LONDON

12mo, [ii] + 235 pp. In contemporary brown-calf half-binding, with marbled boards and grey endpapers. Internally sound and tight, if a little foxed, with some wear to the extremities of the title-leaf. In worn binding with label on spine mostly worn away. The identity of the author is unknown.

The collection as a whole is in good condition on aged paper. ITEM ONE: 90-page typescript headed 'II | ANTECEDENT', beginnning 'It has become a commonplace of musicology, at least in this country, that the first two decades of the Twentieth Century show an immense increase of creative activity in the composition of works of music by an astonishingly rich group of their [sic] young composers.

12mo, 30 pages. In contemporary nonce-binding of brown boards tied with twine. Presumably incomplete, as sequential translations of only thirty psalms are present, ending with the hundred-and-fourth. Scarce: no copy in the British Library, and none on COPAC.

Quarto bifolium, 3 pp. Verso of second leaf blank. On greyish-blue paper. Good, though lightly creased and with a little spottting. Begins 'MR. D'ISRAELI [sic] presented a Petition from Finnemoor, a place forming part of Oxfordshire, but being wholly within the County of Buckingham. The Petiton complained of oppression on the part of the Bishop of Oxford.

4to, 20 pp. The last page carries advertisements for the publisher Almon. Unbound; stitched. Good, with first and last leaves somewhat aged and chipped. Central vertical fold. A relatively uncommon item, with most of the entries on COPAC turning out to be for a microfilm reproduction.

An unusual, scarce and frail survival. Printed on one side of a piece of tissue paper, roughly 35 cm square. Surprisingly well preserved: heavily creased, with some wear to extremities, one small hole (not affecting text or image) and one closed tear of approximately 4 cm to coloured border.

On one side of a piece of wove paper, 25 x 10.5 cm. Spotted and lightly creased, with four small holes in the paper, but with text clearly legible throughout. Forty-four lines, arranged in eleven four-line stanzas.

4to: 1 p. Facsimile of a handwritten letter. With small embossed circular letterhead, in red and gilt, with crest enclosed by the words 'Bibliotheca civitatis Londoniarum'. Somewhat grubby bifolium, but with text clear and entire, reading 'The Committee appointed by the Corporation of London to carry out the works in connexion with their new Library and Museum having fixed Thursday, the 27th. Instant for the ceremony of laying the Foundation Stone of the buildings, it will afford them much pleasure to be favored with your company on the occasion, at Guildhall at 2. o'clock. p.m.

Thirty-six weekly issues. As poster, c.29 x 39cm, fold marks indicate possible use as a brochure, good condition. Information given on verso: Theatre, Nearest Tube, Eves. & Mats, Play, Description of Play. At the bottom information about "Official Ticket Agents for All London Theatres" and a line encouraging smoking (especially Abdullas). Information given on recto: Garges in Theatreland, Contractors to West End Theatres, the title "page", and two columns of "Theatre Notes". The only MS. annotations are: Issue for 2-7 Jan.

Printed on one side of a piece of rough laid paper, approximately 24.5 x 8.5 cm. Crude circular woodcut of pedlar at head, diameter 3.5 cm. Good, on aged paper with a little creasing at head and foot. Consists of four four-line stanzas with refrain 'Doodle, doodle, doo.' First stanza, heavy with double-entendre, reads 'HEAV'N bless my dearest little dear, | The wind is not quite fair, | From Portland Road I write this here - | Oh! bless your little hair. | Doodle, doodle, doo.' Clearly refers to a high society Regency scandal, possibly that concerning the Duke of York and Mary Anne Clarke.

The collection is lightly aged and in good condition. Letter One (12mo, 3 pp), Oxford, 1 November 1827, signed 'W: M.': Begins by saying that he will be pleased to join Charles 'in the Lodging you propose or any other more to your mind - I had not fixed upon any plan, but thought once of being at Ellis's Hotel - (the Colonial Club House, St. James St.) Your proposal, however, I like much better.' He will 'much prefer being in the Regent Street on late Nights in the Ho. of Commons [Manning was also a Member of Parliament], as I found Wimpole St.

4to: 1 p. On grubby, aged paper, with crease to one corner. Laid down on a leaf removed from an autograph album. Thanking the recipient for 'selling Roses in the Middlesex Hospital Area' on 'Alexandra Rose Day'. 'The total sum collected in our Area amounted to £680. 10s. 6d. which is most satisfactory, and I do hope you will feel rewarded for your trouble and fatigue by this very gratifying result.' Docketed at foot 'Viscount Astor'.

12mo bifolium: 1 p, on recto of first leaf, with address on verso of second leaf. Grubby, and with spike hole and tear to outer edge through both leaves, that on the first neatly repaired on the reverse with archival tape. Text complete and entirely legible. 'Mr. Howell will be obliged to Mr. Lee if in addition to the Douglass case Lot 708, He will purchase Lot 213 'Discovery Witches' [...]'. A further seven bids follow. The note ends 'Mr Howell will thank Mr Lee will [sic] bear in mind, that these purchases will be upon condition of the books being in good order and perfect'.

Foolscap bifolium (leaf dimensions 33 x 20.5 cm). Good, on aged and lightly creased paper. The letter, the printed text of which invites the recipient to 'forward to this Office a clear description' of his invention, is on the recto of the first leaf. Particularising details and signature by Hall, who has addressed it to 'Commander Paterson R.N. | Brockhurst House | Brockhurst | Gosport | Hants'. Docketed and initialed by Paterson at head. The recto of the second leaf contains a printed 'Memorandum' by W. G.

4to, 1 p. On aged, creased apper, but with text clear and entire. A small piece of paper from a bottom corner has been torn away in opening the letter, and is still present on the reverse, under a red wax seal bearing a clear impression of a lyre and the words 'Addolcire ed Maturare'. Brief communication apologising for the fact that the Literary Souvenir has not reached him sooner. 'The omission is the sin of my booksellers and not mine'. He is sending a copy with the letter, and asks him to accept his thanks, 'for your courtesy'.

Letter: 12mo, 1 p. Grubby and stained. He 'did not mention the Planché-affair' in his letter of the day before. Asks for his name to be put down 'for a copy of the book' [French's edition of Planché's 'Extravaganzas']. The subscription form (12mo, 1 p), heavily worn and with loss to the extremities, is laid down on the reverse of the letter. On it Merivale gives his address as 'Barton Lodge, Kingston on Thames'.

8vo, 2 pp, 33 lines. Good, on lightly aged and creased paper. An interesting letter, written by a former policeman to a former probation officer, on the subject of the latter's book 'Come to Prison: A Tour through British Prisons today' (Longmans, 1957), about which the former has written a negative review. Begins by praising Stokes' 'really generous letter, written at what cost in self-control I can only dimly imagine'. When Hewitt 'read the published review', he thought 'that it was still on the whole unfair'. 'I hate reviewing really, and am a bad reviewer.

12mo, 1 p, 7 lines. Good, on light aged paper, with 1 cm closed tear to top corner (not affecting text, which is clear and entire). Reads 'I regret having to inform you that the Salford Mayoralty Seal has broken all to pieces in the process of hardening and that I am afraid that I am obliged to engrave another which I am proceeding with as expeditiously as possible'.

12mo: [xii] + xxiv + 76 pp. In original red cloth boards, with 'FLORES POETARUM BRITANNICORUM.' stamped in gilt on front board. Lightly aged and foxed, in slightly grubby binding, but good and tight. A few marginal notes in a contemporary hand.

On a piece of pink paper, roughly 9 x 11 cm. Neatly laid down onto a piece of white paper. Very good. A reply to a request for an autograph. Reads 'I am | my dear Lady | Yours truly | [signed] Eliza Cook'. The signature is firm and bold, with a small part of the flourish beneath it shaved away.

12mo, 1 p. Text clear and entire, on lightly creased blue paper, with a thin docketed strip neatly cut away at the foot of the letter. Traces of cream paper mount adhering to the blank reverse. Presumably refers to the play 'Alone in London', which debuted at the Olympic Theatre in 1885. Buchanan trusts that Fenn 'will be present in production of my new play & Miss Jay's debut on Wednesday next'. He asks whether to send the stalls, 'or do you get them from the Office? It will be indeed disappointing if you do not come, this time.'

Letter One (12mo, 1 p; on creased, aged paper with closed tear at head): date (1878) illegible, on letterhead of the 'Office of "Tinsleys' Magazine," | 8, Catherine Street, Strand, W.C.' A most unusual way of declining an invitation. He thanks Draper for his kindness and is 'truly grieved' that he 'cannot come to-day - I gave my boots a holiday yesterday, which they want to pass with a worthy cobbler.

The text of the three items is complete and legible. All three are bifoliums of aged and lightly-creased paper, with traces of grey paper mounts adhering to the verso of the last leaves. A difficult hand. Letter One (22 December 1884, Echo Office; 12mo, 1 p): Asks to be given a copy of a poem, or to be told where it can be found. Letter Two (19 Aug. [no year], Syon Lodge, Isleworth; 12mo, 2 pp): Begins 'This is a begging letter.' Asks for a copy of a poem by Draper (the title of which is illegible), not for publication but for his 'own private satisfaction'.

12mo, 352 pp. In contemporary brown calf half-binding, with marbled boards and grey endpapers. Loose and foxed in worn binding.

12mo: 2 pp. Very good. 'The Association for establishing depots of cheap food for the poor' has been formed, 'under the auspices of Lord Brougham, the Earl of Shrewsbury, Sir John Villiers Shelley, and others,' and Jerrold asks whether Raikes would 'permit us to add your name to the list of patrons', a position which 'entails no pecuniary responsibility whatsoever.'

8vo: xxiv + 248 pp. At rear is 32-page 'Mr. Murray's General List of Works', dated 'Albemarle Street, London, August, 1896.' In original blue cloth, with illustration of a long ship stamped in gilt on front board. Good tight copy in lightly-worn binding. Inscribed on half-title 'Dufferin and Ava | Clandeboye, Ireland, Nov 22nd., 1897' and 'Lauchlan MacLean Watt | In Iceland with King of Denmark 1907'.

Dimensions of card roughly 8.5 x 11 cm. Good, with slight creasing. Twenty lines of text. Congratulating Hammerton on his appointment as editor of the 'London Magazine'.

Seven lines on one side of a piece of aged wove paper, roughly 12.5 x 10 cm. A hurried, smudged communication. Reads 'My Dear Sir | I have the ill luck to be obliged to attend a Council of the Royal Academy. We commence business punctually [last word underlined] at 8 oClock - Confound the R.A.!!! | Truly yrs | [signed] F Chantrey | Tuesday Morng'.

12mo, 2 pp. Good, on aged paper. A formal letter in the third person. Windham 'is almost ashamed' of sending Sharpe 'anything so trifling as what accompanies this note'. His justification for doing so is the 'wish of having his opinions stated with tolerable correctness on a subject to which Mr Sharpe, as a matter of some interest at the moment, may happen in some degree to have turned his thoughts.' Sharp's name was often misspelt by contemporaries, and he is listed in the index to the online Oxford DNB as 'also known as Sharpe, Richard'.

12mo bifolium, 4 pp. Good, on aged, laid paper. Good, on lightly aged paper. Addressed to 'My dear Charles', and from a collection of papers belonging to Charles James Manning. From the context may well be written by the wife of William Manning's eldest son Frederick (Charles's brother, as well as Cardinal Manning's). The author has 'been quite stunned with the sad & awfully sudden news' [of William Manning's death]. The author's uncle, 'Col ' agreed 'that it would alarm [Frederick] to see me [at 'Pangburn']'.