SIR

A fine plan, so neatly and delicately drawn that it could easily pass for an engraving. The title concludes: '[...] its Defence under the Command of SIR SIDNEY SMITH. Kt. &ca. &ca. &ca. - on the 2nd: day of May 1799.' In landscape on one side of a piece of laid paper, 29 x 42cm, with the plan itself within a 19.5 x 32.5cm border. The drawing and the precise and detailed lettering are in ink, the whole coloured in grey, brown, pink and blue watercolour. On aged and lightly-creased paper, with a couple of small unobtrusive holes. On a scale of one and a half inches to half a mile.

1p., 8vo. A fragile piece of ephemera, on aged paper, with wear at head (not affecting text). The notice begins: 'For several months past the Council has had under consideration the question of the Society's finances since it has become apparent that our annual income is insufficient to ensure a continuous and regular flow of publications.' References follow to 'donations from private members', an 'enforced summer recess', 'the acquisition of library shelves, desks and other fittings'. Two reasons are given in justification of the doubling of the 'Fellowship subscription'.

7pp., 4to. Attached with a brass stud. The six pages of the catalogue are in fair condition, on aged paper, the title leaf is dusty and spotted. The manuscripts listed in this catalogue are primarily of a political and diplomatic nature. They do not appear to correspond with those in the 'Hinchingbrooke Collecton' listed by Cambridgeshire County Record Office on the National Archives website, an entry which gives a useful account of their origins (mainly the stables at Hinchingbrooke).

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Fair, on aged high-acidity paper. Drophead title, with the second part reading in its entirety: 'County Court Judge Bodkin, K.C., at the conclusion of the Ennis (County Clare) Quarter Sessions on February 5, 1921, made a grave statement as to the violence committed by the forces of the Crown in Ireland, in the following words: -'. The article reprints a report by Bodkin to the Rt Hon.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, with slight discolouration from glue. Reads: 'Mr Eastlake presents his compliments to Mr. Mauld & begs to enclose a half sovereign for the young lady on whose behalf Mr. Mauld has applied to him. | 7. Fitzroy Square | Octr. 28. 1850.'

1p., 12mo. Good, with the blank second leaf of the bifolium having slight staining from mount, and having laid down on it a newspaper cutting headed 'DEATH OF SIR C. EASTLAKE', docketd 'E & T Dec 26/65'. The note reads: 'Sir Chas Eastlake presents his compts. to Mr Whitaker & begs to inform him that Mr Millais' address is No. 7. Cromwell Place | Kensington. S.W. | 7. Fitzroy Sqr. (London) | Feby 5 1863.'

This excessively-scarce work is little noticed: Bramwell's interest in the subject is not even noted in his entry in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. 28pp., 12mo. In original brown wraps. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with slight marking at head of wraps. The drop-head title reads: 'Royal Institution of Great Britain. | WEEKLY EVENING MEETING, | Friday, May 19, 1882. | WILLIAM BOWMAN, Esq. LL.D. F.R.S. Honorary Secretary and Vice-President, in the Chair. | SIR FREDERICK BRAMWELL, F.R.S. M.R.I. | The Making and Working of a Channel Tunnel.

The collection of 307 seals is in fair condition, with only a handful showing signs of loss. As with bookplates, the designs range from armorial to classical. Among the few carrying English texts, are the seal of the 'ADJUTANT GENERALS OFFICE ROYAL ARTILLERY D', the great seal of the Borough of Marlborough ('SIGILLUM MAJORIS BURGI DE MARLEBERG'), the seal of the 'ROYAL MILITARY COLLEGE', the 'OFFICE FOR TAXES', the 'YEOMANRY OFFICE', and 'THE PATRON OF EDUCATION AND THE FRIEND OF THE POOR'. In original boxwood box, approximately 26 x 18 x 6 cm, worn and aged with lock but no key.

12mo, 8 pp. On two bifoliums. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged and spotted paper. She writes with compassion but without tact: 'how great your loneliness must be - Dear Alice was so wrapt up in you, so devoted to you that the withdrawal of her love & sympathy must be very hard to bear - Till people lose one whose devotion to you & whose satisfaction in you made the whole world different, till they lose such a one, they can never realise the <?> the emptiness - the bitter years <?> one has to bear - it makes one feel such hopeless solitude Ah!

12mo, 8 pp. On two bifoliums. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged and spotted paper. She writes with compassion but without tact: 'how great your loneliness must be - Dear Alice was so wrapt up in you, so devoted to you that the withdrawal of her love & sympathy must be very hard to bear - Till people lose one whose devotion to you & whose satisfaction in you made the whole world different, till they lose such a one, they can never realise the <?> the emptiness - the bitter years <?> one has to bear - it makes one feel such hopeless solitude Ah!

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged grey paper. Fildes explains that he has just returned from Paris to find his correspondents' letter of 19 May, inviting him 'to hear Mr Du Maurier's discourse to-morrow night'. He cannot avail himself of the 'great pleasure', and of their' 'courtesy', as he has 'an engagement which cannot possibly be put off'. He ends by apologising for not answering sooner. On 25 May 1892 The Times reports a lecture that day at 'Prince's Hall: Mr. Du Maurier on "Social Pictorial Satire," Mr. Alma-Tadema, R.A., in the chair, 9.'

2pp, 4to. Very good on lightly-aged paper. Docketed by Luke at head of first page. Having received Luke's letter of 5 October, Wilkinson reports that 'Mrs. [Freya] Stark is at present on a tour of south-western Anatolia, visiting places like Halicarnassus, Cnidus, Loryma, Telmissus, Xanthus and so forth.

2pp., 4to. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed by Elton, on reverse of second leaf, to 'John Taylor Esq.' (Taylor had assumed the editorship of the London Magazine on the death by duel of John Scott in February 1821.) Elton begins by informing Taylor that he has 'not been able yet to manage the Batrachomyomachia to my mind'. (Elton's translation of 'The Battle of the Frogs and Mice' would appear anonymously in the issue of October 1821, as the second of a series named 'Leisure Hours'.) He has instead 'sent some chit-chat to serve as an introduction'.

2pp., 12mo. Aged and creased, on Seymour's monogrammed letterhead. The letter, on the recto of the first leaf, is addressed to 'Gentlemen' (possibly Stamfords, the London firm of map-sellers). It reads: 'I shall be much obliged to you to send me the three Maps marked overleaf, mounted on <?> in a small parcel to be left at the Foreign Office to the care of F. B. Alston Th Esqre who will have the kindness to pay for the same. / The parcel to be directed to Sir Hamilton Seymour G.C.B. H.M. Minster, St Petersburg'.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Having received the unnamed recipient's letter of the previous day, Northwick will be 'most happy to give effect to your wishes by granting free access to my Pictures to you, & your Daughter, whenever it may be convenient to you to call at Connaught Place'. If the recipient calls before noon Northwick will probably 'have the pleasure of shewing them to you', if he comes after noon, or Northwich 'shd. happen to be from home, my Servants shall receive directions to admit you to see the Paintings'.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Fair, on aged paper. He suggests a book she should read to 'get a general idea of the facts known about dolmens & cromlechs', although the theories advanced by the author 'are not much accepted by archaeologists'. The book does provide 'some evidence of the late date they went on till', and this is 'a good corrective of the belief that they must be always of some amazing antiquity'. He points out that a 'Scandinavian King is associated with lines of stones to commemorate a battle'.

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightl-aged paper. He regrets that 'absence from London' will prevent him from 'attending the lecture' of his 'old friend Dumaurier', to whom he wishes 'every possible success'. He thanks the recipient for 'the compliment implied' in his invitation. On 25 May 1892 The Times reports a lecture that day at 'Prince's Hall: Mr. Du Maurier on "Social Pictorial Satire," Mr. Alma-Tadema, R.A., in the chair, 9.'

All the silhouettes are cut from black card, and all but one are head and shoulder portraits. 52 are laid down on the rectos of the 17 leaves of a landscape 8vo (23 x 14 cm.) notebook of Whatman paper, stitched with grey wraps. They range from two to eight silhouettes to a page, and with the silhouettes ranging in height from 5.5 cm. to 10 cm. Two others are loosely inserted within makeshift mounts on the last leaf. Two more silhouettes are loosely inserted: the first (9 cm.

Manuscript diary of the purser of the Royal Navy Armoured Cruiser HMS Cornwall, describing Mediterranean and Baltic tours of duty (while Captain W. R. Hall was spying for Britain), with descriptions of golf and other sports and recreations. 'Letts's No. 46 Indian and Colonial Rough Diary Giving Half a Page a Day. 1909'. 12mo, 161pp. Good, on aged paper, in worn boards. Diary proper consists of 210pp., with entries on three-quarters (159pp.) of them (few entries for periods of leave), preceded by two pages with lists of family birthdays and of books read.

1p., 12mo. Good, on aged paper. She states that she will be 'happy to wait on Sir Stafford Northcote at 4 oclock on Wednesday the 30th instant as you mention'. Docketed by Benthall on reverse of second leaf of bifolium, 'Miss Carpenter | Oct: 15. 1867. | Will wait on you on Oct: 30. at 4 o'clock'. Benthall was described in Wisden as batting 'in an exceedingly pretty style, cutting beautifully to the off, and has made some capital scores in the best matches'.

2pp., 4to. Good, on lightly-aged laid paper. Bower begins by stating that he is sending 'a Copy of a Letter which I have received from Dr Carm Smyth [James Carmichael Smyth (1742-1821) of the Middlesex Hospital]'. Smyth's son (the future Sir James Carmichael-Smyth) is 'a very fine handsome young man Lieut in the Engineers come out a Passanger [sic] in the same ship with us'. Bower and Smyth 'wisely went into the Boat which was lashed to the Stern Gallery to fish sharks which were following the ship - the Boat suddenly canted round in the slings, upon which poor Smyth went plump into the sea'.

1p., 12mo. On aged paper, with traces of grey paper mount adhering to the reverse. He thanks the unnamed male recipient for the 'very kind favor of the 23rd. Instant': 'my Parliamentary duties & business engagements demand so much of my time that I am obliged to decline, with but very rare exceptions indeed, all invitations of the character named'. He asks the recipient 'to have me excused complying with your wishes'.

1p., 4to. The beginning of the article only: 21 lines of text, ending abruptly. Torn from notebook. Very good, on aged paper. A corrected draft, with the deleted original title reading 'Work & Wage in Downing St'. An interesting item, casting light on the working practices of a pioneer of parliamentary journalism. Begins: 'The keeness of competition for ministl office in Great Britain is certainly not inspired by sordid motive.'

4pp., 12mo. Very good, on lightly-aged paper, with minor traces of stub adhering to margin. He has received Flower's 'catalogue'. 'I was sure you wd. be delighted with Egypt. It has so much to tell us about man & nature. The early stages of mans progress, & the variety of nature.' Zincke would like 'time to look into things & to think about them': he was in Egypt 'only as many weeks as you were months'.

3pp., 4to. Bifolium. In black and white on shiny art paper. Lightly worn and aged, with 5 cm closed tears along central vertical fold lines of both leaves. The text, on the first page, begins: 'The Expedition consisted of fourteen men of an average age of 24, who left England in the summer of 1930 to study the flying conditions of Greenland for a short air-route across the Arctic regions to Canada.' It describes how 'Mr.

3pp., 4to. Bifolium. Addressed, on reverse of second leaf, to 'Francis Cohen Esq | King's Bench Walk | Temple | London'. Fair, on aged paper, with the narrow remains of a paper windowpane mount around the edges of the second leaf. Milman begins: 'I found Garbett so much occupied that until yesterday I have not had an opportunity of seeing him'. Garbett has promised to send Milman 'a detailed answer' to all of Cohen's questions, 'and is very much flattered by your favorable opinion'.

1p., 4to. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with remains of stub to reverse. His friend 'M Mallar' has come to Great Britain, 'recommended by the French government for the official purpose of looking into the state of education in Scotland'.

Totalling 7pp., 12mo. All in good condition, on aged paper, except for the fourth, which has light water staining from the bases of a cup. The first three letters addressed to 'Mr. Reid', and the last two to 'Peter'. In the first letter Colvin discusses Redbourne House in Derbyshire, Salle Park, Norfolk, and Barrington Park, Gloucestershire. 'I am going to Burford on Thursday and will see if I can get a sight of the exterior despite the churlish owner.

Both letters good, on lightly-aged paper. The second letter in envelope addressed by Mosley to 'Peter Reid Esq | 68 New Cavendish Street | London W1 M 7 LD [sic] | Angleterre'. Letter One (2pp., 12mo): She begins: 'My husband asked me to answer your letter. I think we have got photographs of Rolleston, but all such things are stored in Ireland, where we used to have a house. When I go through them (which one day I must) I will send you what I find.

Black and white photograph. Dimensions 15.5 x 21 cm. In good condition, with slight wear to edges. Head and shoulders studio shot of a fresh-faced Rogers, looking slightly upwards with enigmatic half-smile. Caption, at foot, reads, 'To Titania from her loving Bottom.' Rogers acted in several of Jill Balcon's father Michael's films.