HUMPHRY

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium with mourning border. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. She apologises for the delay in writing, explaining: 'my hand has been dreadfully lame, & I have no secretary'. She explains that she has spoken to 'Mr. Craufurd' regarding the cottage, but that there is 'an old lady here, the widow of a farmer, a certain Mrs. Mead, who is supposed by Mr. Craufurd to have a prior claim'. She discusses whether Mrs Mead truly wants the cottage, and the possibility of making alterations to it, ending with remembrances to the recipient's father and mother.

1p., landscape 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Reads: 'Yes, I feel sure that at the time I pencilled in C. L. Dodgson, the author of Alice in Wonderland etc. The Rev. R. St. John Tyrwhitt was a resident in Oxford, and the note may have been addressed to him across the table? He was the father of the present Admiral Sir R. J. Tyrwhitt.'

2pp., 4to. 50 lines of text. On a single leaf of wove paper. Good: lightly worn on aged paper with slight damage to two words. A delightful exchange, with May's reply to the offer of a glass of rum beginning: 'Thanky Maister tis a nice dram. Ive agot the rousy cum stoundrums in my ears with the could. I pute a man to smoke perbacky in mun, and I rousted a Tryan and squeery cum squaten in till I sweat again with the hett and pain'.

On piece of paper 13 x 8.5 cms. Lightly spotted and discoloured. Traces of previous white paper mount on blank reverse. Reads '<...> certainly go, & see with a true sentiment of respectful Love, the Bust you mention. I have been very ill for sometime, & I am very much still of an Invalid. I am very | Truly Yours | [signed] Jane Davy | Monday | May 19th. 1851.'

4to bifolium: 3 pp. Good, on lightly aged laid paper, with slight damage to second leaf caused by the breaking of the red wax seal, parts of which still adhere. Address, with black ink Salisbury postmark, on verso of second leaf. The 58 lines of text clear and entire. A chatty, spirited and interesting letter, casting valuable light on the doings of the better class of Hampshire society in Jane Austen's time. Addressing 'My Dear Mr. Jervoise' she begins by explaining that she 'wrote in such a hurry yesterday to save the Post, that I can scarcely know what I said'.

4to (26.5 x 22 cm), 2 pp, 30 lines of text. On discoloured and lightly creased and stained paper, with some chipping to extremities, but with text clear and entire.

On piece of lightly discoloured paper roughly 4 x 10 cms, with horizontal fold on left. Reads '[typed] Yours sincerely, | [signed] Mary A. Ward.' Docketed in pencil at foot 'Mrs Humphry Ward 1914'.