BRITISH

12mo, 1 p. Good, on aged paper with a couple of small stains to the left of the signature. Accepting a dinner invitation.

Lord Chancellor of Ireland (1818-83). Two pages, 12mo. Creased and grubby, and with two small holes in embossment. He cannot avail himself of his correspondent's kind invitation for dinner the following day as he has 'an engagement I may not postpone or disregard'. He should have been happy to meet Mr and Mrs <?>, 'as well as to spend a pleasant evening with you'. Signed 'H. Law'.

Erskine, who died in 1806, was the grandson of the 27th Earl of Mar. 3 pages, 8vo. In very good condition. The letter, addressed to 'your Excellency', concerns 'The Honble. Captain Cunningham who had resigned a Troop of Dragoons on the Irish Establishment to go upon Service with the same rank in my unfortunate Regiment of Swiss Chasseurs'.

Two pages, 12mo. Very good on lightly aged paper, and with the blank second leaf of the bifolium laid down on part of a leaf detached from an autograph album. Thanks him 'for the votes [of election to the Royal Academy?] which through your kindness I received to-day'. He is glad Field has been able to give Dr Armitage 'a hint that his assistance will be required as well as the assistance of others to insure the Election of young Lloyd'.

Ulster illustrator (1869-1955), best known for his humourous illustrations in Punch magazine. Good clear illustration, in black ink over pencil, roughly four inches by one and a half, on grubby and spotted piece of card, roughly eight inches by four and a half. Depicts head and shoulders of young girl in field, with rising sun behind, and cluster of foliage in circle around her and extending to right, where it entwines itself around the word 'YOUTH'.

4to, 1 p, 9 lines. On behalf of his 'Committee' acknowledging his correspondent's 'kind letter with its generous contribution to the funds of our Campaign', adding 'a message of individual thanks from myself to you for your mostt encouraging support'. 'Our Campaign is prospering, and we hope soon to complete our success by the early expulsion of the Reds.' His correspondent's 'welcome help' is of 'great value'.

4to, 2 pp. Text clear and entire on lightly aged and creased paper. Explaining how disappointed he and his wife Maude were 'not to be able to get up to see the Windsor week end'. Salisbury was 'kept at home by people who wanted to see the Victoria Frescoes before they go to India'. He has been 'working on them night & day' as he received 'a cable message requesting four to be up in their positions for the Duke of Connaught's visit in January to the Memorial.?>

4to, 4 pp. Very good on lightly aged paper. Hartley has 'attentively considered' Woolcott's 'plans for your New Church with reference to an opinion of their merits as being calculated to assist the Human Voice in Rhetorical delivery'. He is 'so little of an Architect as to be unable to assist my observations with the technical terms which would facilitate the meaning of my observations', but he will give them as clearly as he can, speaking from his 'long experience in Public Delivery in (I may say) almost all kinds of enclosed spaces'.

One of the letters is 4to, 2 pp; ten are 4to, 1 p; and one is foolscap, 1 p. The collection is in good condition, on lightly aged paper. Many of the letters are docketed and most bear the Society's dated stamp. Written in the capacity of Secretary of the Aeronautical Society, and editor of its 'Official Organ - The Aeronautical Journal'. Topics include the hiring of the Royal Society's hall for two series of talks to the Aeronautical Society. Faraday also discusses the details of a lecture by 'Mr.

4to, 1 p, 7 lines. Text clear and entire on lightly aged and discoloured paper. Nicely connecting two notable nineteenth-century London architects. I'Anson has 'great pleasure in stating from long and intimate personal acquaintance with Mr Robert Abraham that his experience Talent and integrity qualify him to fill any office connected with his profession creditably to himself and beneficially to his patrons'. Docketed on reverse of second leaf of bifolium 'No 9 | Edwd I'Anson Esq'.

12mo, 1 p. Very good. He hopes she will bring her paper out soon, 'as there is room' for it, 'especially if you are careful to steer clear of mere nonsense'. Asks her to ask her 'paper' to send the cheque to him, 'and not to Peters, as he had no hand in the transaction'. He 'travelled 2,500 miles doing those articles on our war-time effort', and is 'now very glad to be back home, picking up the threads of my own work again'. He has just finished 'a comedy', and hopes 'to start another soon'.

Dimensions of image 20 x 13.5 cm. On piece of paper 29 x 21 cm. Very good, with four unobtrusive marks and pencil numbering in margin. Taped to backing board and with paper cover. Depicts a suited individual trudging down a corridor festooned with gadgets, including two small beeping television sets attached to his head, a mobile phone in a holster, with bullet belt marked 'BATTERIES', a large camera on his belly, a fax machine draped around his neck, and a suitcase marked 'PC'. Bemused individual looks on from doorway.

Dimensions of image 19 x 15.5 cm. On piece of paper 29 x 21 cm. Very good, with unobtrusive pencil and ink marks in the white space above the image. Taped to backing board and with discoloured paper cover. Shows a dorkish figure wearing a baseball cap marked 'C.S.T.', which has two small televisions on springs over the ears.

12mo, 3 pp. Good on lightly-aged paper. He has 'written to the necessary authorities' about his correspondent's son. 'Of course it will largely depend on which Slade [Lt-Gen. Frederick George Slade (b.1851), C.B.] says about him, as I do not know your son personally - though his record reads an exceptionally good one.' He is sorry to hear about his correspondent's brother's death: 'he was always very kind' to Rundle.

Total 3pp., 4to, creasesedges dulled, odd spot, mainly good condition. (1810) He humorously asks for an enclosed letter (not present) be forwarded to a Mrs Nooth (named on address panel). (1812) He gives a gracious and witty apology, outlining the circumstances. According to an information sheetprfepared by the firm of H.P. Kraus these items are from the Library of Sir Thomas Phillipps. Two items,

12mo, 2 pp, 10 lines. Good, on lightly aged paper, with scrap of brown paper mount adhering in top right-hand corner on the reverse (not affecting text). Concerns a volume which 'has been duly forwarded to Count Seckendorff, Comptroller of the Household of Her Majesty the Emperess Frederick'. The Ambassador Sir Edward Malet has asked Rodd to express to the correspondent 'his personal thanks for the second copy you were good enough to forward to him'.

Both items written in pencil and good, on lightly aged paper, with their stamped and postmarked envelopes addressed by Asquith. Both envelopes with traces of brown paper mount adhering to reverse, and both docketed by the Graphic's editor 'To me Harold Lawton'. Letter One (12mo, 4 pp, headed 'Private'): Amusingly outraged letter regarding a visit by 'two gentlemen' of whom Asquith 'had no sort of knowledge'. Graphic journalists, they assured Asquith 'that nothing wd. be written about me without my seeing it first [last five words underlined in red]'.

Irregularly-shaped (like an 'L') piece of paper, cut from the head of a letter with a mourning border. Dimensions (very roughly) 4 and 3 cm high and 7 cm wide. Good, with minor traces of two tissue mounts adhering to reverse. The following written vertically across three lines of writing: 'to all your family, & I am, dear Sir, truly yours | [signed] H. Martineau'. The remains of the three lines acoss which the above is written read: '<...> dear Sir | <...> I am | <....> ur sister <...>'.

On piece of paper roughly 3 x 9 cm. Good: lightly aged and mounted on a piece of card docketed 'Revd. Dr. Wordsworth. brother of the poet'. Reads 'Ever, my dear Brother, | Very affectionately yours | [signed] Chr: Wordsworth.'

12mo, 2 pp, 19 lines. He has seen the announcement of the death of the recipient's aunt in that day's Times. '[S]he was such a wonderful character that all who had the privilege of knowing her, will inevitably be deeply grieved by having lost such a true friend'. With stamped, postmarked envelope, addressed in Oliphant's hand to 'Miss Niggeman at C.1. Albany, Piccadilly, W.1.'

On piece of paper roughly 5.5 x 12 cm. Neatly laid down on a quarto leaf removed from an autograph album. Autograph and mount both damp-stained. Reads 'Mr Tierney presents his Compts to the Lord Mayor elect and the Sheriffs. will have the honor of waiting upon them Monday 9th Inst.' The leaf on which the autograph is mounted carries thirteen lines of biographical information in a nineteenth-century hand. Laid down on the reverse of the mount is an oval engraved portrait (not stated, but by William Ridley, published by Vernor & Hood, after John Opie), c.

Landscape 8vo (roughly 12 x 20 cm), 1 p, 8 lines. On creased and lightly aged paper. Text clear and entire. Stephen is afraid that Valentine's 'poor protegée will not [...] get much out of her claim!' Stephen cannot help her 'because litigation in a colony can only be conducted by a solicitor resident within it, and bad as we are reputed to be at home, they are far worse in the Colonies!' However he has 'written a strong professional letter for her that may perchance obtain an answer'.

Dimensions of card roughly 9 x 11.5 cm. Mounted on rectangle of paper, 12 x 21.5 cm, part of leaf from autograph album. 9 lines of text. Since their meeting he has 'been kept in the house, even in my room, with a cold, and as the cough continues, I am not allowed to go out'. Wishes her 'Many happy returns' for 3 November, which he conjectures is her fortieth birthday. 'The heart of Shelley really lies in the Souls of all who love Poetry, Beauty, & the Free Life.'

12mo, 2 pp, 18 lines. Good, on lightly aged and creased paper. 'Mr. Westmacott presents his Compts and has to acknowledge Mr Twinings polite letter'. Its delivery has been delayed 'owing to its incorrect address', 'Mr W. having left Wilton <& Co.?>. (and quitted the practice of his profession) for some years'. As for 'Engravings and Photographs' of Westmacott's works, 'very few were made'. Most of these were 'ill done', although he does name one with which he was satisfied. Consequently Westmacott cannot 'assist Mr. Twining in his object'.

8vo, 1 p, 14 lines. On lightly aged paper, with 9 cm closed tear (affecting a few words, but not the signature) neatly repaired on reverse with archival tape. A letter of condolence on the death of Mrs Slocombe's husband, 'after his long illness'. Salisbury is 'sure he must have had a very courageous spirit to the end - I remember it so well at the Academy Schools'. He suggests a firm that might be willing to buy 'the canvases etc you mention'. The letter links two artists who studied together at the Royal Academy Schools, and also establishes the date of Slocombe's death as 1906.

4to, 3 pp, 26 lines. Discoloured and lightly stained, with a couple of closed tears, but with text clear and entire. Marked 'Private' and docketed 'No. 5932'. An interesting letter, written on the eve of Hastings' return to England from his post as Governor General of Bengal, giving 'the state of affairs here up to the latest moment', everything being 'quiet and prosperous'. Discusses the state of Government Bonds. 'Sir Edward Paget is in the River & will land tomorrow.

12mo: 1 p. 8 lines of text. On aged paper somewhat grubby around signature at foot. Asks when he will be 'able to come to us to meet the d[uke] of Wellington'. They are 'at liberty any time between the 4th and 11th of January'.

8vo (23.5 x 18.5), 2 pp. Signature cut away, resulting in loss of 3.5 x 10 cm rectangle from corner at bottom and affecting four lines of text on recto. Otherwise good, on lightly aged paper with thin strip from brown paper mount adhering to inner margin on reverse. 37 lines of text (four with loss). An interesting letter written during his final illness. He begins by confirming the report which has reached the recipient of Gardner's 'having been very seriously indisposed'.

12mo: 2 pp. 11 lines of text. The Bishop's note has reached him 'just as I am about to set out for Cambridge to spend the week there'. When he returns he will 'search for any papers we may have relative to Dr. Walker'. He will let him 'know the result of my enquiries'.

12mo, 3 pp. Very good, with a strip of cream paper from previous mounting adhering to the blank verso of the second leaf of the bifolium. He has 'received a Catalogue of the Friends Book Society's Annual Sale held by your and Mrs Barrow's kind invitation'. He and his wife 'should have enjoyed being present very much: if for no other reason, yet in remembrance of thirty years ago, when I used to enjoy the Sales exceedingly', but they will be 'in London on the day fixed'. Shorthouse was born into the Society of Friends, but joined the Church of England.