PROOF

Both sets of proofs unstitched and unopened (and both opening out into a folio sheet), and both with title-pages printed in red and black. Both in very good condition, on lightly-aged paper, and both stamped on first page 'PLEASE PASS FOR PRESS | MARGINS' in blue, with purple oval dated printers' stamp. FIRST SET: 16pp., 8vo, paginated to xvi. Title: 'THE WORKS OF MR. FRANCIS | RABELAIS | [...] | Illustrated by W. HEATH ROBINSON | The Second Part'. Publishers' details at foot on pasted label at foot of title-page: 'MCMLIV | THE NAVARRE SOCIETY LONDON'.

All three items in good condition, on lightly aged paper. The two Aitken letters are both signed 'G A Aitken'. ONE: ALS by Aitken, 3 December 1907. 3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. He begins by suggesting an emendation to a note on an 'enclosed proof' regarding Dr Pearce and 'The Tatler'. He then discusses a reprint by the firm of his edition of the 'Spectator', which he has not seen. 'If it bears a current date on the title-page, I trust you have preserved the date to the Preface, to show that I have not revised the work.

On leaf of 4to paper. In fair condition, aged and lightly-creased. The purpose of the illustration is unclear, although it may be a proof or letterhead. The attractive engraving is in black ink, and 7 x 20cm. It shows two flagpoles, with a tightrope between them and apparatus to the right and left. Beneath the illustration are fourteen lines of text in two columns, under the head, 'Explanations', the left-hand column reading: 'From A to B, 600 English feet. | From C to D, 420 English feet. | From Mast to Mast, 300 English feet. | From E to F, 100 English feet.

[10] + 244 + [2]pp., 8vo, consisting of sixteen loose signatures, unstitched and unbound, wrapped in a piece of green paper on which is written in pencil 'Group 2 | Special'. Very good, on lightly-aged 'Holbein' wove paper. Each signature with uncut edges, and with only the first four of the eight leaves opened.

8vo booklet of four leaves, containing eight specimen pages (119, 497, 375, 499, 551, 716, 718, 850), all illustrateed. Stitched and stabbed, in blue printed wraps. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The cover of the wrap carries the illustrated title, with the date 'Sept. 1. 1839.' in small print at the foot; the reverse carries the first six parts of the 'Sketch of Contents', which continues with parts seven to nine on the reverse of the back wrap (paginated 3).

On ten 8vo leaves, and paginated 1-20. Worn and aged, with closed tear to the first leaf. Gathered with a brass stud. The recto of each leaf carries the printed date 1906, and each verso has as running title the name of the magazine. Pasted at the head of the first page is a green label reading: 'The Nineteenth Century and After. Please return this proof, when corrected, to Sir James Knowles, care of Messrs. Spottiswoode & Co. Ltd, New-street Square, London, E.C.' Beside this Kropotkin has written in pencil 'Send 4 revises'.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. He begins by informing Alvarez that the periodical 'somehow made a sad hash of the printing of ye last No. which I have sent to the works | As you are now definitely engaged to read, I will tell you our system. | No high pointing, the other plan being both more scholarlike & less expensive. | All proofs read after my signature is attached (in page) to be only altered for literals.' He ends by informing Alvarez that he has 'sent on something of yrs'.

16mo (leaf dimensions 11 x 9 cm), 2 pp. Bifolium. Reverse of second leaf addressed by Rogers 'For the Rt. Honl. Sir Robert Peel.' Text clear and complete. Fair, on lightly-aged and creased paper, with a couple of spots of glue on second leaf from previous mounting on second leaf. Rogers writes 'to point out to Sir Robert Peel a slight inaccuracy in the printed forms respecting the Income Tax' ('middle of the third page of Schedule D'): the words 'sitting up' instead of 'setting up'.

Thirteen pages, paginated [i] + 1-12, on one side each of thirteen leaves, each roughly 37.5 x 16.5 cm. Each page laid out for 55 lines in the text point size (the point size for quotations is smaller). Unbound and attached by a staple in the upper inner corner. Good, with first and last leaves a little grubby and upper two corners dogeared. The first page, headed 'SEPTEMBER 4, 1951 | VOLUME V - BOOK II', is unpaginated, and carries the chapter title and sixteen-line synopsis. The following twelve pages, paginated 1-12, are each headed 'Vol. V - Bk. II - Chap. XVIII - On the Eve'.

8vo: [ii] + 18 pp. In worn original buff wraps with white printed label on front. Clear and complete. On aged, damp-stained paper. Presentation copy, with note on title-page: 'To John Lee Esqre. L.L.D. | with the Author's kind regards.' Ownership inscription of 'J. Lee. Hartwell. 3 May 1856.' also on title. Scarce.The only copies on COPAC at the British Library and the Society of Antiquaries.

On japon paper, roughly 260 x 330 mm. Dimensions of image roughly 140 x 225 mm. The impression has a metallic sheen. An impressively-executed engraving, a clear and crisp representation of Meissonier's celebrated painting, with a remarque of a horse at the foot. To the right of the remarque is the engraver's signature in pencil, ''. Klackner's copyright details run along the head of the engraving. Good, in crude card mount. A light smudge in the top left-hand corner of the margin, and a little damage to the bottom right-hand corner of the margin.

The proofs are on one side each of five strips (each approximately 60 x 15.5 cm) of discoloured high-acidity paper. They are in good condition, with a little light creasing, and slight chipping at head of first strip (not affecting text). They are headed 'GALLEY ONE [TWO, THREE, FOUR, EIGHT]'. Text clear and entire. The article reads continuously, with no hiatus between Galleys Four and Eight. Some simple errors indicate that these are early proofs, i.e.

On wove paper, with watermark '179< >'. Dimensions roughly 22.5 x 39 cm. Very good on lightly aged paper. One small unobtrusive spot of foxing. The illustration is within an oval roughly 21.5 cm wide, enclosed in a decorative box of dimensions 18 x 27.5 cm. A couple of bishops with croziers and a mass of nobles in ermine look on in a vaulted castle hall while Henry II presents what looks like a pie to his bemused offspring, who is seated beneath a canopy.

8.5 x 11 cms. Grubby and lightly spotted. Reads 'My dear Mr Sonnenschein | Kindly send draft as I can collect here - | Merrily Yours | Marshall P. Wilder'. Presumably refers to the English printing of his 'The people I've smiled with: recollections of a merry little life' (1889).

The word 'Proof' is engraved in the bottom right-hand corner. Dimensions of paper roughly ten inches by seven and a half. Good clean image on lightly aged paper. Head and shoulders portrait, in which a dolorous old biddy in cap stares vacantly at the viewer. Presumably a companion piece to an engraving in the National Portrait Gallery by Isaac W. Slater of a drawing by Scriven of Henrietta Maria Slater, published by Colnaghi in July 1830. This item is not present in the National Portrait Gallery online catalogue.

English novelist (1900-96). One page, octavo. Good, but with slight marking from staple in top left-hand corner. He is glad his correspondent is 'having therapy for your bad back for, hard work though it is, and must be in your case, I'm sure you will find it helpful. | About author's proofs, they of course usually go back to publishers; but what I am glad to be able to send you is the jacket of my latest book which at least has a picture and my signature, and I hope it will, at least, be decorative in your study.' Signed 'Victor S Pritchett'.