SIR

One page. Dimensions of paper roughly eight inches by six and three-quarters. Trimmed but with no loss to text. Very good on aged paper. 'Received by me [Lady Anne Silvius] Of the Honourable Richard Hampden Esq; One of the Four Tellers of His Majesty's Receipt of Exchequer, the Sum of [Fifty pounds] in full of all former Directions, and for Three Months Annuity, due at [Xmas] last past, of [200] Pounds per Annum'. Signed 'Ann: Sylvius', and with the signature [slightly trimmed] of 'Eliz Jones'.

Three pages, small octavo. With embossed crest. Aged, and with some wear to extremities, but text clear and complete. In English. He sends two walking sticks. 'Might I ask you to send one to the honored Mr. Gladstone and beg him to accept it from me as one of his Hamburg admirers, who knows how fond he is of working with the saw.' The other stick is for Currie, 'as a small remembrance of the pleasant time I spent with you at Hamburg and Kiel.' 'Inside the sticks you will find a saw, which can be taken out and fastened on to the hook.

Three pages, 12mo. Good. He did not receive the letter till his return from the continent the previous week. '"The Grove" is a comfortable mansion but there is nothing in any way remarkable about it - Clutterbuck's history of Hertfordshire contains all that is known respecting the persons who have possessed it. There is a fine collection of pictures, many of them by Vandyke & Sir P. Lely, wch. belonged to the Chancellor Clarendon & of them you will find an accurate description in the 3d. Vol. of the "Clarendon Gallery" published a few months ago by my sister Lady Theresa Lewis.

Both cards self-stamped. CARD ONE is very good and has printed on it a stamp of Queen Elizabeth II. Addressed to Powell and his wife, it does not appear to have gone through the mails. 'Most kind of you to write - we led a quick <?> in the car, & then a meeting in the afternoon. We <?>: Jill also, who we havent seen lately. | Many thanks | [signed] Adrian C. B.' CARD TWO is somewhat aged, with a stain and some wear on the address side. It reads 'I too have written to Kellogg's! | [signed] Adrian C Boult'.

Dimensions of paper roughly five inches by three-quarters of an inch. Signed 'John Pratt' between writing in a seventeenth-century chancery hand. Docketed with biographical details in a minute nineteenth-century hand, and enclosed in a piece of paper with further biographical details in another nineteenth-century hand.

Two pages,8vo. Good, on foxed paper discoloured with age. Gives details of his departure from Delhi from the main station on the following evening. 'I ask your favour to arrange for 9 guns salute to be fired at the time of departure.' Thanks him for 'all the trouble you had to look after my comfort, and attending to the ceremonial occasions.'

Signed 'R. A. Gregory'. One page, folio. Good, with one dogeared corner. Bearing the stamp of the Royal Society of Arts. Circular letter referring to an enclosure (not present) relating to an exhibition which 'will shew that by the combination of science and industry we have done nearly as much in four years of war as the Germans did in the preceding forty. More than 250 manufacturers are sending exhibits, and the Air Ministry will make a large display, as well as the Food Production Department.' Asks for 'a sympathetic editorial note or article'.

English social reformer and essayist (1800-90), Jeremy Bentham's literary assistant. Dimensions of paper roughly three-quarters of an inch by two and a half. Signed 'E Chadwick' over light traces of stamps in red and green, on foxed paper discoloured with age. Small portion at head of 'E' trimmed away.

Grey (1804-1870) was successively Private Secretary to Prince Albert and Queen Victoria. Three pages, 12mo. Good, on grubby paper discoloured with age. He acknowledges receipt of the letter of the twelfth inst. 'The recovery of any <?> which shd revert to the Crown, is, I apprehend, a matter for the Treasury to look to - as it is for the Gnt. to consider the provisions which it is expedient to adopt in any measure of the nature of that to which you allude.' He is commanded by Albert to thank his correspondent for the 'kind attention which has prompted you to make this communication'.

British economic historian (1860-1927), a disciple of Arnold Toynbee, and proponent of the historical method pioneered in Germany by such scholars as Roscher, Hildebrand and Knies. The manuscript items are all 12mo, the typed item quarto. All twelve docketed and bearing the Society's stamp, and signed 'W. T. Ashley'. The collection is in very good condition, though grubby in parts and with one or two creased corners. An interesting and characteristic correspondence. ITEM ONE (3 pages, 12mo, 5 August 1913): Declines proposal to act as examiner.

English politician (1649?-1717); Secretary to Sir William Temple at the Hague, 1668; on diplomatic missions to Rome, Stockholm and Copenhagen; Secretary of State to William III; Member of Parliament. One page. Dimensions of paper roughly seven inches by eleven. Poor: paper discoloured and with some loss to edges (affecting three words of text) and a closed tear. Recently repaired with archival tape and at an earlier period backed with paper. Verso attached to smaller leaf of blank paper. Fourteen lines of text.

Historian of aviation (1909-81) at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London. Eight items, various formats. Very good. LETTER ONE (two pages, octavo, 14 January 1949, on V & A letterhead): 'As a very new fellow of the Society I hesitate to burden you with reading the enclosed [an article on 'Father Gusmao: the first practical pioneer in aeronautics', not present], but I thought there might be some chance of its appearing in the Journal. It is too historical for the Roy. Aeronautical Society's Journal and too aeronautical for the others, so I am stuck!

Monteath (1887-1961) was Under-Secretary of State for India and for Burma, 1941-7. Both items are lightly creased and dusty, but in good condition. CARBON COPY (one page, quarto): Lindsay writes that at the previous day's meeting of the R.S.A.

Architectural historian and one of the editors of 'Country Life' (1876-1930). The thirteen items are in good condition, although grubby and with occasional creasing. Two items have minor rust staining from paperclips to corners. All but one item one page, quarto. Often docketed or bearing the R.S.A. stamp. Primarily concerned with lectures at the R.S.A. by Weaver, and their proofs in the Society's journal.

British architect (1849-1930), noted for his work on Buckingham Palace, Admiralty Arch, the Victoria & Albert Museum, etc. All five items very good, though dusty. Two docketed and all five bearing R.S.A. stamp. ITEM ONE (one page, quarto, 5 January 1917): 'I have had the possibility of a paper on Charing Cross Bridge before me since you mentioned it. The matter is coming up in Parliament next Session & I think it would be extremely difficult for me to read such a paper just as a Parliamentary discussion or Committee is coming on. I feel sure you will see my position in the matter.

English civil servant (1808-82), postal reformer, and archivist. Instrumental in the creation of the Victorian and Albert Museum and prominent in organizing the Great Exhibition. Two pages, octavo. Good, but on discoloured, foxed paper. An important letter, showing the chaos out of which the Public Record Office was formed.

Architectural historian (1904-92) and curator of Sir John Soane's Museum, 1945-84. Seven leaves, all very good, though some lightly creased and all with staple holes in top left-hand corner. The first three letters to Mercer and the last three to Samson. Three letters docketed. ITEM ONE (two pages, 12mo, 7 August 1958): He is 'much attracted' by the Society's invitation 'to give three Cantor lectures on Country Houses', 'especially as I understand the text of the lectures would be published'. There is however 'one rather grave difficulty.

Architect (1880-1939), son of Sir Aston Webb, designer of Admiralty Arch, the Victoria Memorial, etc. All ten items very good. Five docketed and six bearing R.S.A. stamp. All ten signed 'Maurice E. Webb'. An interesting and important correspondence, mainly concerning the renovation of the R.S.A.'s Adelphi building.

British naval historian (1856-1905), author of a standard history of the Royal Navy (7 vols, 1897-1903). One page, on piece of stiff paper, roughly four and a half inches by three and a half. In poor condition, discoloured and stained, and with one small hole and some fraying to extremities. Reads 'Thanks for yours of the 8th. | I am afraid that I can only express the hope that you will, in this case, keep the price as low as possible, - as I do not know the business aspects of the question.

British stage designer (died 1971), painter, writer and lecturer. Both items one page, octavo, and very good, though lightly creased. Both signed 'Maxwell Armfield'. LETTER ONE (docketed and bearing R.S.A. stamp): He has read the lecture by 'Mr. Davis', 'with great interest [...] our opinions on the subject seem to be identical! I should like to meet him some time if he is an accessible sort of person. [...] a series of such lectures issued as pamphlets with attractive titles would do a great deal towards a better understanding of the problem'.

12 pages, octavo. Unbound. Folded once, down the centre, vertically. Good, though grubby, and with marks from paperclip. Each of the three contributes a section. PRESENTATION COPY, with slip from Samuel, on his notepaper '32, PORCHESTER TERRACE, W.2.' on which is typed 'WITH LORD SAMUEL'S COMPLIMENTS'.

Wealthy landowner (1771-1813), MP for County Durham, sued by George Stubbs for non-payment for his picture of Vane-Tempest's racehorse Hambletonian. Four pages, 12mo. Good, though grubby and on paper slightly discoloured with age. Tipped in along one edge on leaf removed from autograph album. From this showing little wonder he died of apoplexy. He has received his correspondent's letter containing one from 'Mr Smith'.

English jurist (1843-1914), Warden of All Souls college, Oxford. Two pages, 12mo. On discoloured, grubby, creased paper, with a small closed tear and some bleeding due to damp on the verso. Extensive damp damage to blank second leaf of bifoliate. Docketed as 'To Pinkham'. Before leaving Oxford the previous week he 'ordered a somewhat miscellaneous collection of books' to be sent to his correspondent's library. 'It was a small collection - a few biographies, some college histories and one or two books which chanced to be in the booksellers catalogue & which looked interesting.

Editor and journalist (1785-1870). The recipient (1784?-1874) was a writer on military matters, and editor of the United Services Journal. Two pages, 12mo. Good, though grubby, and with docketing, rust from paperclip and biographical details typed in line at head. A formal letter, unsigned and in the third person. 'Mr Redding presents his Compts. to Sir J. Phillepart with but scanty recollections for it is many years since they met and wishes to remind him of an article sent to the U[nited]. S[ervices]. J[ournal]. thro' Mr Hunt.

Linguist, writer and traveller (1792-1872). One page, octavo. Lightly creased and with a few closed tears. Reverse adhering to page from autograph album. Reads 'My dear Sir | Herewith the promised letters - | Yours most truly | John Bowring'. Docketed on reverse.

Author and politician (1806-63). The recipient (1802-76) was author of a dictionary of English artists, and successively private secretary to several English statesman. Two pages, 12mo. An odd request. 'I have been asked by a friend to ascertain for him whether any person has ever been tried in England for suffocating a human being supposed to be affected by hydrophobia. If you shd. be in possession of any information which throws light upon the subject, would you have the kindness to enable me to answer the question'. signed 'G C Lewis'.

English novelist and politician (1765-1846). The recipient (c1778-1863) was an influential Brighton solicitor, owner of Queen's Park. One page, octavo. On discoloured and lightly creased paper, with fraying and several small closed tears, but with no loss to text. An affectionate letter inviting Attree to Harlow. 'Fred.

Journalist (1844-1914) and editor of the Pall Mall Gazette. The recipient was a British diplomat in Asia and travel writer. Good, but a tad grubby with rust marks from paperclip. 'You may do us 1600 words on Tibet and in preparing the mss put it in a form that will bear reduction'. Signature 'Douglas Straight' slightly smudged (with Straight's fingerprint?)

English engraver (1804-66). One page, octavo. Good, on slightly discoloured paper with spike hole at centre. Addressed to 'Mr. Moon' on verso of second leaf of bifoliate, which has a hole from the breaking of a wafer which still adheres. Reads 'I've taken the liberty of leaving for your inspection a few specimens of my stile of engraving - your brother Mr.

Pickford's are the world's oldest removal company, founded in Manchester in 1630. Hickling is presumably the Methodist preacher (1765-1858) who was active in the north of England. Dimensions of paper roughly nine inches by three and a half. Good only: paper discoloured and lightly creased. Two small punch holes. Small engraving of banking premises with negligible loss due to punch hole. Order 'No. [868] £[147..8..4] Manchester [April 22d..1814] | [Two Months] after date pay to the order of [Mr. Jno.. Hickling]'. Signed (presumably by one of the brothers) 'Thomas & Mattw. Pickford'.