NOVELIST

1p., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Reads: 'With Mary Maxwell's love & best wishes, & many thanks for the charmingly illustrated Xmas book of The Children in the Wood | M. E Braddon | January 1. 1878.'

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, on aged paper. He thanks him for sending 'Idylls of Spain' (by Rowland Thirlmere, 1897), which 'Mr. Milner' will settle with him for, and states that he is 'interested in the subject and would be glad of a note of any books you happen to come across on this subject'. In 1903 Crockett would publish 'The Adventurer in Spain'.

One page, 12mo, fold marks, good condition. "Pray couch your dedication in the way that pleases you best - but the more [?] & less formal the more agreeable to me." Jerdan has docketed with a date, 25 July 1853, and a one word comment, "dinnering"[?]

One page, 8vo, bifolium, fold mark, good condition. "I am obliged by your letter. Some of my books have been translated into German, but not all. My agent, Mr Watt [A.P. Watt], who transacts all my business, is at present away on holiday, but I will send him your letter and ask him to communicate with you on his return."

R.P. Lister (Richard Percival Lister) (1914-2014), was an English author, poet, artist and metallurgist. See Wikipedia.The archive summarised below mainly represents his literary achievement, poetry and fiction. His travel writings (from notebooks to typescripts) will be listed separately although much of the correspondence listed below would relate to the non-literary aspects of his life.His unpublished history of the Bohemian group of poets called "The Saturdays" (the day they met), with other related material by him (lists of members etc) is offered separately.

1p. 8vo. In good condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. With envelope addressed by Ambler to Pitt at Kennister in Somerset. Also present are copies of two letters to Ambler from Pitt, dated 2 January and 20 February 1980. In the first Pitt congratulates Ambler on the receipt of an OBE, reminds him of their previous correspondence through Peter Janson-Smith, and sends 'Part I of my trilogy on the North African campaign' ('If it gives you one tenth of the enjoyment I get from every one of your books, it will have been worth writing.').

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly-aged, and laid down on a piece of card. Reads: 'July 26 | My dear Faed, | Would you mind seconding me at the Athenaeum? I believe Tom Hughes has put down my name. | Yours faithfully | William Black.' According to Black's entry in the Oxford DNB, he 'studied landscape painting for a short time in the Glasgow School of Art, but, becoming connected with the Glasgow Citizen, gradually exchanged art for journalism'.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly-aged. He writes that he has had 'a very fine p' sent to him, and asks if Pearson might accept it. 'If you dont care about it yourself you may have friends here to whom you might like to give it. Only, unluckily, I must have back the top'. He ends with a complaint regarding a 'Bronchial cough'.?>

A good, firm signature on the reverse of an 8vo endpaper removed from a book. In good condition, lightly-aged. Reads simply: 'Marie Corelli'.

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Attached by one corner to a leaf from an autograph album. 23 lines of text in a difficult hand. He thanks him for his 'notice in L<?>, & for the long & valuable as well as kind & flattering notice of my Novels'. He considers that the review is 'written with great talent - & is altogether the best of the kind notices of these works which I can remember to have seen'. He invites him down to Knebworth and asks whether he has 'succeeded with Lord Malm[esbur]y'.

In fair condition, aged and with traces of mounting on reverse. She is engaged on the afternoon of 15 June, but will hope to 'come in & see you some other time'. Postscript: 'It was delightful to meet & greet the other day!'

'A great and important person indeed!':Elizabeth Carfrae and Mills & Boon in the 1930sThe romantic novelist Elizabeth Carfrae (Mrs Peggy Cradock, 1879-1968) was a hugely popular writer between the First and Second World Wars.

One page, 12mo, dusted, fold mark, text clear and complete. Docketed on verson "From H.M. T. Dec. [July??} 1902" [H.M. Tomlinson?]. "Perhaps the enclosed is of sufficient interest to merit publication."

One page, 12mo, minor marking, good condition. "I hope that this will be as useful for your purpose as 'Sally Bishop' [his novel- see note below]. The motive of Sally has been so misunderstood that I should be glad if I could stop the sale of it altogether - for which reason I preferred to give you 'Mirage'. Note: it appears that the Englsih edition of 'Sally Bishop' was published in 1910, the American in 1908 (the year of this letter). 'Mirage' was published in 1908.

2pp., 12mo. 25 lines of text. In fair conditon, on aged and worn paper. Her sister Frances is 'overjoyed at your benevolent efforts for me', and 'Mr Arthur Hall is very glad indeed to hear what you are trying to do, and is quite ready if you and I approve to send a set of my books, with a notification to Mr Gladstone, and also of privately interesting the Archbishop, who will, he has no doubt send an autograph letter privately to the Prirme Minister'. The letter ends with a prayer for her 'kind friends', concluding 'The Lord will provide'.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, on aged paper, with light offsetting from another letter. Written in a difficult hand. Concerns 'the Club meeting' at 'Macdougall's Hall'. The recipient is addressed as 'My dear Capt Bond', and at the foot of the letter as 'Capt <?> Bond | &c. &c.'

On 3 x 12.5 slip of paper cut from foot of letter. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. The reverse reads '[...] think of me! I fear [...] I was threatened your [...]'.

On 5 x 11 cm slip of paper cut from foot of letter. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. The reverse reads '[...] in these dark days [...] interest! It is so [...] of you to sent it, [...]'.

Printed on one side of a 25.5 x 16 cm piece of cream paper. The portrait itself is 17 x 12 cm. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Printed above it is 'LIFE | FRANK MILES | October 18, 1879.' And below: '"VIOLET FANE" | Phototypie, 15, Quai Voltaire, Paris'. Inscribed at foot in pencil: 'To Mrs. Rolland from her affte. | "Violet Fane"'.

In poor condition, on aged and brittle paper, with significant chipping to edges involving loss of text, including the end of Philpott's signature. Undated, but written in 1916, the year of publication of Phillpotts' 'The Green Alleys'. Headed in blue pencil 'Mr Lynd' (i.e for the attention of Daily News columnist Robert Lynd).

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Written in purple ink. The letter reads: 'My dear Sir, | Here it is, for what it is worth. To-morrow, Jan 16, a new novel of mine, "Some Fell Among Thorns", should be published. I shall send you a copy & ask your acceptance of it. | Yours Sincerely | Andrew Soutar'. Soutar received a brief obituary in The Times, 25 November 1941.

1p., 8vo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. He thanks her for her review of his collection of children's stories 'The Spider's Palace' (1931). 'I wonder what London is like now. Here the sun is almost too fierce at midday to sit in: & the sea the clearest possible blue.'

3 TLsS, 6pp., 8vo and 12mo. First, on letterhead of Wood Close, Chinnor Hill, Oxon; 30 January 1925. His wife 'had not had a turn for the worse at the time of the Lamb dinner, as was rumoured.' Thanks RL for his advice regarding osteopathy. Asks if RL has 'returned the contract (for my series)' to his agent. 'I am still looking for a man to do either Reading or Talking (the last my subject, but I am willing to swop [sic]) for the first six. [...] So many people, like C.E.

ALS, Bury House, Bury, nr Pulborough, Sussex; 12 Nov. 1932, good condition. 'We have been wondering what those delightful little noises we've been hearing about the house, were.'

4pp., 12mo. Paginated to 4. Bifolium. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. On laid paper watermarked 'A PIRIE & SONS | 1883'. Tastefully printed.

The inscription is on the half-title leaf of Warren's anonymous 'A Letter to the Queen on a Late Court Martial' (1850). In fair condition on aged paper, with traces of previous mount adhering to the reverse. It reads: 'Rev. Dr. Warren | With his Son's love. | Samuel Warren. | 12th. Jany 1850.'

2pp., 8vo. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. He asks him to accept a copy of the Tauchnitz edition of his 'Iron Mask', 'the only one I happen to have by me'. He continues: 'As you are kind enough to express an interest in work of mine, I may say that I expect to be in the West of Ireland next month in the interests of the Daily Chronicle - if you ever happen to see that paper - for which I am to write a special series of letters describing the present condition of that district.' For more on Hopkins see his obituary in The Times, 17 February 1919.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, on lightly aged and worn grey paper. The only reference to a 'Tory' in Christabel Coleridge's 'Charlotte M. Yonge, Her Life and Letters' (London, 1903) is to one of Yonge's two kittens, born on the Queen's birthday in 1900. In a letter to Coleridge, 17 July 1900, she states that 'Tory is banished', and on 1 August 1900 she reports that she has seen 'Tory in his new abode - also stepped on him'. It is therefore reasonable to assume that the letter is a playful one, addressed to his new owner.

In good condition, lightly-aged. Addressed to 'Miss Paget, | 28, Campden Hill Square | W.' Reads: 'I will look in this morning at the hour of coffee.'

2pp., 12mo. 36 lines. She begins by accepting an invitation to give a talk to Wiener's 'Society', about which she has 'hears so much'. She is 'honoured to add my name to such a distinguished roll of speakers'. She next explains why she believes radio to be 'infinitely superior to TV'. She next turns to 'Mr. Sieveking's adaptation', which she considers 'very clever, as he had to leave out the descriptions which formed such an important part of the book. He allowed me to see and criticise all his scripts, too. I'm so glad you are liking the result. Isn't the signature-tune pleasing?