FRANCES

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium, addressed, with postmarks, on reverse of second leaf, to 'Messrs. Wilson | Linen Drapers | New Bond Street', and also docketed '1838 | Dealtry Miss A'. In frail condition, with the two leaves separated and closed tears and wear. Sewn with white thread onto the second leaf of the letter is a swatch of cloth - dark blue with white and red stripes - in a loop of circa 20 x 1.5 cm. The text reads: 'Miss A Dealtry wishes Mr.

1p., 12mo. On bifolium with mourning border (her son Alexander had died on 17 January). Aged and worn, with short closed tears along fold lines, and remains of tissue mount along gutter. Written three years before her death, in a crabbed and difficult hand. Unsigned, as was usually the case with her letters to her family. Addressed, with two postmarks, on reverse of second leaf to 'Dr. C. P. Burney | Greenwich'.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. She thanks her for the care she took of her pocket handkerchief, and for the 'truly friendly note which gave great pleasure'. She is glad she was pleased with her book 'The Lives of the Seven Bishops Committed to the Tower in 1688', and hope she will accept a copy, 'as a trifling remembrance of me and our occasional pleasant chats together, in the lovely gardens at Fulham Palace'. She offers her remembrances to 'the Bishop of London Mrs.

27pp., 8vo. In good condition, lightly-aged, no wraps, disbound. Several copies on CoOPAC, none of this first edition on the market currently.

viii + 71pp., 8vo. No author is given on the title-page, but bound in with the pamphlet is the pink front wrap, on which Aikin-Kortright is named and the pamphlet is stated to be 'Printed for Private Circulation'. Dedication (p.iii) to 'MRS. S. C. HALL'. Preface (p.v) dated from 'Eldon Road, Kensington, December, 1869.' Inscribed at the head of the front wrap: 'With the author's respectful compliments.' In good condition, lightly-aged, disbound. In addition to her work as a novelist, Fanny Aikin-Kortright is described by the Orlando Project as a publisher of 'anti-feminist polemic'.

28 + [4] pp., 8vo. Stapled. In fair condition, aged and worn. With stamp, shelfmark and label of the Board of Education Research Library. Eight copies on COPAC, but uncommon nevertheless.

2pp., 8vo. In very good condition, on lightly-aged paper. She apologises for not being able to be 'helpful on any of your questions'. She does not even possess a copy of her own 'Designing and Making Stage Costume'. 'I have no Motley designs at all, as every one which was in my possession has been sold to the University of Illinois, who have taken the whole collection of about 3000 swatches.' She is glad to hear that he has some of them, 'as it means that there are a few still in this country'.

The six items are all in good condition, with light age and wear. Each letter is docketted. Items One to Five below are by John Baptist Cashel Hoey, and Item Six is by his wife. An intimate, affectionate and entertaining correspondence, the background to which is given at the end of this entry. ONE: Signed 'Cashel'. From Campden Hill Road, on cancelled letterhead of 8 Victoria Chambers; 9 April 1887. 2pp., 8vo. The letter is on the first page, and begins: 'I told you last night I knew you had stolen that line, of course unconsciously.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with short closed tear at head of second leaf. She begins: 'I was so disturbed and disappointed when I came in on Tuesday to find I had missed you. And I believe you had been kind enough to call when we ought to be, and almost invariably are in - after 4.

2pp., 12mo. Aged, creased and worn. This would appear to be the first printing of Havergal's best-known hymn. The poem is printed on one side, within a decorative border, and with the title in fancy type. Printer's slug at foot of page beneath border. The reverse is filled with biblical texts, under the heading 'Consecration.' Within the a similar border, beneath which: '25 copies, post-free 4d.' Havergal's inscription is at the head of the page bearing the poem: 'J. W. | From F. R. H. Jany 19, 1876.' No other copy traced, either on COPAC or WorldCat. From the Jane Williams papers.

Each issue 6pp., foolscap 8vo, on three leaves. All five issues duplicating, in blue and purple ink, manuscript text, mostly set out in double column, and hand-drawn illustrations. The issues for February and March in the hand of an unnamed male editor; the third issue edited by 'Gwladys Evans'.

2pp., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Considering the fact that Mrs Harford states that she is staying at the home of Mrs Martin, and that Mr Martin died in 1832, it seems probable that the letter refers to the preparations for the coronation of Queen Victoria, which occurred on 28 June 1838. The letter reads: 'Mrs Harford understanding that people are admitted to see the Preparations in the Abbey & thinking it probable that Mr Gillen may have been employed in the decoration, will be very much obliged to Mr Wilson if he could procure her a Ticket to see them.

Mary Frances Stevens was the daughter of Silas O. Smith of Rochester, and the mother of the novelist Augusta de Grasse Stevens (1852-1894) and of Marie de Grasse, Lady Evans (d.1920), wife of the English Liberal politician Sir Francis Henry Evans (1840-1907). After her husband's death in 1854 she married John Fowler Butterworth. The seven letters in this collection are closely and neatly written; those to her father in brown ink and those to her mother in blue. All seven in good condition, on lightly-aged paper.

1p., 4to. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed on reverse of second leaf to 'Mr Silas O Smith | Rochester'. The letter begins: 'Dear Sir | During my short sojourn at your city last October, I had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of your daughter. Since my return a correspondence has taken place between us in which she has given me permission to visit her & to entertain the hope that she may be persuaded to exchange the protection of the best of Parents for that of a husband.

On one side of a piece of wove paper, 15.5 x 9.5 cm. In fair condition, on aged paper, with one creased corner and a small nick at the head. The drop-head title is in capitals, with the second line having only the opening quotation marks (before the initial word 'BEWARE'). The poem is 29 lines long, with three seven-line stanzas followed by an eight-line one. At the foot of the poem: 'Albury. Mary Frances Tupper.' The first stanza reads 'The stamp of Rome is on their heart, | Take care! take care! | They play the Jesuits' crafty part, | Beware! beware!

Eight tall and thin 8vo diaries of unusual shape: the first six 34.5 x 13.5 cm, the last two slightly smaller. The first diary has 120pp., the others of similar length. With between two and four daily entries to a page, depending on the volume. The diaries are elegantly printed by a number of different Paris publishers (Dechamp; Pirmet; 'E. J.'; 'M. et H.'; 'F. G.'; 'B. L.'). Five are bound in light-brown cloth, with coloured paper labels stamped in gilt; the other three have printed paper boards.

4pp., 12mo. On bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. The four sides of the bifolium having been filled, the valediction and signature are written upwards across the first page. She thanks the recipient for 'the interesting page of extracts', and for 'the flattering manner in which you allude to my father's mother, Flora McDonald'. Having previously seen the text in an articles she is forwarding, she considers that the lady author has 'taken an unwarrantable liberty by reflecting severely on Flora's descendants for neglecting to keep her grave in good order'.

4 pp, 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. The unnamed recipient appears to have been named as executor in a prvevious will of Sir Henry Bishop. Opens in dramatic style: 'I was very greatly surprised to receive a letter from you this morning, dated from Brighton, as my poor Brother, Sir Henry Bishop, had not the slightest idea that you were still an inhabitant of this world, having heard of your death some time since, in consequence of which, he made another will similar to the one in your possession, but changing the executors'.

Both items in good condition on aged paper. A dramatic, almost novelistic correspondence, regarding 'the Signora' (named in the second letter as 'Mme Sineo', who is staying at her house in Torquay and is apparently too frail to return to her London house. Letter One: Docketed 'No 1'. 12mo, 4 pp. Peard states that she has not 'written of late about the Signora. She has got fairly well again, but she does not seem to us fit to return to London, & I hear that her doctor does not think she ever will be fit.

Folio, 3 pp. With two embossed government stamps, and government half penny tax stamp in black ink. The five signatures on p.3 are each accompanied by a red wax seal.

12mo, 3 pp. 44 lines. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper, and with the reverse of the second leaf tipped in onto a leaf removed from an autograph album, with manuscript caption reading 'Sir George Cox to Miss Cobbe | given me June 1902.' The letter itself docketed at foot of third page in a contemporary hand. Cox's hand is crabbed and difficult. He thanks her for sending 'Mr Wright's sermon', but can make little use of it: 'The historical portions I must leave on one side.

Four pages, 12mo. Mourning border. Aged and spotted, with remains of three mounts adhering to one edge. She is enclosing a note from 'Miss Yonge', and 'one from Miss Roberts [Margaret Roberts] who wrote "Madlle Mori", "In the Olden Time", "The Atelier du Lys" &c. She refers to Miss Yonges mother in her note'. She is also sending a note 'from Mr. Dodgson too. Who is "Lewis Caroll'. (Alice in Wonderland) - & one from Isa Craig - now Mrs. Knox.

On piece of paper roughly 2 x 3.5 cm. Discoloured, and with traces of glue from previous mounting on reverse. Slight loss to one corner and tiny closed tear at head. Attractive calligraphic signature, with tall, closely-spaced, vertically elongated letters. Top loops of initial 'J' trimmed.

Three pages, 12mo. Good, on aged and lightly stained paper. She is writing because her husband, who is 'on the eve of starting for Scotland', 'is very far from well today'. He asks her to thank her correspondent 'for the Translations & the Pamphlet on the Revelation' [Fleay's 'The Book of Revelation symbolic not special, being the substance of Sermons [...]', 1864]. 'The latter he feels is written on the only rational method & he likes it very much, as he does the Catullus' [Fleay's 'The poetry of Catullus, to which is added The vigil of Venus', 1864].

Both 1 page, 12mo. Both in good condition, although the first creased in two corners. It is unlikely that House held a senior position in his department as neither letter bears testimony to a good education. In the first letter he says he will be away from the Museum on a certain date, and suggests another day when, if convenient, he will 'bring the two ushabti figures from home and perhaps may be able to find others'. He saw Mr Epps on the previous day but 'we were too busy to talk'.