SOPHIA

On a piece of 12 x 19cm paper. Discoloured and chipped, and laid down on an 8vo leaf removed from an album, with cut-out printed family crest letterheads in various colours on reverse. At head of page, in another contemporary hand: 'H. R. H. Princess Sophie's handwriting'. The letter is written in a difficult hand, and begins: 'The Princess Sophie returns Mr Clarke the enclosed Letter, & she also sends the sum of £1 .. 8 .. 9 for the 4 yds & 1/2 of <?> <?> he was so obliging as to purchase for her.' The letter continues with a request, ending '[...] this is much the fashion'.

118pp., 12mo. In original embossed black morocco leather binding, with marbled endpapers and edges. In good condition, lightly aged, in worn binding. Attributed in pencil on first page to 'H. G. S. de Zoete'.

1p., foolscap 8vo. On bifolium of watermarked paper. In fair condition, on aged paper, with slight wear to foredges. Two small stamps (one 'Tenn Pence Quire') and official blind stamp. 48 lines of closely-written text, in a chancery hand. Regarding a lease for an uncertain location. Signed by 'S Annandale', 'Petter [sic] Grahame', and witnessed by 'Ja: Moir' and 'John Grahame'. Docketted on reverse of second leaf 'Tack betwixt | The Marchioness of Annandale | And | Peter Graham | 1716'.

1p., 4to. Good, on lightly aged and creased paper. The recipient is tentatively identified as Nathan in pencil, and considering the reference to Africa his identity cannot be doubted. The book referred to is named in another hand as 'End of a chapter by Shane Leslie'. Her niece Dorothy gave her Leslie's book to read and then return to the recipient. 'I think it extraordinarily interesting, and do not feel at all so "superior" over it as Dorothy does!

3pp., 4to. In bifolium. Good, on aged and lightly-creased paper. 'Mrs. de Morgan' in manuscript at the foot of the first page, and 'No 5' at the head. The first page carries the circular letter from 'Edwd. West, Secy.', engraved in copperplate. In sending the balance sheets he notes that 'the income is scarcely equal to the expenditure which is necessary for obtaining for the Society public support'.

3pp., 16mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. She begins: 'I am sure you wil grieve to hear that my dear Parents have met with a severe accident, altho', thank God! we have every cause to hope that there wil be no latent results. They were knocked down by a horse, in attempting to avoid an Omnibus: both are cut on the head, & Mama is much bruised in several places.' 'Quiet and care' will restore them, she trusts. Her mother has asked her to write, as it will be impossible for her parents to keep the dinner engagement with Mrs Cooper.

1 p, landscape 12mo (18.5 x 11.5 cm). Eleven long lines in a small neat hand. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper. Tipped in onto a piece of paper, 21 x 13 cm. The reference to Melmoth's 'advanced Age' is at the foot of the page. Docketed on reverse in a contemporary hand: 'From Mr. Melmoth to Mrs. Walters'. Begins: 'Believe me, my very dear Sophia, I am so truely [sic] your obedient servant in every affectionate & friendly sense of those terms, that there is no office in which you can employ me I shd.

12mo, 2 pp. Bifolium. Twenty-one lines. Text clear and complete. On discoloured paper. Begins 'I think if you go into The Park at Hampton Court you will easily satisfy yourself that I am justified in withholding my consent to its being stript of its turf'. He considers that 'positive injury [will be] done to the Pasture', and as 'it is expected that we should maintain Deer to the number of 500. or more & that we endeavour to obtain from the feeding of Cattle some portion of the rent payable to Lady Bloomfield', consent cannot be given 'to diminish the food in the Park'.