MANUSCRIPT

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper, with damp tide mark across the two leaves. 92 lines of closely-written text, regarding Lynd's book 'Irish and English' (London: F. Griffiths, 1908). The letter begins: 'My dear Robert | I have purchased (please commend this virtuous action) and read your book "Irish and English" and now write to congratulate you on its quality. It has this, sections of it are quite admirable.

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. He begins by stating that his book 'contains the details' his correspondent requires, and continues: 'I am sorry to say that I made a little mistake when I was talking to you over the telephone about "Pulcinella". I think I said there was a long description of that ballet in my "Diaghilev Ballet in London", but of course it is the "Complete Book of Ballets".

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. In something of a hard sell he begins by stating that 'the "Sir Philip Sidney" letter, of which I showed you a facsimile the other day, [...] seems to me peculiarly suitable for your collection'. In support of the letter's 'exceptional rarity' he cites 'a letter of Thorpe's (the expert of autographs of his day) dated 1839 accompanying the autograph & giving its pedigree, in which he says "I never saw a letter of Sidney's for sale except the present"', adding that 'no other autograph of his has occurred since'.

The two items relate to the book 'An Old Coachman's Chatter with Some Practical Remarks on Driving. By a Semi-Professional. Edward Corbett, Colonel late Shropshire Militia.'(London: Richard Bentley and Son, 1890). Both the letter and the proofs are in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. LETTER: 3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. 34 lines of text in a particularly difficult hand. He will endeavour to 'throw all the light' he can on the subjects mentioned in his correspondent's letter, beginning:: 'I think the time between Cape Curig & Holyhead must be correct.

1p., 4to. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper, with traces of mount on blank reverse, and short closed tear in one corner. He apologises for having to 'hesitate' regarding her 'slight request', but he 'cannot aid the circulation of a book without knowing its principles'. He continues: 'I rejoice to hear that your daughter & yourself, are still seeking to secure your highest interests'.

In good condition, on aged card. Addressed to 'Erich Alport Esqe. | 195 Woodstock Rd. | Oxford'. The card reads: 'By dint of putting them up to their necks in water every night, all the peonies came out & are only just scattering their petals. I have been flower viewing all the week - two magnificent gardens & the Chelsea show. It was very nice to see you. I hope you will propose yourself again - after I get back from abroad.'

The thirteen items are in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. All but one bear the purple oval stamp of the Royal Society of Arts, and most are docketted. Totalling 10pp., 4to; 3pp., 12mo. The earlier letters are addressed to Wood and the later ones to Menzies. The first letter (14 August 1915), in which Pite proposes becoming a member of the Society, is the only one not to concern the course of lectures.

One one side of 16 x 11 cm piece of ruled paper. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. The invoice is for six books totalling £3 17s 0d, the first three purchased in 1814 and the others in 1818: 'Abernethy's Works', '[Abernethy's] Lectures', 'Hey's Lectures', 'Adam's life of Hunter', 'Scudamore on Gout', 'Reid on Insanity'. Barklimore's receipt reads: 'Resd. [sic] 25th. April 1818 from Mr Dunlop | Archd. Barklimore'. Docketted on reverse: Mem[orandu]m of Disbursements on acct Dr. McWhirter by Dr. Barklimore.' Macwhirter does not feature in BBTI.

The story of the Johnstone family has been told in Emma Rothschild's 'Inner Life of Empires' (Princeton, 2012). According to Rothschild, Alexander Johnstone 'became a soldier in the British army and was sent to North America.

HMS Arethusa, the fourth of nine Royal Navy ships to bear the name, was a 46-gun fifth rate launched in 1817. (Fifth-rate ships served as fast scouts or independent cruisers. Owing to their combination of manoeuvrability and firepower, they were often assigned to interdict enemy shipping.) She was was renamed HMS Bacchus in 1844 on conversion into a hulk, and was broken up in 1883. The present item is 21pp., 8vo. Stitched. In fair condition, on lightly aged and worn grey paper. With loose heavily worn remains of brown marbled wraps (front and back cover detached from one another).

For more about O'Neill (son of the Victorian artist George Bernard O'Neill) see his obituary in The Times, 15 June 1946. LETTER: 4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper.

Gladys Jones ('Gwen John') lived with her sister the suffragette Winifred Jones in Lincoln's Inn. Her play 'The Prince' - three corrected copies of which are in the present collection as Items Three to Five - was retitled 'Gloriana' [= Elizabeth I] when performed at the Adelphi Theatre in London in December 1925, with a youthful John Gielgud in the role of Sir John Harrington. Items One, Six and Seven below relate to the volume 'Plays of Innocence' by 'Gwen John', published in 1925 by Ernest Benn (by whom Victor Gollancz was then employed).

The last eight leaves only of a printed catalogue (no. 260 in M. V. de Chantilly's 'Robert Harding Evans of Pall Mall | auction catalogues 1812-1846 | a provisional list' (2002)). Stitched and unbound. On aged and worn paper, with slight damp staining to margins. Paginated 23-37 + [1], with the final page (i.e. the verso of the last leaf) carrying the advertisement: 'Preparing for Sale by MR. EVANS. | THE VALUABLE LIBRARY of an | EMINENT COLLECTOR.' (in manuscript: 'Mr Rennie'). Slug at foot of p.37: 'London: Printed by W. Nicol, | Cleveland-row, St.

Robert Harding Evans has been described as 'the greatest of all auctioneers of literary property'. In a career spanning three decades he oversaw the dispersal of many of the finest libraries ever assembled, from the great Roxburghe sale of 1812 to that of the Duke of Sussex in 1845, as well as those of the books of Lord Byron and the manuscripts and copyrights of Sir Walter Scott. In an undated letter to Bodley's Librarian (copy in Item Four below) Marcham states that he is 'working on Evans the auctioneer and the list will be published.

15pp., 8vo. On twelve leaves torn from an album. With minor emendations, and an essay in another hand on some reverses. Unpublished. The piece begins: 'My collection of catalogues has grown much in the same way as other collections of books. At times I have got rid of many I missed later on and it was only by long experience I found that some things are desirable. First it is better to have each sale bound by itself and this I have carried out except where some association in an existing bound volume would have been destroyed.

1p., 12mo. On aged and worn paper. Cameron writes: 'Dear Sir, | I regret that the enclosed verses would occupy too much room for our space, but I return them with our thanks to you for bringing them under our notice'. The recipient is not the London publisher, who died in 1890.

2pp., 12mo. He writes with aristocratic hauteur: 'Sir. | I shall return to London on or before the 20th & I shall be ready to meet the other members of the Site Committee any day after that date & It is quite indifferent to me whether we meet at the Society of Arts or in Pall Mall | Truly yrs | W Cowper'.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with slight loss at the head of the second leaf affecting a couple of words of text. The letter begins: My dear Sir, | I have on different occasions interfered to prevent gross abuses at the Theatre to which you call my attention, and have I believe to a certain degree procured their correction. But thhere is great reason to fear that by attempting too much more may be lost than gained.

2pp., 12mo. In fair condition, on aged and lightly-worn paper. Written in a difficult hand. The letter begins: 'My dear Campbell. | You will find all I know about Axiologus, and Miss Maria Williams, in a prefatory note Vol I of my Edition of W[illiam]. W[ordsworth].s Poems (not Life).' He confirms that the poem is by Wordsworth, and expresses regret at 'letting it be known: for it led Tutin [John Ramsden Tutin (1855-1913)] of Hull to go & print the sonnet for private circulation some years ago.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly aged and worn paper, with traces of mount on blank reverse of second leaf. The letter begins: 'My dear Edward Draper | In the name of "The Trombone" I solicit your advice & aid in the following matter. | Twelve or thirteen years ago a London bootmaking firm, hight Noguez & Wasselin, did work for me or my wife (I disremember which) to the tune of three pounds odd shillings. | I have no doubt that I paid for what I had - and having been my unbroken custom ever sincce I became a legally responsible person.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. With mourning border. The letter begins: 'My dear Sir, | My friend, Mr Melville, of this Office, has drawn up a paper on Bootan, the scene of our present "little War" in India, which I think would be interesting to the readers of "Once a Week" - The subject is likely to attract some attention shortly after the meeting of Parliament.

1p., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed on reverse of second leaf to 'Dr '. The letter reads: 'Dear Sir | Having been requested by Mr Merry the Depy Secretary at War to propose him as a Member of the Geological Society, I shall esteem it a favor, if you will put your Name to the enclosed Paper, & return it to me by the Post.'?>

On piece of 6 x 10 cm paper. Laid down on 8.5 x 20.5 cm strip of paper cut from album. In fair condition, aged and worn, with a cross in light red ink through text. Bold signature, with date, and titles of two books above. Reads: 'Howells Londonopilis [sic] | Monumenta Vetusta | Thos Allen | Nov 10/24'.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Writing to an unnamed correspondent, he asks to be sent ('Raby Castle | Darlington') 'a copy of the D of Argyll's speech in Septr. last, & of his speech upon the Cretan insurrection in 1867'. He is enclosing '19s in stamps'.

Both letters 2pp., 12mo, and both in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The two items glued together along one edge. Letter One (3 February 1863): He is enclosing an account of her 'chiffres' from his colleague at the British Museum Vaux, and hopes they 'will be what you want'. He asks for more information regarding 'the drawings', and condoles with her on her husband's ill health: 'This has been a very unhealthy season.' Letter Two (19 December): Regarding his wife having the measles, which makes it impossible for them to accept her invitation.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The letter begins: 'Dear George, | The idea contained in your letter is very interesting, and I am honoured to be thought of in connection with it. I am now reading Stevenson's letters, (admirable they are,) and I know from his dealings with American magazines and publishers that the terms offered by the Review are extremely handsome. But I am very late in the day, - in my day, - to be a writing a history; [i.e.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. He has heard that King is 'to preside at the dinner tomorrow' and so is writing to him 'what I wrote to Smith that I am very sorry I can not "support the Chair", as I had a previous inviitation - our friends gave me this time only a few day's notice'. In any case, he has 'such a miserable cold' and is 'so incapable' that he will be 'no loss to your party'. It is with difficulty that he has 'got through my numerous mail duties'.

1p., 12mo. In poor condition, aged and worn, with rust marks to margin and corners. 'My dear Sir | If you could conveniently look in upon me tomorrow (Wednesday) about 2 OC'K I should be glad to have some talk with you'.

All three items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. All signed 'Ralph Straus'. ONE: TLS. 6 January 1939. 1p., 8vo. After expressing his willingness to have 'the programme of Wat Tyler and the Bil of Madame Sala for 1827', he expresses his desire to acquire playbills 'of Sala's grandfather, in a King's Theatre ballet 1776 onwards - particularly if it gives his Christian name of Claudio. I know of one in Jan. 1788.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. On aged and worn paper. Addressed to 'Walter F. Stocks Esq'. He begins by pointing out that his daughter is not to blame for the late reply: 'it is my own fault my correspondence being somewhat in arrears'.