RIDDALL

6pp., 4to. In good condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. Closely-written in a difficult hand. In a letter reflecting the world of the closely-knit group of Irish culturual figures to which he belonged, Lynd begins by jokily defending himself against the complaint (heard in 'George Morrow's one night') that he has not written to Riddall, whom he lightheartedly accuses of living the leisurely 'life of a country gentleman'. 'Are you satisfied in Meath? Or miserable? God knows, I'm not satisfied here. I wonder if I would be satisfied anywhere.

3pp., 4to. On aged and worn paper (text entirely intact). In a letter deeply evocative of the Irish cultural renaissance, Henry begins on the subject of a piece of his writing on a political meeting of Irish nationalist Joseph Devlin: 'Dear Walter | I am sending you by this post another effort. You had no idea what you were letting yourself in for when you told me to "sling along anything I had got"! This is a little impression of a meeting of Devlins & was held in Sept. So I suppose it would be good to print it now. Altho' a thing like this would I believe go in America.

Good was educated at the Royal Academical Institution and Queen's College, Belfast. He was a reporter on the Northern Whig before moving to Dublin where he became leader-writer for the Freeman's Journal. He then became assistant editor of the Irish Statesman, and later joined the staff of the Irish Independent. Good and Riddall were part of a circle that included the essayist Robert Lynd and painter Paul Henry, and the present five items, written in an entertaining and friendly stye, cast light on the theatrical and cultural worlds shortly before the Easter Rising.