SIR

For Osler (1849-1919) see the Dictionary of National Biography. 4to. Pages: xv + 243. 107 figures in text. Good, tight copy, with minor spotting. In worn and stained green cloth binding, with lettering entirely faded from spine. Attractive bookplate of Irving S. Cutter, medical author, and a signed inscription from him presenting the book to F. Wood Jones. From the library of the librarian of the Medical Society of London, Nehemiah Asherson.

Paper dimensions roughly 2 x 5 cm. Good, although on discoloured paper, and mounted on piece of slightly larger discoloured paper docketed in pencil 'Sir Abm Hume'. Reads 'Free 274 | [signed] Abram: Hume'.

On irregular piece of paper roughly 4.5 x 4.5 cm. Good, on lightly discoloured paper. With part of signature '[S]mith' below. Docketed on reverse 'Sir Wm. Trumbull Statesman Wm 3d'.

On piece of paper roughly 2.5 x 4.5 cm. Good, on lightly discoloured paper. Docketed on reverse '1755'.

Two pages, 12mo. Mourning border. Damp stained. Cowper has told 'P[rofesso]r. Wheatstone' [Sir Charles Wheatstone (1802-1875), Professor of Experimental Philosophy at King's College, pioneer of the telegraph, and seller of musical instruments] of Novello's 'wish to have a little conversation with him'. Gives dates when Wheatstone will be available to see Novello at ''King's College (in the Museum)'. '[H]e will very shortly go to Switzerland & therefore the earlier you meet him the better'.

The notes, on three 12mo bifoliums, cover three pages, with a few lines on a couple of others. In excess of eighty lines. Very good. Brief chronology and list of notable residents, presumably an outline for the description of the district in Besant's 'London' (1892) or another of his many writings on the city.

On piece of grey paper roughly 2 x 8.5 cm. Discoloured and with some glue staining. Mounted on larger piece of paper docketed 'Sudan Egypt'. Reads 'Yours very sincerely | [signed] Reginald Wingate'.

Paper dimensions roughly 9 x 11 cm. The lower part of the last leaf of a letter. Good, on lightly discoloured and aged paper. Ten lines of text on reverse, including the comment (apparently referring to 'drainage works') 'Mr. Lawson would do the work very well, and is to be commended as Mr. Rawlinson was for never exceeding his estimates.'

12mo: 3 pp. Good, but with the leaves of the bifolium separated, and reattached with three tissue mounts. 'It is impossible to trace the obstructiveness of the Postal department to any particular officials; they stand shoulder to shoulder, defiant and impenetrable, like a square of infantry'. Nevertheless Heaton has 'succeeded in getting some reforms of importance inserted in the Post Office Acts Amendment Bill'. Mentions 'permission to send circulars in unclosed envelopes' and briefly discusses the postage of newspapers to the Colonies.

12mo: 2 pp. On lightly creased, discoloured paper, with traces of hinge from previous mounting adhering to margin of first page. He has 'an uncomfortable feeling' that he 'laid aside' a letter from Fulton 'to be answered, but which I cannot now find. It must somehow have got mixed up with other papers [...] If I am right in my fear, may I ask you to send me a copy of it?'

8vo: 1 p. Good, on lightly discoloured paper creased at head. 'Mr: Leckie is certainly entitled to ask for a fee, and it is usual in these cases for the publisher to obtain permission from the other publisher. The author's permission is also needed of course, but you had mine, and so that is quite all right.'

12mo: 1 p. On discoloured paper, ruckled and with traces of glue from previous mounting on reverse. He is returning 'the account of the Burns Volume' which accompanied his correspondent's letter of 8 October. 'It does not suit me to purchase it, as I have already other & more important memorials of Burns.'

12mo: 3 pp. A bifolium, the first leaf of which is good with light spottinng, but the second of which has the lower half cut away, and traces of glue from previous mounting on its reverse. Hinge strengthened with archival tape. Concerns an essay on 'Petrarch and his times' (unattributed as 4122 in the Wellesley Index). Her note to 'Mr. Froude' [James Anthony Froude (1818-1894)] has been 'handed to' Martin, 'as representing him during his temporary absence in Spain, in the arrangement of Fraser's Magazine'.

Dimensions of photograph 9 x 5.5 cm. Good sepia image, on backing card with Mayall's details printed in red at foot. Reverse of card mostly covered with remains of previous cream paper mount. This image does not feature among the three portraits of Martin listed in the National Portrait Gallery's online catalogue of its collection.

12mo: 2 pp. On creased, discoloured paper, with small closed tear and traces of previous mount adhering to reverse. An amusing, playful letter in a smudged, expansive hand. Reads 'My dear Phil | The other Phil Phil May will Phil the page in Xmas No. This will fill up & give it a fillip. ergo no Caran d'Ache | With Phil we're full. | Ought to be a fine number. | Have asked Phil May to contribute previously - | Well Phil May - but will Phil? | perhaps a wilfil person'. Accompanied by long typed commentary, giving provenance 'From a group of letters to Phil Agnew.

On piece of creased and lightly spotted paper roughly 11 x 11 cm. Reads '<...> for half a Century. | Believe that I remain | Dear Barry | Your's faithfully | [signed] Joseph Kay | Charles Barry Esqr. Kt. | &c &c &c'.

On piece of grey paper 1.5 x 10 cms. Good. Reads '[in another hand] Yours faithfully, | [signed] P. Geddes'. Good firm signature, slightly overlapping lower loop of the central 'f' in 'faithfully'.

12mo: 1 p. On discoloured paper slightly damaged in one corner (not affecting text) by breaking of wafer. Second leaf of bifolium carrying address and postmarks. He received Fuller's letter containing a bill of twenty pounds from his brother. 'All here join in best love to you and believe me Ever Yrs.' Addressed to 'John Fuller Esqr. Junr. | Clement Lane | Lombard St. | London | [signed] Hans Sloane'. Circular frank in red ink, 'FREE'. Postmarked in black 'SOUTH | AMPTON'. Third circular postmark in black in two parts.

12mo: 4 pp. On lightly creased paper, with spotting and some staining to the verso of the second leaf of the bifolium. Apologises at length for not being able to attend 'the next General Public Meeting [...] of the Committee for Sir E. W. Watkin's [Sir Edward William Watkin (1819-1901), railway entrepreneur] Election'. 'It is unnecessary for me to inform the Committee how anxious I am for the success of the Liberal cause on this as on all other occasions [...]'. He is at present 'quite unequal to any violent exertion or excitement & certainly could not make a speech to a large meeting.

ITEM ONE: pencil sketch (roughly three inches square) of pensive woman in full dress seated on chair beside table with vase. Good. On reverse of part of envelope addressed to 'H. Wyatt Esqre. | Newman Street | Oxford Street' and postmarked in red ink oval '2 . A NOON . 2 | MY 4 | 1833'. Another postmark in black ink, and wafer still adhering. ITEM TWO: pencil sketch (roughly one inch by one and a half) of trees around long wall with spire in distance. On visiting card of 'Mr. Henry Wyatt' (the sketch over the word 'Wyatt').

4to: 2 pp. Mourning border. Good, though a little grubby with fold lines and tear from spike hole at inner corners. Date, address and signature by Onslow, the rest in a secretarial hand. He received Raglan's letter of 25 February, 'forwarding an application from Mr. Llewllyn Phillips for employment in South Africa'. 'Mr. Chamberlain has hitherto refused to forward applications for employment to the High Commissioner, except in cases where Sir Alfred Milner has specially asked for candidates'.

4to: 1 p. With mourning border. Good, with slight wear to edges. 'Nearly every publisher in London has been at me with a proposal that I should write a book of reminiscences'. The answer to Watson's 'friend's friend' is that Pinero is 'not inclined for the task'. 'Perhaps at some future time I may feel differently disposed, but at present my mind is bent on other work.' Asks Watson to accept 'hearty thanks' for his 'kind interest'.

Octavo: 16 pp. Stitched and unbound. In original brown printed wraps. Dogeared, and on slightly discoloured paper. Wraps creased and worn. According to a prefatory note by Hamilton (dated 'London, May 28th, 1816'), a 'Statement of Facts, relative to the Trial which took place in the Court of King's Bench, on the 23rd of February last, (in which Mr. John Walker Anderson, the Plaintiff, obtained a Verdict of £2000 Damages for false Imprisonment, whilst in Heligoland, against Lieutenant-Colonel Sir William Hamilton, late Lieutenant-Governor of that Island, the Defendant'.

General (c.1656-1730) and Governor of Gibraltar, married to Catherine Sedley, mistress of James II (see item# ). One leaf, dimensions roughly seven inches by ten and a half. Printed text with manuscript additions on recto; docketed on verso. Good, but grubby, and with slight repair to head. Receipt 'of the Honourable [Lord ffitzharding]' (corrected from 'James Vernon Esq'); One of the Four Tellers of the Receipt of Her Majesty's Exchequer', of eighty pounds for twenty-four months interest on £500 lent by Portmore and 'My Ld Kent' on 14 August 1704. Signed 'Portmore'.

Statesman (1771-1851); First Lord of the Admiralty, 1812-27, after whom Melville Sound was named. Three pages, quarto. Very good if a tad grubby.

Two pages, octavo. Good, apart from damage and loss to one edge caused by removal from mount. Would appear to relate to the controversy between the surgeon Sir Henry Thompson (1820-1904) and John Tyndall (1820-1893), held in the pages of Strahan's 'Contemporary Review'. Reads 'I herewith send you the proof of your reply to Sir Henry Thompson | Please revise and return it tomorrow.

Wit (1657-1717), mistress of James II. One leaf, dimensions roughly seven inches by ten and a half. Printed text with manuscript additions on recto with calculations in a contemporary hand on the reverse. Good, but grubby. Receipt 'of the Right Honourable James Vernon Esq; One of the Four Tellers of the Receipt of Her Majesty's Exchequer', of sixty pounds for three months interest on £4000 lent by the Duchess and Sir Henry Furnesse on 19 January 1706. Signed 'Dorchester'.

Judge (1669-1728), and Attorney-General to the Prince of Wales on the accession of George I. Grandfather of the poet William Cowper, and brother of William Cowper, 1st Earl Cowper (1665-1723), Lord Chancellor of England. One of the defendants, in 1699, in the celebrated trial for the murder of Sarah Stout. Dimensions of paper roughly six and a half inches by six inches. On discoloured, spotted paper, with slight wear and loss to one corner (not affecting text). Right edge slightly trimmed, with partial loss to one word'.

English poet, essayist and civil servant (1800-86), author of 'Philip van Artevelde' (1834). Four pages, 12mo. Very good, on somewhat grubby paper. He is glad that his correspondent's aunt 'is getting so well thro' the seventies of this winter & the changes, which are perhaps more trying than a constancy of coldness. Indeed what were in my time the established notions about the evil effects of cold weather seem to be subverted, & not without reason.

Three pages, 12mo. Very good. The blank verso of the second leaf of the bifolium laid down on remains of leaf detached from autograph album. Begins 'At length by certain Proofs 'tis plain (to quote a hymn familiar to my childhood but forgotten now all but that first line) that the readers of Macmillan will know all that is to be known about the mistletoe, thanks to your labours, before Christmas.' He hopes she has received the proofs, and says that 'Grove, the Editor, writes to me that they are in type & he is forwarding them to Ickleton'.