VISCOUNT

8vo, 1 p. Text clear and complete. Docketed on reverse 'pour agit | Salles'. Initial bill of eleven items, from '1 jour de Logement 36 [francs]' to café et thé 12 [francs]', amounting to 306 francs. According to the Oxford DNB, 'In April 1814, with Napoleon on his way to Elba, Keith was at La Rochelle supervising the embarkation of Wellington's army for its return to England. He was back at Plymouth on 29 July and hauled down his flag.' This is added to a running bill for 8027 francs, with two extra items (including 'Domestiques'), making a total of 8618 francs.

12mo, 3 pp. Bifolium. Sixteen lines. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper, folded twice. He would have consiered 'Mr. Gatty's application [...] together with those of others', but he had 'already made other arrangements for filling up this appointment'. He regrets that he is 'unable to meet his wishes'. Postscript concerning Gatty's divorce.

8vo, 1 pp. A long document, closely written in a clerical hand. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper, with slight loss to one corner. Stamped for tax. Signed twice by both parties, and initialled by them on a couple of occasions. Following the defeat of Napoleon, the broken state of the French economy allowed many wealthy Britains to live there. Drummond is described as 'Mr. Jacques Drummond Ecossais Logé ce jour à Paris, Rue St. Honoré No., hôtel Meurice'.

12mo, 1 p. In a bifolium. Docketed by Stratford Canning on the reverse of the second leaf. Very good, on lightly-aged paper, with thin strip of stub from mount adhering to one edge. He 'cannot resist' staying there the next day, 'as Lady C. & I hope to bring our Daughter up to London on Tuesday', a day on which, if convenient, he will be 'most happy' to see Stratford Canning at the Foreign Office.

Printed on one side of a piece of paper, 23.5 x 17.5 cm. In fair condition, on aged paper. Laid down on a gilt-edged leaf from an autograph album, 24 x 18.5 cm. Firm, bold signature ('Palmerston'), 6 cm long, in bottom right-hand corner. Authorising the payment of £24 15s 9d to 'Mr. George Ripking, Assistant Surgeon of the Third Regiment of Hussars of The King's German Legion [...] being the approved Balance due to him for the Contingent Hospital Expenses of the said Corps, from the 21st. June to the 24th. December 1812, both days inclusive'.

2 pp, on first leaf of bifolium of thick cream paper, dimensions roughly 40.5 x 26.5 cm. Ruled with red lines. Docketed on reverse of second leaf. Text clear and complete. In good condition, though grubby. Leverhulme ('the Settlor') is 'desirous of assisting in the foundation of a Chair of Physical Chemistry in the University', and has ('with the approbation of the Council of the University') 'transferred Five Thousand "B" Twenty per centum Cumulative Preferred Ordinary Shares of One pound each fully paid in Lever Brothers Limited into the name of the University'.

12mo, 3 pp, 26 lines. Good, with tiny pin holes at head and foot of both leaves of the bifolium, and one corner roughened by removal of mount. Buckmaster has learnt that Meade is 'contemplating leaving [his] work in this Office', and would 'greatly regret any such step' as Meade's work is 'of great assistance and is much appreciated by all of us in this room'. While Buckmaster realises that there is little opportunity for advancement, he feels that 'we all do render considerable service to the state'.

Hope had returned to the Foreign Office from Tehran in May 1907, but had moved to the Washington Embassy, as second secretary, that October. The recipient is presumably one of the ten children of the Tory politician A. J. B. Beresford Hope (1820-1887). Letter One: 12mo, 8 pp. Very good on lightly-aged paper. Addressed to 'My dear Beresford Hope'. A teasing, friendly letter, intresting for the information it provides on the situation of a minor attaché in Edwardian Washington.

Manuscript note by Harold Sidney Harmsworth (later Viscount Rothermere) at head of first page: 'When Em [pet name for Cecil Harmsworth] had a long talk with the Prince of Wales - I being detained in the H of Commons | [signed] H'. 8vo, 8 pp. Stapled pamphlet. Good, on lightly-aged paper with slight rust to staples. Fair, on aged and lightly-creased paper. On pp. 4 and 5 brief details are given of the subjects of the eight films shown: 'Port Sunlight', 'Bournville', 'A Bit of Thameside', 'Letchworth', 'Hampstead Garden Suburb', 'Well Hall', 'Gretna' and 'War Seal Homes'.

Letter: 12mo, 1 p. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Begins 'Your hands must be full just now, judging from the Daily Papers.' He presents the 'booklet' as 'a small memento of friendship for you', and describes as 'just published by me on a hymn considered (by Bernard, Bury etc.) to be a contemporary of St. Patrick. An 11th. cent MS. containing it is in T. C. D. Library. And it is also given in a 7th. cent. MS. at Milan.' Postscript referring to an article he has sent Harmsworth, 'for which I received thanks (quite unsolicited) of the Prof. of English Literature, T.C.D.!

8vo: 12 pp (unpaginated). Wraps and stapled. Fair: on aged and lightly-creased paper. A few marks in pencil and red pencil (on two occasions 'my "Owner" ' in the text noted as 'Lord R.'). Stamped with limitation number 57. Printed in small type in double column. In his introductory note Warden explains that the text is 'made up of extracts from a diary, which I more or less kept, and letters sent home during a recent voyage of 20,000 miles.

12mo, 4 pp. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Peel is visiting Yonge's neighbourhood and he begins by describing the planned lodging arrangements. 'Shawford sounds very tempting the only drawback being railway journesy backward & forward.' He thanks Yonge for the 'hospitable' offer regarding staying at Otterbourne: 'whoever be our party I think it would be best not to troube you - best to come over to Otterbourne for lunch or tea as may be agreeable to you'. He will write again once his daughters 'have made up their minds'.

4to, 2 pp. Very good. Small ink tick at head of first page (not affecting text).

On a piece of card roughly 9 x 11.5 cm. With embossed government crest of the Board of Education in the top left-hand corner. In fair condition, lightly-aged and with small triangular areas of discoloration to two opposing corners caused by previous mounting. Good bold signature, presumably sent in response to a request for an autograph. Reads '[signed] Walter Runciman. | 6 March | 1911.'

Cut from an envelope into a 'T' shape, with the front panel bearing the address and signature roughly 8.5 x 22.5 cm, forming the cross stroke, and the area from the back of the letter bearing the seal, cut into a roughly 6.5 x 5.5 cm rectangle, hanging down from this like the vertical stroke of the letter. Good, on lightly aged and creased paper. Reads 'To the Right Honorable, | Sir Stafford Northcote, Bart | Secretary of State for India | London | J Lawrence'. The circular red wax seal is 3.5 cm in diameter.

Scottish soldier and diplomat (1755-1843). Four pages, octavo. Good, though grubby on discoloured paper, and a little frayed about the edges. Concerns 'the Subject of Issues which are made by the Barrack Department in North Britain to the Forces stationed in this Part of the United Kingdom, but which are not sanctioned by The King's Warrant'. '[...] | I conceive the Establishment of Regimental Schools to be highly conducive to the good of His Majesty's Service, and peculiarly so in the case of 2d.

4tp bifolium: 3 pp. Text clear and complete on aged and lightly-creased paper. The first page is headed by the crest of the City of London. Gives the timetable for the ceremony, and the routes to be followed by the holders of 'three distinct Cards [white, pink and blue] assigning seats in different localities'. 'The Prime Warden and Wardens of the Fishmongers' Company will present Lord Milner with the Freedom.

4to: 1 p. Twenty-four lines of text. On a bifolium of laid paper, and docketed on the reverse of the second leaf. Good, in faded ink on lightly-aged paper. Begins 'La france republicainne [sic] me fait perdre des renttes [sic] viageres'. She complains of the attack on her 'legitimes droits a mes biens de Corses que le roy de france garrante par un Contract', and speaks of 'droits inalterables et inprescriptible'. She asks for a 'paquet' to be passed to 'Milord Hood'.

On one side of a piece of vellum, dimensions 28 x 33 cm. Folded three times to make eight rectangles. Red wax seal under paper in top left-hand corner, embossed with the Admiralty anchor. One blue 5s stamp in left-hand margin, with '£5: 7: 6' and an illegible signature above it in manuscript. Small paper stamp on the reverse. Text clear and complete on lightly discoloured vellum. The body of the document is printed over thirteen lines, with the specific information added in manuscript.

4to: 1 p. Good, on lightly aged and creased paper. 'I have great satisfaction in acquainting you that a Commission has this day been signed promoting you to the Rank of Rear Admiral of the Blue.' Docketed by Paterson twice on the otherwise-blank reverse '12 Augt. 1812 | Lord Melville informing me I am made Rear Admiral of the Blue'.

8vo: 334 pp. Portrait of Northcliffe as frontispiece. Three facsimiles of letters in text and fold-out with facsimiles of three of Northcliffe's letters. Inscribed by Owen on front pastedown 'To Elaine from Louise and Northcliffe. | Nov. 1938'. (The reference to 'Northcliffe' is explained by the fact that Owen considered herself a spirit medium, in contact with the deceased Viscount.) Internally good: sound and tight, on lightly aged paper. In original worn red cloth, with slight bloom on front.

4to: 1 p. Thirteen lines of text. Text clear and entire on aged and creased paper. Remains of stub from previous mounting adhering to reverse, and short printed biography tipped in along margin. A formal letter in the third person. Galway is 'extremely [underlined] sorry that he shold have given Mr. Neale so much trouble respecting the eighth Part of Westminster Abbey', which the peer had assumed was missing, but 'finds upon farther examination that it is with the other numbers'.

12mo: 3 pp. Good, on lightly aged paper. Small spike hole through both leaves of the bifolium. Text clear and entire. Execrable hand. Begins 'I certainly shall not secede from my conditional Promise'. Paragraph describing the weather ('The Heat of the Weather here is intolerable.') 'I agree entirely with respect to the Character of our worthy departed friend. It is a great loss to this Part of the Country.'

4to: 1 p. On grubby, aged paper, with crease to one corner. Laid down on a leaf removed from an autograph album. Thanking the recipient for 'selling Roses in the Middlesex Hospital Area' on 'Alexandra Rose Day'. 'The total sum collected in our Area amounted to £680. 10s. 6d. which is most satisfactory, and I do hope you will feel rewarded for your trouble and fatigue by this very gratifying result.' Docketed at foot 'Viscount Astor'.

Both letters good, on lightly aged paper. Both items concern Canning's article on 'International Relations' in the October 1877 issue of 'The Nineteenth Century'. Letter One (12mo, 4 pages, bifolium with mourning border). Knowles hopes Canning has received the proof of the article from the publishers Spottiswoodes. A judicious bit of sycophancy follows.

On piece of paper roughly one and a half inches by three wide. Small tear in top left-hand corner not affecting signature. Reads 'Your Obed Hue Servt | [signature] O'Neill | Lieut General'. On reverse '<...> he had his discharge to <...> | <...> allowed something he had <...>'.

Four pages, 12mo. Good, on aged paper with one half-inch closed tear. Claims to be 'compiling an historic book [...] which has been left to the nation', and asks for his contribution. Provides a full-page list from the 'over 500 Autographs'. The collection 'could not be complete without' Montgomery's 'honoured name'. Asks for 'a few words (as many others have done) on the blank side so as to keep this for Gen Alexander & others who took part in your campaign'. Congratulates him on his 'brilliant Victory'.

On piece of paper, 11 x 17.5 cm. Lightly creased, and with a little spotting at head. Reads 'Autograph | of | Viscount Stratford de Redcliffe | given to Mr J. H. Hall | at his request.' It is curious that Canning should have thought it necessary to emphasize that the autograph was not unsolicited.

Twelve pages on six folio leaves, apparently disbound from the 1803 reprint of the Journals of the House of Commons, and paginated 351-362. Discoloured, and with chipping to extremities (not affecting text). Summarises the statements of various individuals concerning the matter. The first of the four appendices is 'A Rental of the Estates late Lord Derwentwater's, in the Counties of Northumberland and Cumberland. To be sold before the Commissioners and Trustees for the Forfeited Estates, on Thursday the Eleventh Day of July next, 1723.

4to: 1 p. Good. Folded three times. A neatly-written letter of introduction for 'Major William Henry Grote [1795-1844], of the 33d. Regiment, now at Malta, Brother of Mr. Grote MP. for London, who is about to visit Egypt': 'I beg leave to introduce him to your acquaintance, and to recommend him to your Protection and good Offices.'