DESMOND

The first two items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The third in fair condition, aged and worn. ONE: Typed Letter Signed (over a penny tax stamp) by 'W Senior' and 'R B Marston', announcing their resignation as trustees, to be replaced by Walter Durfee Coggeshall, William Milner Ratcliff, and John Assheton Rennie'. 1p., 4to. Manuscript postscript. With a 'certified copy of the resolution of the General Meeting of Members by which the above appointments were made'. 1p., 4to. Signed by Major-General Desmond O'Callaghan and the secretary.

Two stitched pamphlets of uniform design. 15pp., 12mo, and 19pp., 12mo. Tastefully printed, with covers in red and black. Both items in good condition, lightly aged and worn. The first volume - 'A First List' - has a full-page 'Advertisement' by 'D. H.', in which he aspires to 'offer a fair proportion of what is alive in modern writing - a hope which is my raison d'etre as a publisher [...] nothing, if not lack of sense, or lack of the desire, need stop one from printing whatever is available, and has intrinsic vitality or permanence'.

2pp., 8vo. On aged paper. He expresses himself with sincere emotion: 'O Sylvia - I have just read the news that your Robert has died - my Robert, too, in a far, far lesser, but still real, sense. […] Think how few women have loved, & been loved, by a man like him. […] I, too, am not far off my end. […] I have never being [sic] in Robert's company - even for a few minutes together - without feeling that he was one of the most loveable of men. […] I am writing at the printers, waiting for "proofs." - Robert would smile at a situation so characteristic of both our lives.

All three items in very good condition, in superior bindings. ONE (Voltaire catalogue): Written out by Flower in his neat, calligraphic hand, on the rectos only of 102 leaves, 8vo, with some blanks. In very good condition, in a lightly-wrn red morocco quarter binding, with grey boards and gilt title on spine. Entries are short and businesslike, as the following two examples indicate: 'Commentaire sur le livre des Délits et des Peines, s.l., 1766. Bengesco 1724. pp. viii + 120. A pretty copy in contemporary scarlet morocco. Ex libris Mortimer L. Schiff. | Ditto, s.l., 1766. pp. 104 + iii.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, on lightly aged and creased green paper. Fifteen lines, including slug, in a variety of types and point sizes. The item reads, in full: 'UNITED IRISH LEAGUE. | Postponed Meeting | will be held | ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 21, | at the | NEW MIDLAND ARMS, | CLIFTON STREET, DERBY, | To form a Branch of the above. | Chair to be taken at 8 p.m. prompt, by | Mr. J. ROWAN, Derby, I.L.P. | Amongst those to speak will be Messrs. James | Reilly, J. R. Rowan, I.N.F., D. Brady, | Desmond O'Connor, and others. | God Save Ireland. | J. W.

Letter: 4to, 1 p. Twenty-six lines. Text clear and complete. On aged and worn paper, with a couple of holes, light staining and indentations. Addressed to 'Jon', whose book, with a 'chapter pertaining to the Taylor case' Long 'would like very much to see'. Long encloses the copy of 'Taylorology', of which he writes, 'Despite my intentions, there was only one issue due to very poor response -- only a dozen subscribers.' He boasts that his 'collected material on this case', 'primarily newspaper clippings', 'weighs over 30 lbs., with more information coming in every week'.

The collection is in very good condition. Fletcher's letter (12mo, 2 pp) contains several autograph corrections, and its presence with Flower's reply suggests that, although signed, it may be a draft. Fletcher was pleased to see Flower at the Bib. Soc. meeting. 'Since then I have been turning over in my mind a project which may interest you.' His paper is 'based on material I have gathered for a bibliography of English splendid occasions', which is 'nearly ready and I hope to issue it, by private subscription, later this year'.