ENGLISH

English historian of the Crimean War (1809-91). On piece of paper roughly 4 1/2 inches by 1 1/4 inches. In very good condition. Remains of mounts adhering to blank verso. Reads '<...> be of use in making the collection. | I have the honour to be | Sirs | faithfully yours | A W Kinglake.'

Diplomat and administrator (1826-1902). Lanyon (1839-1900) was a surveyor, architect and engineer, partner in Lanyon, Lynn and Lanyon. Two pages, 8vo. Folded twice. In very good condition, with remains of mounts adhering to verso of blank second leaf of bifoliate. Marked 'Private'.

Diplomat and administrator (1826-1902). Lanyon (1839-1900) was a surveyor, architect and engineer, partner in Lanyon, Lynn and Lanyon. One page, 12mo. Folded twice. In very good condition, with remains of mounts adhering to blank verso. Reads 'My dear Mr. Lanyon | I send you a map with the ground we examined enclosed within a red line, together with a short Memdm. on the scheme I submitted to gl. consideration: | I hope this <?> may go down before you cross: | Yours sincerely | Dufferin'.

Four pages. 16mo bifoliate. In poor condition: grubby, creased, stained and worn. Traces of previous mounting along top of two central pages, and of stub along one edge, removal of which has caused a small hole (not affecting text). A letter to the publisher of his 'Essays on various subjects' (3 vols, 1853): '<...> sermons, I have "50 Heaven" "Means of salvation" being "49." | Either therefore our lists do not agree, or one of us has made a mistake.

English historian (1818-94). Two pages, 12mo, on grey paper. In very good condition, with traces of previous mounting on verso of otherwise-blank second leaf of bifoliate. He is flattered by the offer, but cannot 'take part at the opening of your Session'. 'Mr Graham wrote to me at your desire. I had to tell him as I hope he will have informed you, that my uncertain health forbids me to make any distant engagements | more than once when I have given such promises I have been unable to fulfil them and I have therefore found it necessary to decline once for all'. Signed 'J A Froude'.

Piece of grey card, dimensions roughly 5 1/2 inches by 4 inches. In poor condition: grubby and discoloured, and crudely mounted on a piece of card. Novelist and journalist (1841-1907). Clearly in reply to a request for an autograph, Hatton has written, in a large hand, 'With pleasure - | Yours very truly | Joseph Hatton | Dec 1901'. Neatly docketed with a number '30' in a circle.

Liberal statesman (1792-1861). One page, 12mo. In good condition despite slight discoloration and traces from previous mounting on reverse. Folded twice. Marked 'Private'. Reads 'I accept with much pleasure and many thanks your obliging Present of the Photograph of the Great Ship. I shall not cease to take the most lively Interest in the success of this stupendous Enterprize. [sic]' Signed 'J R G Graham'. Brunel designed the Great Eastern steamship between 1852 and 1858.

According to the British Library Bisset's Directory was published in 1800. Paper dimensions roughly 5 1/4 inches by 9 inches; print dimensions roughly 4 1/4 inches by 7 inches. In very good condition although somewhat grubby. Paper watermarked '<179?>9 | TMAN'. At head of plate: 'M'. At foot of plate: 'Reynolds. Sct. Birm'.

English essayist and biographer (1868-1938). Plain postcard, dimensions roughly 4 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches. Grubby and smudged, with central vertical crease. Deleted printed letterhead '176, VICTORIA STREET, | (CORNER OF BUCKINGHAM PALACE ROAD.) | S.W.1.' Reads '41 Sloane St | Many thanks | E. V. Lucas'. Addressed by Lucas to 'R. S. McMinn Esq | 35 Birdhurst Rd | S. Croydon'.

English essayist and biographer (1868-1938). Attractive printed cheque in black and blue ink on light blue paper: dimensions roughly 7 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches. The cheque is for sixpence, and a pencil note (presumably by Thorpe) on the reverse explains how it results from a lost wager: 'Bet | Whether Geo A Birmingham wrote a Gen[era]l knowledge book. | He did.'

Architect, teacher and antiquary (1872-1955). One page, 4to, folded twice, in very good condition. He thanks him for sending 'the drawing of your commercial buildings'. He is working from it, and will return it shortly. Those at the school appear 'satisfied with the new gymnasium'. 'Good progress is being made with the main building.'

Dimensions when folded roughly 4 3/4 inches by 6 inches. Somewhat grubby, but well printed and in good condition overall. Front of card printed in black with Searle's printed signature and 'to my Valentine -' in red at head. Cartoon illustration of bespectacled young lady with bouffant hair and hairband, in dainty skirt and heels, holding beribboned had in front of her, posing in front of wall on which she casts large shadow of horned devil with tail.

Title-page headed 'BY HIS MAJESTY'S COMMAND'. Pages viii + 136. Binding copy only: lacking spine and with original pink boards and some signatures detached. Paper discoloured and with light staining to prelims. Ownership inscription cut away from head of title-leaf. Unusual ownership inscription in contemporary hand on flyleaf: 'Mahomed Ibrahim Ali Khan'.

English sculptor (1775-1856). Dimensions of paper roughly 4 1/2 inches by 1 1/2 inches. In good condition. Reads '<...> I am Gentlemen | Your obt. & humble St. | Richd Westmacott'.

English sculptor (1775-1856). Dimensions of paper roughly 5 inches by 1 inch. In good condition. Reads '<...> | Recommended /on unexceptionable testimonials/ by | Richd Westmacott: | Nov 26/1844.'

Lords of the Admiralty, the Treasury and of the Bedchamber under George III (1764-1831). On front of envelope, cut down to roughly 4 1/2 inches by 3 inches. Good only: ruckled and with one closed tear not affecting signature. Blank reverse docketed in pencil and with remains of paper from previous mounting. Difficult handwriting. Reads '<?> Twenty Seventh of January | 1823 | Richd <?> Esq | Queen Street | May Fair | London | Sydney'. 'FREE | 28JA28 | 1823' stamped in red ink in circle cropped at head.

English sculptor (1791-1864). Dimensions of paper roughly 4 inches by 1 inch. In very good condition. Large, slightly smudged signature on one side in blue ink. Reverse, in different ink and apparently in another hand, reads '<...> may I presume to solicit your favour fo<...> | as increasing Age naturally brings on in<...>'.

Author and musician (1826-1906), described by Louise Jopling as 'a rich bachelor' and 'a noted figure in the seventies'. 1 page, 16mo. In good condition despite slight creasing and discoloration. Letterhead in green and black ink. Reads 'My dear Locker, | Many thanks - I will meet you at the Athenaeum at 3 o'Ck. on Tuesday - I have done, & shall do nothing till then. | Every yrs. | Hamilton Aïdé'.

Dimensions roughly 5 1/2 inches by 4 inches. Must predate 1887, when the prefix 'Royal' was added. Amusing modern-looking cartoon-style illustration by 'F C' of furious pipe-smoking pianist jumping up to hammer the keys, with his hair forming into the 'S' of 'Society', with moustachioed cigar-smoking tweedy individual in front of piano being hit in face by whisky tumbler.

Cousin (1690-1740) of the poet of the same name. Both fragment and bookplate are pasted to a piece of thin, discoloured card. The fragment, which is roughly 5 inches by 2 inches, is grubby annd rubbed. It reads, in Cowper's hand '13th July Exhibited to us under the Commission agt. Thomas Park | Wm Cowper'. Beneath this the signatures of 'Fr. Rookes' and 'Rd Maddock'. The bookplate (roughly 2 1/2 inches by 3 1/2, in good condition although somewhat grubby) is armorial, with the motto beneath reading 'FAX . MENTIS. HONESTAE. GLORIA | William Cowper Esqr.

Journal editor and writer (1800-89). 1 page, 8vo. Creased and slightly discoloured, but in good condition overall. Cover of envelope pasted to back, reading 'for | Rd Lehman Esq | Newmarket Road | Norwich'. Reads 'Dear Sir. | I much regret that I have been unable to avail myself of your kindness: I have been so over-run with Matter at this, the concluding, month of the year. | Sincerely | S C Hall.'

Scottish novelist (1828-97). On piece of laid paper, dimensions roughly 4 1/2 inches by 2 1/2 inches, with mourning border. Paper discoloured and stained from previous mounting. Reads '[...] convenient? - It would be very good of you and enable us to have a double pleasure - With kind regards, believe me, | very truly yours | 'M. O. W. Oliphant | Friday -'.

English novelist (1799-1860). On fragment of paper approximately 4 1/2 inches by 1 1/2 inches. In poor condition: creased and discoloured from previous mounting. Reads 'Your most faithful Servant, | G. P. R James'. Docketed on reverse 'March | - | Ap 28 | a 2 May'.

Consort (1792-1849) of King William IV of Great Britain and aunt of Queen Victoria. On piece of paper, roughly 5 inches by 3 inches. In good condition, although creased and grubby. Reads '[...] l'heure. - Adieu. | Toujours votre | afft. | Adelaide'.

Possibly the Henry R. Potter, of the Office of Works, who corresponded with Gladstone in 1885 and 1894. 4 pages, 16mo. In good condition: neatly folded twice, with traces of stub along one edge of verso of second leaf of bifoliate. Apologises for 'the numerous omissions of which I have been guilty' in his lecture. His only excuse is that he 'submitted the lists to two or three persons resident in Nott[ingha]m and consequently, as I concluded, conversant with its "Notables" '.

Oxford bookseller (c.1774-1850), described by the bibliographer Dibdin as 'the Corinthian pillar of Bibliopolism at Oxford'. Written in the year of his retirement in favour of his nephew John Henry Parker. The Globe was a London newspaper, founded in 1803. 1 page, 8vo. In good condition, slightly discoloured, creased and with some contemporary ink spotting. Remains of glue from stub along one edge. Concerns the radical meetings held during the passage of the Reform Bill. Reads 'Dear Sir - | Most important Meetings have taken place at Birmm.

English writer on the theatre. The Globe was a London newspaper, founded in 1803. 1 page, 8vo. In good condition: neatly folded and with one small hole to the first leaf of the bifoliate, affecting one letter of one word of text.

8 leaves, 4to. Printed on green paper. Unbound, and with remains of original stitching. Engraved title and seven sepia plates (all approximately 7 inches by 6 inches) mounted on rectos of leaves, with letterpress beneath. Versos blank. Frail item: extremities dogeared and worn. Title grubby, with '1805.' added in red ink. Plates clean and with minimal spotting. Slight damage to corners of two final plates.

Novelist, brother of Charles (see DNB). Part of a letter, c.3.5" x 2.5", laid down on slightly larger card, trimmed, good condition, text as follows: "most happy to be at the Spot named with an enormous [underlined] appetite. / Very faithfully yours / Henry Kingsley".

Naval officer and Conservative politician (1846-1919), nicknamed 'the member for the navy'. Dimensions roughly 5 1/2 inches by 9 inches. In poor condition: browning and with several closed tears. Reads: 'From the older Charlie to the younger Charlie may all good luck attend you fighting for tariff reform national defence and relief of the unemployed Beresford'.