WILLIAM

1p., 12mo. On bifolium. Good, on aged paper. Addressed on reverse of second leaf to 'T. C. Croker Esq'. Reads: 'Dear Croft | I return Hardiman with many thanks. | Yrs. &c. | [signed] W M'. The signature is underlined twice. The reference is to James Hardiman's 'Irish Minstrelsy', published in 1831.

Ten items, in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. ONE: Typescript titled 'THE CASTLE | A play in three acts (nine scenes) based on Franz Kafka's novel THE CASTLE | by MAX BROD | translated by James Clark | All rights reserved | 1963'. [viii] + 98 + [i] pp., 8vo. With two-hole metal punchbinding; in original blue wraps. Prepared by 'Scripts Limited' of Wardour St. With a few minor emendations in pencil. TWO: Two copies (typescript and carbon) of a paper entitled 'On Dramatizing Kafka's "The Castle" | by Max Brod' (3pp., folio).

2pp., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. He begins by enquiring whether the recipient is 'the J. R. Clark who appeared recently on TV', whom he 'would love to meet'. 'In 1934 my two aunts were in Germany and wrote letters home. They were keen Nazis and my older aunt met Goering & Goebbles. My grandparents and younger aunt were given luncheon by the Mussolinis when in Rome.' He was 'rivetted' by the television programme, as he was 'transcribing the letters sent to their mother by my aunts when the programme was broadcast'.

2pp., 12mo. Fair, on lightly-aged paper. He thanks her for her letter and announces a date on which 'your two sisters your daughter and yourself' can 'dine with my sister and myself at The Hill, Hampstead'. He expects that his niece 'Miss Emily Paul' will be staying with him at that time. He ends by saying that if the hour of the dinner is too early for Mrs Kennedy-Fraser's 'afternoon engagement', it can be altered to 'whatever time is most convenient for yourself'.

2pp., 4to. Fair, on lightly-aged paper. He thanks her for her 'kind letter and transcription letters', and will be 'grateful to receive prints of your drawings by William Havell. Truly, those at the V. & A. are not very good, and I feel sure that there are much finer ones in existence.' He was 'amused by Auntie Jane's letter to her nephew', and will 'try and come down to Reading to see your Havells later on'. He would also like to see those of 'Mrs. Wilson'. He considers 'Luke Havell's children - a very gifted family'.

2pp., 12mo. On bifolium. Fair, on aged paper. The letter begins: 'Maitland, Secretary of the Civil Service Commission, tells me that Mr Robertson was examined only in European subjects; or, to use his own expression, "as to his capacity for learning Japanese".' Maitland cannot help them 'in finding a Japanese scholar'. As Spottiswoode is 'always so glad to find any one interested in oriental subjects', he asks for 'an opportunity of becoming acquainted' with Washington's son.

3pp., 4to. 60 lines of text. Bifolium. Good, on aged paper. Addressed, on reverse of second leaf, to 'Valentine Mott M.D. | 25 Park Place | New-York'; with three postmarks, one from Havre and another 'Forwarded by Lewis Rogers & Co.' (Mott was in Europe at the time of writing.) An tantalising letter, regarding an intriguing affair about which nothing else appears discoverable. Eldridge is sending 'a hand bill, 5000 of which have been circulated thro Paris and the towns in its vicinity'.

1p., 12mo. Laid down on a leaf removed from an album. Fair, on aged and dusty paper, with slight creasing to one corner. Reads: 'I shall probably look in at your homes on Monday | Yrs trly | [signed] W Carus Wilson | Aug 26 | Carterton Hall | Kirby Lonsdale'. Wilson ran Clergy Daughters' school which the Bronte sisters attended (fictionalised as ''Lowood' in 'Jane Eyre'). Charlotte Bronte blamed the harsh conditions at the school for the early deaths of her two elders sisters, and for the ill-health of her younger sisters, Anne and Emily.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. As she 'cut the string' of the parcel, she 'wondered what could possibly come to me from St Andrews', '& lo! these beautiful thoughts in their lovely garb appeared to my delight'. It was wonderful of Miss Grae to 'think of it', and of 'the little girls to make such a beautiful book', the binding of which her husband finds 'admirable & excellent'. She will 'read the charming pages on foggy days such as these'. She wishes that 'these last 3 blacknesses had been spent at St Andrews by all of us'.

Landscape 12mo. Fair, on lightly-aged paper. Reads: 'Dear Dan; / You're one of the birds I just love to be praised by! / As ever / [signed] Will Irwin'.

1p., 12mo. Fourteen lines. Good, on lightly-aged paper. He is sorry to have put Monkhouse to 'the trouble of writing', and hopes someday to show him his 'best etchings'. 'I have been exhibiting etchings at R.A. for about 10 years: and my published work has been very favourably noticed in the "Times", "Athenaeum" "Academy" &c. &c.' He is enclosing (not present) an article which 'the Gazette des Beaux Arts' carried on his work, 'so long ago as 1876'.

2pp., 4to. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Black wax seal adhering to reverse of second leaf, which is addressed, with postmarks, by Rigaud to 'Revd. W. T. Hopkins / Elmdon House / Coventry'. He explains, with two diagrams, a geometrical mistake by Hopkins, the letter beginning: 'Your difficulty arises entirely from your imagining that the squares of lines are proportionate to the lines themselves - This is by no means the case'.

3pp., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. A friend of Lupton's 'has just arrived from Paris with a few choice matters, among others is as I understand an extraordinary Collection of Autographs'. Lupton told his friend that Trench was 'no buyer, but from your knowledge of such matters you could advise him'. The autographs 'consist of official documents connected with the Custom House & Police from the time of the first revolution (1790) to the present date, and about a hundred letters'.

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightl-aged paper. He regrets that 'absence from London' will prevent him from 'attending the lecture' of his 'old friend Dumaurier', to whom he wishes 'every possible success'. He thanks the recipient for 'the compliment implied' in his invitation. On 25 May 1892 The Times reports a lecture that day at 'Prince's Hall: Mr. Du Maurier on "Social Pictorial Satire," Mr. Alma-Tadema, R.A., in the chair, 9.'

Manuscript diary of the purser of the Royal Navy Armoured Cruiser HMS Cornwall, describing Mediterranean and Baltic tours of duty (while Captain W. R. Hall was spying for Britain), with descriptions of golf and other sports and recreations. 'Letts's No. 46 Indian and Colonial Rough Diary Giving Half a Page a Day. 1909'. 12mo, 161pp. Good, on aged paper, in worn boards. Diary proper consists of 210pp., with entries on three-quarters (159pp.) of them (few entries for periods of leave), preceded by two pages with lists of family birthdays and of books read.

1p., 8vo. 22 lines. Fair, on aged and worn paper. Addressed on reverse to 'William Jerdan Esqr | Grove House'. On wove paper watermarked 'G & R TURNER | 1826'. The letter can thus be dated from between 1826 and 1829, the year 'Ackermann's Repository of the Arts' ceased publication. Written in a difficult, hurried hand. She has received a letter from 'Mr Ackermann', saying that the package which Jerdan was 'kind enough to promise should go in your bag yesterday I having given it to you too late for the boy on Monday, has not reached him'.

1p., 12mo. Good, on aged paper. She states that she will be 'happy to wait on Sir Stafford Northcote at 4 oclock on Wednesday the 30th instant as you mention'. Docketed by Benthall on reverse of second leaf of bifolium, 'Miss Carpenter | Oct: 15. 1867. | Will wait on you on Oct: 30. at 4 o'clock'. Benthall was described in Wisden as batting 'in an exceedingly pretty style, cutting beautifully to the off, and has made some capital scores in the best matches'.

1p., 8vo. 23 lines. On discoloured aged paper. He thanks him for 'Cleveland': 'a decided improvement on the Tweddell press, as it sometimes has been'. He would not 'give any extravagant price' for the 'dull performance' of Walter Hilton [one of Wynkyn de Worde's editions of Hilton's 'Scale of Perfection'], 'but he is interesting, as I believe him to have been a Northern man. Walter de Helton was concerned in Appleby lands in 36 Edw. III. and Walter de Hilton was Rector of Moreby in 1369, and had a brother Wm.

1p., 8vo. 23 lines. On discoloured aged paper. He thanks him for 'Cleveland': 'a decided improvement on the Tweddell press, as it sometimes has been'. He would not 'give any extravagant price' for the 'dull performance' of Walter Hilton [one of Wynkyn de Worde's editions of Hilton's 'Scale of Perfection'], 'but he is interesting, as I believe him to have been a Northern man. Walter de Helton was concerned in Appleby lands in 36 Edw. III. and Walter de Hilton was Rector of Moreby in 1369, and had a brother Wm.

1p., 4to. The beginning of the article only: 21 lines of text, ending abruptly. Torn from notebook. Very good, on aged paper. A corrected draft, with the deleted original title reading 'Work & Wage in Downing St'. An interesting item, casting light on the working practices of a pioneer of parliamentary journalism. Begins: 'The keeness of competition for ministl office in Great Britain is certainly not inspired by sordid motive.'

4pp., 12mo. Very good, on lightly-aged paper, with minor traces of stub adhering to margin. He has received Flower's 'catalogue'. 'I was sure you wd. be delighted with Egypt. It has so much to tell us about man & nature. The early stages of mans progress, & the variety of nature.' Zincke would like 'time to look into things & to think about them': he was in Egypt 'only as many weeks as you were months'.

2pp., 12mo. Fair, on aged paper. In pencil at head: 'Autograph of the Rev W. B. O. Peabody'. In ink in a contemporary hand, between the title and body of text: 'Autograph of Mr Peabody '. Twenty-four lines, arranged in three eight-line stanzas. The text presented here differs in certain respects from that printed in A. P. Putnam's 'Singers and Songs of the Liberal Faith' (1875). In the present version the first stanza reads: 'Black the heaven is overcast! | Breathless is the sultry blast.?>

1p., 8vo. Bifolium. Twenty-seven lines of text. Good, on aged paper, with minor traces of previous mounting. Addressed, with black ink circular postmark ('20 | NO'), on reverse of second leaf, ''To Mr Ellis | att Mr Taverners in Thread-needle Street'. The letter begins: 'Nothing can yield Persons in our Stations greater Satisfaction, than to be entertain'd in our silent Retirement with some harmless amusements from a facetious & learned Correspondent.

1p., 12mo. Very good, neatly tipped-in onto a piece of card. On sending the 'notices of House and Boulger', Griffis finds 'little or nothing to commend in the latter, and its title is misleading'. He asks to be sent other works 'as you receive them'.

4pp., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with the second leaf neatly placed in a paper windowpane mount. He writes that he has been 'excessively busy', and this has delayed his 'coming to a decision re the lecture'. 'Since the 4th Oct. I have written two large books, besides any amount of magazine work &c.' As he has '4 books to write before May', he is afraid his 'lecture on Caravan Life will have to be deferred till another season'. He has been asked to 'lecture on Kindness to Dogs, &c with living specimens on the stage at Birmingham', and fears that 'even this will have to be put off'.

3 pp, 4to. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with minor traces of stub adhering to the blank reverse of second leaf. The year 1832 has been added in pencil in a contemporary hand. The letter is on paper watermarked 1831. Docketed at head 'Braybrooke Ld.' He begins by informing Henslow that Lord Grenville has lent him 'the Book in which his Notes upon the growth of Trees, during many years, had been made. He assures me that nothing worth your notice will be found among the MS remarks, but I am not of that opinion.

4pp., 4to. Bifolium. Ninety lines of text. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with small hole on second leaf causing damage to a few words of text. Addressed with two postmarks (one French, one American) on the reverse of the second leaf to 'William W. Whitwell Esq | Boston. Mass. | United States of America'. A significant letter, written from Paris by an astute and cultured American jurist on the day following the demonstration of 15 May 1848.

123pp., folio. Paginated. In contemporary brown tooled calf, with two metal clasps, and a metal ring at foot of rear board. Internally good and tight, on aged paper, in worn binding. A fair copy, neatly written out in a mid-eighteenth-century chancery hand, with the body of text on each page bordered by two vertical red lines. The Free Grammar School of King Edward VI in Berkhamsted was founded by John Incent, Dean of St Paul's, in 1541.

2pp., 4to. Bifolium. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, with one minor damp stain. Dundas was the last ever British minister to be impeached. He was acquitted of corruption charges on 12 June 1806.

2pp., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. The paper appears to have an 1890s watermark, and the correspondence may relate to the publication of Huggins's 'Atlas of representative Stellar Spectra', printed by Hazell, Watson & Viney for William Wesley & Son in 1899. Apparently impressed by the speed of Viney's response to his last letter, Huggins begins 'Your lightning is treble-greased.' He is returning the corrected proof, and sent 'a new copy with your name written on, by this morning's post as yr.