character [clearly 'The Life and Character of the Duke of Wellington', which is however generally ascribed to his namesake the Earl of Ellesmere], which you will see <?> Blaquiere <?> is just now in demand. Also a work which i can only lend him. <?> The Fragment ought [last word underlined three times] to be sent'.

1p., 12mo (13.5 x 11 cm). In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper, with slight show-through of note on reverse. Reads: 'I will have the honor of calling on your Lordship with Mr Thurburn in South Street to morrow at about 1 o C | Ever yours truly | John Bowring'. Beneath this, in another hand, in pencil: 'now in China | 1858'.

1p., 4to. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with remains of stub to reverse. His friend 'M Mallar' has come to Great Britain, 'recommended by the French government for the official purpose of looking into the state of education in Scotland'.

12mo, 1 p. Clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper. In a bifolium, with thin strip of archival tape along edge of reverse of second leaf from previous mounting. He is enclosing 'W Roberts' letter & the answer' (neither present), and asks for a duplicate to be made of the latter item and 'sent forward'. Complains of 'a sad irregularity of Messrs Forbes & Co', asking if the matter has been set straight.

12mo: 4 pp. On lightly creased paper, with spotting and some staining to the verso of the second leaf of the bifolium. Apologises at length for not being able to attend 'the next General Public Meeting [...] of the Committee for Sir E. W. Watkin's [Sir Edward William Watkin (1819-1901), railway entrepreneur] Election'. 'It is unnecessary for me to inform the Committee how anxious I am for the success of the Liberal cause on this as on all other occasions [...]'. He is at present 'quite unequal to any violent exertion or excitement & certainly could not make a speech to a large meeting.

Linguist, writer and traveller (1792-1872). One page, octavo. Lightly creased and with a few closed tears. Reverse adhering to page from autograph album. Reads 'My dear Sir | Herewith the promised letters - | Yours most truly | John Bowring'. Docketed on reverse.