WATKIN

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The letter, addressed to an unnamed recipient, begins: 'My dear Sir | Before I quitted Office I communicated to the Court of directors the Draft of an Insolvent Bill & some letters on the subject which I had received from the Judges in India, together with a request that they might be laid before you for your opinion & observations.' He should like the opportunity to talk over the subject with him, as he considers himself 'pledged to bring the measure forward [in the House of Commons]' with the approval of the present Board.

In two parts, each with the first page carrying the identically-worded petition. Part One: folio, 10 pp. Part Two: folio, 8 pp. Both texts clear and complete. On heavily aged and worn paper, with part of the blank last leaf of the second part torn away.

Laid down on 114 quarto pages; the leaves disbound and loose. The items themselves in good condition, on aged paper. Also included is a mass of loose material (having become detached from the album's pages), including 21 colour drawings (many marked as having been drawn by Wingfield between the ages of 8 and 12), 10 black and white drawings, 10 cut-out grotesque figures (three in colour), three loose quarto Colnaghi engravings ('Wm. Fredk. King of Prussia', 1814; 'Field Marshal G. L.

12mo, 2 pp. On first leaf of a bifolium. Text clear and complete. On slightly grubby, aged and lightly-creased paper. As they are '[i]n the midst of the Elections, which we shall not finally get rid of till, perhaps, the middle of December', he is 'quite unable' to do as Price wishes. 'I could not condense what ought to be condensed, without a good deal of reference & reading taking time - which is scarcest of articles with me, at the moment'. The subject of recent biographies by J. N. Greaves ('The Last of the Railway Kings', 2008) and D. J.

4to, 3 pp, 26 lines. Discoloured and lightly stained, with a couple of closed tears, but with text clear and entire. Marked 'Private' and docketed 'No. 5932'. An interesting letter, written on the eve of Hastings' return to England from his post as Governor General of Bengal, giving 'the state of affairs here up to the latest moment', everything being 'quiet and prosperous'. Discusses the state of Government Bonds. 'Sir Edward Paget is in the River & will land tomorrow.

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.