COVENT

4pp., 12mo. Bifiolium. In fair condition, on aged paper. Macready had taken leave of the stage a month before the writing of this letter, with a farewell performance of Macbeth at Drury Lane on 26 February. An interesting letter, fifty-one lines long, revealing the great actor's response to the change of circumstances brought about by his early retirement. Macready begins by telling Jerdan that his 'friendly reminder of the 16th. inst' found him 'in all the external stillness of he most quiet of village towns, and with as much internal care as would satisfy the most excitement-loving person'.

Not paginated. [107]pp., 16mo. Internally good and tight, elegantly printed in red and black. In original heavily-worn green leather binding. Small leaf, printed on both sides, advertising the book, loosely inserted. In the twenty-two lines on the reverse Stevens states that 'The price of all these books in substantial andn ornamental bindings of great variety, with leather, calf, morocco or russia backs and corners, and muslin on paper sides, is Four Hundred Guineas (420l.) If with full leather backs and sides, very handsome, the price is Four Hundred and Fifty Guineas (472l. 10s.)'.

2pp., 12mo. On bifolium. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed to 'J. B. Burke' and signed 'H. Appleton' (a member of the Boston firm of publishers?). The letter reads: 'My dear Sir | I find that the 2d. part of your work "The visitation of Great Britain" has been published some time but I have not received mine. Will you be good enough to put one under cover with my name & an outer cover to address of the Hon Abbott Laurence Boston [businessman and philanthropist], and send it to John Miller Esq. No: 24 Henrietta St.

8vo., 69pp. Unbound as issued. In fair condition, on lightly-aged and worn paper, with worn and chipped printed front wrap still present, with ownership inscription at head (''). 482 lots, with several of the books ticked in pencil. Included, as lots 95 to 112A, are 'specially printed copies of the various Lyceum Plays, as arranged for the Stage by SIR HENRY IRVING; they contain numerous manuscript alterations in the text in the handwriting of the great Actor, and are in consequence of very great interest'.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with slight creasing to bottom outer corner of both leaves. Bishop begins by asking Gye to confirm 'the excuse which Mr Barton has given for his absence the whole of Friday Evening last: & which having being [sic] noticed to me officially, I am obliged to enquire particularly into: - He says that he was at the Old Bailey Trial in consequence of your invitation that day!

2pp., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with a couple of unobtrusive creases. 'We shall be very pleased to come to tea with you on Sunday - I hope you will not mind if we are a little late - I shall be so glad to see Mrs. Arkwright also. With kind regards and many thanks | Believe me | Yours very sincerely | [signed] Emma Albani Gye'.

1p., 4to. 31 lines. Fair, on aged paper. On paper with watermarked date of 1814. Initialled 'G. C.'; with the words 'Copy to Morris' in the top left-hand corner. Docketed on reverse 'Copy to Morris March 1815'. Colman writes that is is now his intention, 'as it ever has been, to use every effort in my power for the interest of the Theatre, by carrying on the business in the best manner that the continual obstacles opposed to my plans will permit'. He states that he is 'in treaty with various Performers for the approaching Summer'.

Scored on two facing pages, on two 25 x 34 cm leaves of music paper attached to one another along one edge with a thin strip of glue. Good, on lightly-aged paper, in red card folder with white label. Scored for voice and piano, with the two verses of libretto by Tom Taylor. Signed at end 'Frederic Clay. / Tenor Ballad from "Court & Cottage".', with ownership inscription alongside: 'Henry Wodehouse / 24 Upp. Brook St.' (According to the Survey of London, Hon.

1p., small 4to. Very good: trimmed and neatly laid down on backing. Egerton has had 'some communication with our Managers', and if Egan will 'write a Farce, with a good part for Keeley, in his way, perhaps some sort of continuation of Jerry', he knows it will 'be accepted, & put into training'. He asks to hear from Egan by return, as he wishes to see the managers on the subject 'previous to Mr. Fawcetts leaving Town on Tuesday next, or the matter must rest three months'.

Both items good, on lightly-aged paper. Rosa Hood's sister Adelaide Fanny was the wife of Herbert F. Gye, and letter and reply are written informally. Hood's letter: 3pp., 12mo. She received Mrs Gye's letter that morning, 'and the Queen has read it' and is 'quite pleased with your reply'.

1p., 4to. On aged and grubby paper. The letter provides an interesting insight into the niceties of Regency theatrical practice. Colman peremptorily addresses it to 'Madam', before expressing his displeasure and defending his imposition of a penalty, as a result of the non-attendance of the recipient (apparently an actress) at a performance at the Haymarket.

3pp., 4to. Bifolium, addressed, with postmark, on reverse of second leaf, to 'Revd Dr Elliston | Sidney College | Cambridge'. Fair, on aged and worn paper. An interesting, informative letter, written to one of the two uncles who had acted as Elliston's childhood guardians. At the time of writing, Elliston, having thrived at the Theatre Royal, Bath, had moved to London, replacing Kemble on 20 September 1804 as leading actor at Drury Lane. The present letter shows Elliston's plans to branch out into management.

2pp., 12mo. The letter is on the recto of the first leaf of the bifolium, with the list, in three columns, on the recto of the second. Fair, on lightly-aged paper. Dibdin reminds Davidge that at his 'first Anniversary Dinner' he expressed a great wish to serve Dibdin by his patronage, but that 'absence from Town' prevented him. 'The Company were so well pleas'd that each present sign'd a Paper to come again - it is now fix'd for my Birthday (the 21st. Inst) and I take the freedom of enclosing you a List of the Patrons in the Hope I may be allow'd to add yours and enclose you a Ticket'.

2pp., 4to. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Divided into eight four-line stanzas, each with the same two-line refrain. The first stanza: 'Fashion was formed when the World began, | And Adam I am told was a very smart man, | As for Eve I shall say nothing more or less. | |But that Ladies of Fashion now copy her dress. | Yet barring all pother of this that & tother we all bow to Fashion in turn'. Containing witty references to the fashion for hunting boots and crops, New Bond Street, Tudor and Stuart clothing, Whigs and Tories.

Albumen print, 14.5 x 19.5 cm, with arched top, laid down on original cream backing paper, 18.5 x 24.5 cm, with border to photograph and company details all printed in gold. A good photograph, showing Buckstone staring at the viewer, while seated in a plush chair at a writing table with tablecloth, his right hand holding a pen over a piece of writing paper. The print is in good condition, on slightly grubby backing. Buckstone has signed 'John Baldwin-Buckstone', in black ink at the foot of the mount.

1p., folio. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with slight staining to blank reverse. Fairly written out on a piece of Britannia laid paper. 'Lord Chamberlain's Office | 10th. November 1849. | The Lord Chamberlain thinks it right to draw the attention of the Manager of the Theatre Royal Covent Garden to The Queen's Proclamation of the 6th. Instant, in which Her Majesty, for the Reasons therein stated, earnestly exhorts that the Public Day of Thanksgiving, the 15th. Instant be reverently and devoutly observed'.

3pp., 12mo. Fair, on aged paper. Mathews begins by quoting contradictory passages from letters of Charles Mathews, one from Mrs Mathews' 'Memoirs of Charles Mathews, Comedian' (1839) and the other from Bunn's 'The Stage: Both before and behind the Curtain' (1840).

3pp., 12mo. 37 lines. Fair, on worn and discoloured paper. An interesting letter, casting light on the relationship between two great actors who, according to the Oxford DNB, 'disliked but respected each other'. Macready is not named, but Young ends by sending his 'Kind Comts to Mrs Macready'. Macready had taken over at Drury Lane on 4 October 1841, but the season would not begin until 27 December. The letter begins 'My dear Sir!

Printed for display, on one side of a piece of paper 24.5 x 49.5 cm. Text clear and complete. On aged and creased paper, with one closed tear and bottom right-hand corner lacking, causing slight loss to the last letter of Mathews' name at foot of document. Heading in bold type in a variety of point sizes. Giving a 'brief statement of my fourteen years' struggle and of my latest difficulty'.

Irregular (12 x 23.5 cm), 32 pp. In fair condition, aged and lightly worn. In original wraps, with cover design, in a variety of types and point sizes, imitating an early nineteenth-century handbill, stating that 'all Profits for the Benefit of the Deserving Actors' Orphanage. | Free list entirely suspended | Fees payable in advance are 2s. per copy'.

4to, 3 pp. Bifolium. Fifty lines of text. Clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged and worn paper. He is willing 'to become a Patronizer' of the 'Society', and gives directions regarding shares. Suggests that 'the Committee should be a little more dovetailed with men of Rank & M.P.s as People always look at the Names in a Committee [...] I trust the Theatre will be West of Regent Street if Possible or of the Pantheon, & that the Committee Room may likewise be in the West'.

4to, 1 p. Text clear and complete. On creased, aged paper. He will not be able to visit Margate that season, as he is 'entirely occupied with private business', and is 'as much "nail'd to the Counter" as if I had to act every Night at Cov[en]t. Garden'.

12mo, 1 p. Fair, on aged paper, with traces of previous mount adhering to the corners of the blank reverse. Of course Hollingshead should 'wait till the last night of "used up" ' before writing to Mathews, who has 'hunted up Buckstone - hunted up Turpin - but in vain. Not a box to be had'. He has sent 'the best I could get': '3 Dress Circle to Mrs Smiles with "Mr Hollingshead's best compliments." '. In a postscript states that if Hollingshead wants 'a box for the "Overland Route" before the last night' he will be 'too happy'. 'There is always a run on last nights.'

On piece of laid paper (roughly 13 x 11 cm). Aged and chipped. Reads 'Yours truly | Frank Barrington Foote'. Chipping to the outer edge, very close to the last couple of letters of the signature. Foote, who frequently sang with Adelina Patti at Covent Garden, ended his days destitute in New York City.

12mo: 1 p. Seven lines of text. On creased and lightly-aged watermarked wove paper. Regarding Sir Henry Bate Dudley's farce 'At Home', performed 'with universal approbation' at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden, in 1813. 'Should the Box of the Prince Regent be disengaged on Monday next at Covent Garden Lady Landsdowne [sic] (the Dow-) is anxious to see "At Home" Could she have it?'

The collection as a whole is in good condition on aged paper. ITEM ONE: 90-page typescript headed 'II | ANTECEDENT', beginnning 'It has become a commonplace of musicology, at least in this country, that the first two decades of the Twentieth Century show an immense increase of creative activity in the composition of works of music by an astonishingly rich group of their [sic] young composers.

12mo, 1 p. Text clear and entire, on lightly creased blue paper, with a thin docketed strip neatly cut away at the foot of the letter. Traces of cream paper mount adhering to the blank reverse. Presumably refers to the play 'Alone in London', which debuted at the Olympic Theatre in 1885. Buchanan trusts that Fenn 'will be present in production of my new play & Miss Jay's debut on Wednesday next'. He asks whether to send the stalls, 'or do you get them from the Office? It will be indeed disappointing if you do not come, this time.'

Celebrated connoisseur (1758-1833), whose picture-gallery, one of the finest in Europe, was at Bridgewater House in London. One page, 12mo. Formal letter in the third person. "The Marquis of Stafford sends his Compliments to Sir Egerton & requests that his name may be continued as Vice President for the Theatrical fund of Covent Garden Theatre, though he regrets that his health will not permit him to attend." Negligible traces of previous mounting on reverse.

One page, roughly four and a half inches by seven wide. Grubby, and with one inch closed tear at foot, caused by removal from mount, traces of which, and of another autograph adhere to reverse. Reads ' "How good it is to live, even at the worst" | "Christ in Hades" by Stephen Phillips | [signed] Charles Warner | 1902'. Small neat green circle containing number in bottom right-hand corner.

The letter: one page, 12mo. Good, but with removal from mount having thinned the paper in places, and with traces of brown paper mount still adhering. He is sending the autographs of 'Henry Seton Merriman (Hugh Scott); Gertrude Atherton; Miss Fowler; and Douglas Sladen. Also a photo from Ted (not a good one, but the only one I have left).' He enjoyed himself 'so much' at Langford. 'It was a week of real enjoyment to me.' The fragment: one page, four inches by four and a half wide.