WILLIAM

4pp., 12mo. Bifiolium. In fair condition, on aged paper. Macready had taken leave of the stage a month before the writing of this letter, with a farewell performance of Macbeth at Drury Lane on 26 February. An interesting letter, fifty-one lines long, revealing the great actor's response to the change of circumstances brought about by his early retirement. Macready begins by telling Jerdan that his 'friendly reminder of the 16th. inst' found him 'in all the external stillness of he most quiet of village towns, and with as much internal care as would satisfy the most excitement-loving person'.

4pp., 4to. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed, with postmark, to 'John P. Aston, Esqre | Messrs. Ainsworth & Co | Solrs | Essex Street | Manchester'. Aston was Ainsworth's father's law clerk. The year after this letter was written the novel 'Sir John Chiverton', on which Ainsworth and Aston collaborated, was published to great success (and endorsement by Sir Walter Scott).

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, very lightly aged. Harrison begins by answering the unnamed recipient's enqury 'about Manx Coins &c', with reference to 'an old bookseller in Douglas' and 'John F Crellin of Orrysdale'. Crellin has 'a fine Collection of Coins relating to the Island', and is 'in a poor state of health & confined to bed'. Harrison discusses a paper by Crellin on 'the Coinage of 1733' before turning to 'what duplicate' of Manx Society publications he has in his possession, 'chiefly of my own Editing'.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, with slight damage to gutter from removal from stub. Addressed, with postmark, on reverse of second leaf, to 'John Britton Esqre | 17, Burton St | Burton Crescent'. He asks him and 'any friend who might be interested in the subject' to try to attend 'a meeting at the Guildhall Coffee House' the following day, 'Sir Wm. Heygate in the chair, to consider the necessity of combining a public walk with the intended embankments of the Thames'.

10pp., 4to. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. An accompanying entry from a French manuscripts catalogue states that the letter was sent to the magazine 'The Age', but not printed.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly-aged. Written in a difficult hand, but with an accompanying contemporary manuscript transcription on a separate leaf. Addressed to 'Dear Friend'. He begins by saying that he is sending autographs, but explains that, so great is his 'horror', that it is his practice to 'destroy all that come into my hands. | Without reference to you in particular, I regard the Autograph and Album mania as the great pestilence of the day'.

1p., 4to. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly-aged. Addressed on reverse of second leaf to 'Mr. Cathrall | Times Office | Manchester'. In reply to a letter 'requesting from me "an account of the origin and progress of the Manchester Agricultural Society"', he states that 'any information I possess is quite at Mr. Everett's service'. He suggests two times when Everett can call on him, and he will 'endeavour to promote his views in any way in my power'.

1p., folio. In good condition, with light signs of age. Addressed to 'Wm. Griffith Esqre. | Becket Street Chapel | Derby.' Informing Griffith that he has 'laid before My Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty the petition from the United Methodist Free Church, Derby, requesting the alteration of the 93rd. Clause of the Marine Mutiny Act'.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly-aged. Greenhill has offered to show Jerrold 'interesting rooms [...] with Thackeray associations', and Jerrold apologises for the circumstances preventing his acceptance of the invitation. 'The work in connection with the small Exhibition is much more than it seems and I fear the trying to fit this, or my portion of it, in with the must-be-done work of a busy penman has made me a shockingly neglectful answerer of letters.'

Both items are laid down on a leaf removed from an autograph album. Both in good condition, with light signs of age. The photographic print of Gladstone measures 9 x 5.5, with the head and shoulders image in an oval 7.5 cm high by 5 cm wide, and showing a middle-aged Gladstone with dark bow tie and frock coat, staring to the right.

Lengthwise on one side of 12 x 7.5 cm postcard. In fair condition, aged and worn, with two light postmarks over text, and the reverse carrying traces of paper and glue from previous mounting. Addressed, on reverse, to 'Miss Lewis | 10 Lower Sloane Street | London | S. W.', and redirected in another hand to an address in Essex. The message reads: 'Mr Gladstone with his compliments begs to thank Miss Lewis fo rthe presentation of her Translation and enters with much sympathy into the views she has taken of the deeper questions involved both in the Preface and the work.'?>

1p., 12mo. Bifolium, addressed by Peake, with broken seal in black wax, to 'Mr Gardner | Globe & Traveller Office | Strand'.

2pp., 16mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, aged and worn, with minor traces of glue along one edge from stub. Addressed on reverse of second leaf to 'Signor Massingham | Teatro di Principessa' [i.e. the Princess's Theatre, London]. The request reads: 'Al Reverendissimo Signor Massingham | Be pleased, I pray, | My salary to pay | To the ladies I send, | My very good friend. | I remain, (all alone) | Yours Truly - G Soane'. Soane's unhappy relationship with his father is described in both men's entries in the Oxford DNB.

1p., 4to. Bifolium. Addressed on reverse of second leaf, with postmarks, to 'Thomas Hill Esq | New Inn'. In good condition, lightly-aged. Headed by Oakley 'Circular' and entirely written out in his own hand. The letter begins: 'In consequence of the embarrassing finances of the Old Drury Club, and its being uncertain whether, or no, it can any longer hold its deliberative meetings at its accustomed place of redevous [sic] - it has been determined by a majority of its members - to resolve themselves into a committee of ways and means'.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, with light signs of age and wear. In a markedly difficult hand, Borrow explaining that he cannot write without discomfort. Apparently relating to a disagreement Snow has had with his landlord, who, according to Borrow, should have 'shewn some little compassion | It would do him good to give him this opinion from one who knows your honourable & upright demands and your hard struggle to live by your Brains - the hardest of all struggles'.

Letter: 1p., 8vo. In fair condition, lightly creased and aged. With a few autograph emendations. In a characteristically eccentric letter he writes that their common friend Jimmy Linton has told Bowman that Duncan 'may be able to give me some particulars and perhaps a photo of Edith LORAINE who played Godiva in F. B. Woulfe's Company, presenting the famous historical play by Max Goldberg, (John F. Preston.) He refers to Mabelle F. Barlow, Lady Astor and his own play 'Divorce or Dishonour'. As a boy he was greatly impressed by Loraine's performance, and it 'started my interest in Coventry.

Both items nicely printed and in good condition, with light signs of age and wear. ONE: 'The Encyclopaedia Britannica Dinner given by Sir Donald Mackenzie Wallace. Hotel Cecil, Friday Evening, November 21st, 1902. Plan of Tables.' 28.5 x 80 cm, folding up into a 28.5 x 13.5 cm packet. Printed in black and red on the whole of one side, with the other side carrying a 'Programme of Music' ('M. G. Fericescu, Musical Director'), an alphabetical table, and a cover with engraved illustration. Made out in pencil to 'Mr. A. Williams | K24' (i.e. the Liberal MP Aneurin Williams).

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condiion, on aged and worn paper. Marked 'Private', and written with an urgency suggesting the involvement of royalty behind the request. The letter begins: 'Sir William Martins presents his Compliments to Mr Webster and at theh rather earnest wish of a former Lord Chamberlain entreats Mr Webster, if it be practicable to allow the Farce of "Powder & Ball" to be played at the Adelphi one evening this Week either Wednesday Thursday or Friday'. He will 'explain further' and writes 'in case he should not be fortunate enough to meet Mr Webster at the Theatre'.

2pp., 12mo. He begins by apologising for being unable to give any information regarding Shettle, who 'only came into Ripon Diocese in 1911, theh year in which I resigned'. He is unacquainted with Shettle's books, none of which are credited to him in Crockford's. He agrees with Lang's 'letter & notes on Church & Education matters': 'the War is constantly disclosing how far astray our Education & Church method has been.

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, lightly-aged, with minor traces of glue along one edge. He thanks him for 'so kindly procuring permission to send me the Rules of the Order of Victoria & Albert for transmission to the King of Siam'. He asks 'what Foreign Orders are given to women', and would like to know how to 'get at the rules which give these'.

1p., 12mo. Addressed to 'My dear Mrs. Atkinson', and with contemporary note at head stating that the letter is 'To Mrs. Atkinson Grove end - about the year 1829', Grove End in Paddington being the estate of the architect William Atkinson. In good condition, lightly-aged, with minor traces of stub adhering to one edge on blank reverse. He thanks her for her 'beautiful present' and informs her that he has 'secured 6 places in the front Boxes for to-morrow evening - and shall do myself the pleasure of bringing up admissions for that Number either to day or early to morrow morning'.

1p., 4to. Bifolium. Addressed on second leaf to 'Wm Campbell Esqr. | Brook Street'. In good condition, lightly-aged. The letter begins: 'Had I been aware, before dinner, of what our friend Geddes has just informed me after dinner, - that you are at present a Batchelor, you certainly should have had no excuse for not returning with him to a friendly knife & fork in Mount Street'. He asks him, if he is 'quite alone', to 'come immeditely & lecture him for his remissness - & drink to his better behaviour - we are quite en famille with only Geddes'.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased. Lowe's request has been laid before the Club's committee, and there is no possibility of acceding to it: 'You say in your letter that you are aware that the privilege engraving the pictures in the Club Collection is "rarely" granted, but in this matter I fear you must have been misinformed as it is against the Rules to grant it at all'.

Brook's 1949 production of 'Dark of the Moon' was praised by the critics, and favourably compared with a rival production of 'Oaklahoma!' 'I'm not sure', Brook wrote, 'whether it's a good thing to be original in the theatre. The critics slated my Romeo and Juliet for being too original, but they applaud the quality in Dark of the Moon.' J. C. Trewin, in his 1971 biography of Brook, states that the play had attracted Brook's attention 'when he saw pictures in an American magazine and observed with rapture that there were witches in the cast.

52pp., 12mo. In green cloth notebook with label of Reeves & Sons Ltd, London. In good condition, with moderate signs of age and wear, in worn binding. Calthrop's ownership inscription in pencil on front pastedown: 'Dion Clayton Calthrop | 29 Sussex Place | Queens Gate | S.W.' Apart from the two landscape studies in charcoal colours (both of cliffs by the sea), the rest of the sketchbook consists of pencil sketches in a tight, disciplined hand.

On 7.5 x 11.5 cm. panel cut from front of envelope. In fair condition, lightly-aged. All in Gladstone's hand, it reads 'Fettercairn Septr. twentynine 1839 | A. Colvile Esq | Craigflower | Dunfermline | W E Gladstone'. Gladstone's signature is in the bottom left-hand corner, but is merely underlined, rather than being between two horizontal lines, as customary when franking.

1p., 12mo. In good condition. The subject of the letter is probably Lennox's Fifty Years' Biographical Reminiscences', published by Hurst and Blackett in 1863. Lennox is 'extremely flattered' at the contents of the recipient's letter, but has 'disposed of the copy right to Messrs Hurst and Blackett. 13. Gr. Marlborough St.', to whom he refers the recipient. 'Had I been in London I would have done myself the pleasure of expressing my thanks in person'.

1p., 12mo. Mourning border. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. He writes that his 'visit to the Gallery' has to be on the following Friday, but asks the recipient not to 'in the least inconvenience yourself on my account, though I certainly should consider it a great pleasure to see you on the occasion'. According to his entry in the Oxford DNB: 'In 1860 William Chambers returned to Edinburgh and the firm. Robert Chambers and his wife travelled to America before he and his family moved to London so that he could oversee the firm's new London offices.

On 14 x 12.5 cm piece of card, with the cropped printed scorecard (completed in pencil in childish hand) on one side, and the autograph signatures on the otherwise-blank reverse. In good condition, lightly-aged. The five signatures are bold and strong in black ink, and read: 'P. Mead | Ed Tyldesley | E Hendren | J W Hearne | J W Hitch'.

As befits the son of a City of London clergyman, Edward Mason Wrench was a well-educated and well-connected man (being presented to the Prince of Wales in his old age), attributes which enabled him to thrive at Chatsworth. His standing was also enhanced by an eventful army career. Wrench's obituary in the British Medical Journal (27 April 1912), describes how, after service in the Crimea, 'he was transferred to the 4th Lancers, went to Madras with that regiment in the following month, and served with it during the whole of the Indian Mutiny.