THEODORE

12mo: 45 pp. In original light-green printed wraps. Very good on lightly aged paper, with some sunning to wraps. Inscribed by the author "For Mary | with love & all good wishes for Christmas and the New Year, especially the show' | Th." Besterman attempts to demonstrate that the taste for autographs, 'tres loin d'etre malsaine, est au contraire pure et bienfaisante'.

Both items one page, 12mo. Both on creased, aged paper, with some paperclip spotting. In the typed letter (which is in slightly worse condition than the other item) she explains that she is enclosing her autograph on a separate sheet. '[I]n case you care to have it My Mother, Mrs. Graham, (I write under my maiden name) thought you might like to have Sir Philip Gibbs' autograph, [^the celebrated author,] so she has asked me to send you a card she received from him the other day. [not present] You certainly have a wonderful collection!' The autograph reads 'Jan: 7th.

One page, 12mo. Good, though a little grubby at the right-hand margin, and with the name of the recipient neatly torn away at foot. 'Dear Sir | Neither Lady Martin nor myself feel any interest in any letters of ours, which may have come into your hands.'

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?'

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.

The collection is in good condition, with each letter entirely legible. Two items particularly aged, and one with a couple of closed tears unobtrusively repaired with archival tape. Each item bears evidence of the fact that the collection was previously held together with a pin. An interesting sidelight into the musical culture of Victorian London. COPAC only locates one copy (at Cambridge) of Robinson's piece, published by W. Sprague of Westminster in [1874], copied by F. C. Wood, 'words by permission of Messrs. Hopwood & Crew'. All items 12mo.

Three pages, 12mo. Good, but on slightly discoloured paper, and with head of blank verso of second leaf of bifolium attached to piece of grey paper. He cannot sing for Mundy on the 8th, as he is giving his own concert the following day, and has 'only just started at it as the Prince of Wales who has kindly consented to come, only let me know the date yesterday. You know what giving a concert means. I musts have the 8th. absolutely free. I am so sorry to disappoint you.'

(John Bull) W. Shackell (2; 1844), prob. printer (BBTI) and publisher and/or joint-proprietor of John Bull. He encourages contributions and anticipates "the Proprietor" making a proposition "for your further and permanent connexion with [John Bull]." See immediately above and below for more material from the J.T.J. Hewlett archive. Originally from a larger archive, the residue of which is described in #3157 (Hewlett's papers), this and other items appear in my ABE inventory in book id#s 3124-3156.

(John Bull) William Mudford (DNB) (7; 1844), author and journalist. Five letters are signed "The Editor of the John Bull" or similar but two are signed by Mudford who suggests that his name is no longer a secret to Hewlett because of Barham. (Although the article in DNB on Mudford says that he succeeded Hook as Editor in 1841, no other authoritative source gives this information, from CBEL to the Waterloo Directory.) He tells Hewlett the Proprietors' requirements and his policy, presenting Theodore Hook, former Editor, as the model writer for the periodical.

Novelist and wit (1788-1841). On piece of paper roughly four inches square. Folded twice and lightly creased and with traces of glue and paper from previous mounting adhering to four corners of reverse, and affecting text. Typed title neatly attached at foot. Reads 'Will you give our kindest regards to Your Family and always believe me | Yrs Very Sincerely | The: E. Hook'. Reverse reads '<...> club.