J.M.

Two pages, cr.8vo, fold marks, good condition. Thanks for his letter. "I feel certain that your daughter is an extraordinarily sound judge! But I have also a kind of feeling that I may conceivably be a little prejudiced! I shall await your opinion with faith and hope, trusting that it may be charitable. Seriously I don't want to send you a copy of a work that will only be an encumbrance, but if you do really like it & would care for me to send it either to your daughter or yourself I should be very glad to do so. [...]"

Four pages, pp.2[2], folio, unbound as issued, two leaves of bifolium separated, sl. chipping and sunning of edges, fold mark, text clear and complete. It includes: P.1 & 2 a history of the appeal (committee meetings etc), and its objectives, concluding "David Masson | Chairman | 27th May 1897."; P.[3] The Committee (Earl of Rosebery, J.M. Barie, Conan Doyle, Henry James, Joseph Bell, Rider Haggard, Thomas Hardy, Edmind Gosse, Rudyard Kipling, Leslie Stephen, etc etc.; p.[4] "First Subscription List" (much the same as Committee.

Title-page headed: 'Victoria University, University College of Liverpool, Faculty of Arts.' 58pp., 12mo. In grey printed wraps. In fair condition, on lightly aged and worn paper, with central vertical crease, and with shelf-marks and red label of the Board of Education Reference Library, and the printing of Mackay's name on the front cover touched up in manuscript.

Total 56 (fifty-six) pages, with much emphatic underlining and capitalising, very informal and extensive chat about literature ranging from discussion of his writings (he was obviously a Byron/Scott expert) his reading, current publications, book wants, reminiscences of J.M. Barrie, family history (Robert Napier & Sons), antiquarian book purchases and the antiquarian book market, to a list of statues in Glasgow. Much idiosyncratic and entertaining anecdotes comment (e.g. The Germans eat & smoke far too much & I hate cigars & late dinner" - much underlined once or twice).

One page. On piece of paper roughly seven inches by three and a half wide. Bottom part of letter cut away. Reads 'Dr Sir | In compiance with your wish | I subscribe myself | truly yours | [signed] J. M. Weston | To/ | Jas. Reese Esq'. Docketed by Rees 'The above autograph is that of my friend J M Weston, Stage Manager of the St Charles Theatre - he is the Author of Several popular pieces, among which is the beautiful drama of Lucretia Borgia'. Dated in another hand on reverse. Not much appears to be known about Weston, whose translation of Victor Hugo's play was first published in 1850.