MANUSCRIPT

1p, 12mo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with traces of glue from mount on the blank reverse. Reads: 'The Secretary presents his compliments to Miss Kerr and begs leave to inform her the Composition fee of £35 has been duly paid to Drummond & Co'.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with traces of mount adhering to the blank reverse of the second leaf. In reply to his letter, she refers Helmore to 'Mr Wright', who has 'frequently since the Publication of the "Sunbeam" [in 1849] been appealed to to bring it out in a cheap form - but he has no speculating propensities - and as he is perfectly satisfied with the sale of twenty thousand at a shilling - he is not inclined to try it in a cheaper form'. She has 'nothing to do with it - further than receiving a certain sum as each edition is sold out'.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, on creased and aged paper, with one edge adhering to a mount from an album. The letter reads: 'Dear Sir | The Two Volumes of Coleridge's Memoirs were returned with the Life of Wordsworth. If they are send [sic] by to morrow any time - I will do my best - tho' to say the truth I would as soon write the History of the Devil. Inter nos. | Yrs truly | J Watkins | Monday Evg'. Docketted on reverse 'J. Watkins'. The letter may relate to a proposed review in the 'Monthly Review'. As his entry in the Oxford DNB states, surprisingly little is known about Watkins.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Confounding John Preston Neale, author of the ' Views of the seats, Mansions, Castles, etc. of Noblemen and Gentlemen in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland' (1819-1823) with the poet Henry Neale (1798-1828) he writes: 'Having seen and admired yr. work on the Seats of the Nobility &c. I feel gratified that Lord Foresters House has fallen under your notice.

Both 1p., 4to, and both in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. ONE (11 September): He is writing regarding Wilson's 'kind suggestion that I should call in and see you one day shortly before the publication of my THACKERAY book'. Having been told by 'Mr. Hartley' that Bumpus is on holiday, he will call on 14 September. TWO (13 September 1932): Presumably with his tongue in his cheek, he writes: 'Dear Sirs, | Thank you for your letter of yesterday, reference II,456JGW, and for saving me the risk of a fruitless visit. I will call to see Mr.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed to 'E. Draper Esq'. He asks him to send 'the page of Freeman's [altered from 'Freemason's'] Journal mentioned in your Note to the Editor', and undertakes to return it safely, 'after inspection of the contents'.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, on aged paper, with a couple of short closed tears along creases. The body of the letter, written on 9 October 1897, reads: 'Dear Sir, | I have published only one small volume of verse which has long been out of print ['The Prophecy of Merlin and other Poems', published in 1870]. I will see if from some friend I can borrow a copy to send you. | I have written some occasional and other verse besides that of the little book, but for some years have done little expect writing for the press.' In a postscript of 18 October 1897, signed 'J.

1p., landscape 12mo. In fair condition, on aged and lightly-worn paper. Strachey has written 'Mrs. Shorter' in the bottom left-hand corner, but the note is addressed to 'Dear Sir', and corrected by him to 'Madam'. It reads: 'I enclose with many thanks cheque [sic] for your contributions during the past month'.

2pp., 12mo. Written lengthwise across the paper, so that the letterhead runs up the left-hand margin of the first page. She thanks him for his letter and 'the Cocteau profile (most interesting and infuriating - splendid misunderstanding - written down with such authority.)', as well as '"The Holy Terrors" notices'. She has been delayed in sending him the script of 'The Confidential Clerk' as she had to go to King's Lynn. She is sending the script now, and asks for it to be returned 'fairly soon, as it is Henry Sherek's and he may suddenly scream for it!' (Sherek was the play's producer.)

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. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. He begins: 'You would see that we found room for an extract from the Camden Society report in last week's Chronicle'. He asks Nichol to 'find space for the enclosed letter in the Gentleman's Magazine'. He is 'acquainted with the pedigree in question', but does not think that 'Sir Bernard Burke's statements are in all cases to bee relied upon'. The letter continues: 'I do not know whether you are in Mr Potter's secrets.

On both sides of the 11 x 9 cm card. Very good, with light signs of age. He feels he must thank him for 'two numbers of the North American Review, both containing interesting articles'. despite 'their anti English spirit'. He was glad to read 'Bryce's article' to which he feels 'some injustice has been done'.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In frail state, on aged paper with chipping and closed tears, and loss at the head of both leaves. The letter is addressed to 'John Trotter Esq | The Bush | near Edinburgh' and begins: 'My dear Trotter, | My better Half having expressed our delight at being again as it were, in possession of our old friend Bush, in the very admirable representation which has, thro' your kindness just reached us, I have only to echo her acknowledgment & thanks.

1p., 4to. On creased and lightly-aged paper, with wear and chipping to edges. She thanks him for his letter 'and for your offer of original potrait drawings by yourself', in which she was 'greatly interested'. She explains that there is a limitation of space, 'and as a general rule we are exhibiting portraits only when we can associate with them some other relic or possession of the writer concerned'. In response to 'our appeal' she has received 'souvenirs of past writers, and I am concentrating on these. This being so, I feel I must very reluctantly decline your interesting offer'.

1p., 32mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. The note reads: 'My dear Webster, | I have fasted all the week in joyful expectation of the 1st of December. | Every truly your's [sic] | Douglas Jerrold'.

1p., 12mo. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. He assumes his correspondent refers to an article which 'appeared long ago in the North British Review'. He has only 'a slight recollection of its nature or contents', but the correspondent is 'welcome, so far as I am concerned, to any use of quotations from it that may suit your purpose'.

2pp., 12mo. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. He is sending the copy of P. C. Wren's 'Beau Geste' (published by the publishers of the 'Quarterly Review', John Murray Ltd, in 1926), and assures Shorter that he must not 'pay for this further review-copy'. He will be happy to give Shorter's message to the photographers Greenhough & Co., 'indeed, they shall see your letter, or at least the personal part of it'. He is sorry that Shorter's 'process of getting well is not to be more rapid', and asks to be informed when he can pay a visit.

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. In a difficult hand. The letter reads: 'In reference to the last paragraph of your circular of May 27 I have to say that I have no "notable successes" of any of my students to report, since neither in any of the scholarships at Oxford or Cambridge for which our students compete do the subjects of my Lectures form any part of the examinations.'

5pp., 12mo. The letter proper is three pages long, on a bifolium, and is accompanied by a two-page 'list of times & places' on a separate leaf. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. With 18 x 23 cm letterhead, on the cover of which Thornton has written 'To | Sir Robert Head. Bart. | III | Zimmer Strasse 97 | Hier.', with his signature 'C. Thornton' in the bottom left-hand corner.

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly aged and worn paper. The note reads: 'Ld Liverpool encloses a draft value 57 .. 12. 2 to Mr Broster he begs Mr Browster will acknowledge the receipt of this by a letter addressed as above'.

Written on a 4 x 11 cm piece of paper, cut from letter. Laid down on a 6 x 14 cm piece of grey paper, annotated in a contemporary hand: 'Admiral Sir George Willes'. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper. Reads 'Yours v. truly | George Willes'.

Both items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. ONE (13 January 1934): 1p., landscape 12mo. The 'proposed article sounds the sort of thing', but Strangeways cannot accept it until he sees it. TWO (3 February 1934): 2pp., landscape 12mo. He thanks him for sending the article, regarding which he writes: 'if the musicians mentioned in it had been more important or there had been more about them, it wd. have been worth printing; but as it is I am afraid it is not of sufficient interest.' The writer's reference to 'Ranzini' is, Strangeways points out, 'almost certainly' a mistake for 'V.

The two items in fair condition, on aged and worn paper. ONE: To 'C. Lavers Smith, Esq'. 21 April 1903. 2pp., landscape 8vo. He asks 'whether prints are to be had of Nell Gwynne's reputed birthplace at Hereford'. He made enquiries about the house in Hereford on the previous Saturday. 'It was pulled down in 1861; but in 1858 two photographs of it were taken, and I found an old photographer who had negatives which he promised to lend to me for a small consideration.

15pp., landscape 12mo. With four additional pages of photographic plates ('Exterior facing south', 'The lounge', 'The dining room', 'A bedroom'). Stitched into grey printed wraps. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. The booklet includes a list of trustees and other officers, a descriptive text, the 'Regulations relating to the home', 'Form of application' (with two pages of 'rules', including 'CASES NOT ADMITTED') and 'Medical Report'. The descriptive text begins: 'The Home has been built and generously endowed by Mr. F. W.

18pp., 12mo. Unbound stapled pamphlet on grey paper. The cover carries the names of officers. The pamphlet also features lists of 'Prize Medallists' (boys, 1867-1889; girls, 1869-1889), 'Prize Children', and pupils commended for 'Attendance', together with the programme for the concert, including the words of numerous hymns and songs sung, with names of participants. No copy of this or of any other of the school's Christmas Programmes has been traced on either COPAC or OCLC WorldCat.

The five items, which would make for an attractive display on the theme of Victorian education, relate to the Hampden Gurney Schools, which were founded in 1863, in the newly-named Hampden Gurney Streeet, as a memorial to the recently-deceased Rev. John Hampden Gurney (1802-1862), Rector of St Mary’s, Bryanston Square. The school is now the Hampden Gurney Church of England Primary School, and is located in Nutford Place. ONE: Metal circular medal, 3.75 cm in diameter. In very good condition.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed to 'Dr. Carl Peters | 29 St James Street | W'. The letter reads: 'Dear Sir | We beg to inform you that we have a small amount due to you from the sales of your "Violin Family" by Carl Engel but, before forwarding same, we shall be glad to know whether the above is your correct address.'

All four items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. ONE (8 October 1908): 'Although I am only asking what I am offered elsewhere I am willing to meet you, & to accept Twenty five Guineas for the second serial use of the two stories, - on the understanding that the transaction is for prompt cash.' TWO (16 February 1909): His terms are fifteen guineas, cash.

1p., 8vo. Bifolium, addressed on reverse of second leaf 'To Thomson Hankey Junr.' In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The letter begins: 'Dear Thomson, | I give to you as a free Gift the Sum of Four Thousand Pounds & authorize you on 30th. of this Month to place that Sum to your Credit with our House by the Debit of my private Account. I also give you the one fourth Share of my two thirds Share of the Ship Elizabeth Capt.

3pp., folio. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. Signed 'Isabella Hankey' and witnessed by 'John fforster Carey Street'.