Literature

One page, 12mo, good condition.He has received an unwelcome letter which prevents him dining with the Drapers, for which he apologises prufusely.

Autograph Letter: 4to, 1 p. 10 lines. Text clear and complete. Fair, on lightly-aged and creased paper. Inviting him and his family to dine with him and Lord and Lady Glasgow. Secretarial Letter: 12mo, 3 pp. Bifolium. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Sending the 'narrative of my son's singular adventure', which he has 'been induced to draw up [...] for the purpose of supplying The Author of "Waverley," with "new materials," for his intended History of that extraordinary character'.

One page, 4to, good condition. She doesn't disapprove of any kind of collecting and is ahppy to send her signature. She adds I collect all sorts of odds & {?] from which she gets much satisfaction. She describes a bangle made up of about 60 sixpences given to her by a celebrity.each with the name of the celebrity on it. She stopped adding to it because it became too heavy/ Her eldest girl collects stamps her second autographs and youngest tea spoons.

He refers to a letter he is forwarding (not present) from one of our active members ... [forwarding it] as duty bound to the Editor. It seems a proper contribution on one of our open questions. | I wish a larger proportion of our leading names appeared among the contributors to the 'Reformer'. | Ther are many men who never write unless they are asked ... and some who will only write if they are told that a contribution on some particular subject will be acceptable from them. ... if I might suggest your applying a gentle editorial pressure upon them.

One page, 12mo, edge trimmed with minor loss of text. She is working too hard to find time for "social duties or politenesses" She will be at a certain place the following day. She has a cold "who has not?") abnd asks whether he will be in his "place" the following day.

One page, 4to, fold marks, spotted, mainly good. She confirms a meeting with him and Mrs Morel, adding: "Yes. I have read the 'Dance of Death' - I would have jumped at it. It's exquisite & strong [underlined] too- As I said you're a genius - There'll be a notice in next week's W.W." She concludes with New Year's greetings.

Three pages, 12mo, good condition. "By all means let the subject be [Insi?] the Gipsy. On after-consideration, I was afraid the other subject would be too crowded. I long to see your study from nature; rememebring your beautiful design of 'Mein Vogel'." She goes on to discuss his son's illness and her brother concern.

A good association copy. Decorated green boards,illustrated eps, good +. With the bookplates of Edward Laurence Doheny and Carrie Estelle Doheny (front endpapers - not her conventional bookplate), a label "From the Library of Estelle Doheny at 8 Chester Place Los Angeles". Also a small Chrismas card laid down front endpaper with the words "Love to Estelle Doheny Nancy & Howard [Chandler Christy]", and the titlepage is inscribed by the illustrator "To [Mrs] Doheny. | To a friend - from a friend. Christmas 1923. Howard Chandler Christy".

4to, 2 pp. 44 lines. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper. With stamped envelope addressed in autograph. Discussing the appalling final illness of 'poor Margery', beginning 'What happened was Cruel. Quite suddenly and I forget now how long ago - perhaps 3 months - all her insides fell out as it were.

Greene's Note: Dated 2 December 1915; on letterhead of The School House, Berkhamsted. 12mo, 1 p, on compliments slip. Fair on lightly-aged paper, with one dogeared corner. He is enclosing the prospectus and will be pleased 'to show you over or give you any further information'. Prospectus: 8vo, 37 pp. On art paper. In original printed cream wraps. Internally sound and clean, with lightly-rusted staples and slightly-discoloured wraps. Nineteen photographs covering twenty-two full pages, including 'Physics Laboratory', 'Upper Carpenter's Shop', 'Dynamo', 'Corps', 'Baths'.

Broadsheet bifolium, 4 pp. Text clear and complete. On lightly-aged paper, worn along fold lines. Poetry collection, containing twenty-eight poems by writers including 'Mazizi Kunene (In Exile, London, 1960)' and Hugh MacDiarmid, whose two poems have the footnote 'We are especially pleased to print these two new poems by Hugh McDiarmid, contributed despite the painful after effects of his recent car smash. We wish him a speedy and complete recovery.' Masthead endorsement by Sean O'Casey: 'I am with you in all efforts to create perfect race equality the world over.

8vo, 16 pp Disbound. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper, with the final page a little discoloured. Ownership inscriptions of 'Charles Hall Hemphill' and 'James | May 1837'. A significant work: a milestone in the history of copyright law. According to the eleventh edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, this speech introducing Talfourd's Copyright Bill 'was considered the most telling made in the House during that session'. No copy listed on COPAC, and WorldCat lists three copies (all foreign).

12mo, 1 p. Twelve lines of text. Clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged and creased paper. 'No cheque from the Bystander, [...] my new novel will be out in two months or so. I intend to shock you with that.' Perhaps referring to George's 'Blind Alley', or 'Eddies of the Day', both published in 1919.

Offprint, "Transactions of the American Philosophical Society", vol.iv, New Series, brown paper wraps, 48pp., 4to, two one-word corrections in Hodgson's hand, some foxing, marginal chipping of page edges, fair. INSCRIBED "To President Adams | With the hommage | of W B Hodgson". Note: Hodgson served in the State Department through the influence of Henry Clay who, when secretary of state in Adams's administration, "assigned Hodgson to the Barbary States . . ."

Three pages, 4to, one inch close tears along fold (marks), some marking but text clear and complete, except loss of letters through a hole where the seal was taken off. . . . [It] gives me pleasure that my books have passed into your hands - Though I have not used your references to Publishers here I feel confidence in your arrangements & above all in the sympathy of taste which your letter evinces.

Dimensions c.7.5 x 2, with small hinges (as with stamps) on both sides (from appearance in album), signature clear on dingy background, "Yours very truly | R. M. Ballantyne [underlined]".

One page, 4to, dingy paper, fold marks, text clear and complete. Mr Phillips sent a few days since an enrgaving [sic] to Mr Bentley relative to 'Man as he is Vol 4 [Robert Bage, Man As He Is (1792)- he now wants Mr Bentley's reply, as he wishes to [?] out what is become of the Volume. Bentley adds WB never Saw Man as he is, nor Woman as She Should be.---. The note added in a different hand, Note from Richard Phillips afterwards Sir Richard to Mr. W. Bentley & Mr. Bentley's reply written by himself.

12mo, 2 pp.Twenty-six lines. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper, with strip of paper mount still adhering at head of second page (not affecting text). Presumably addressed to one of the contributors to 'Cambridge Essays on Education' (1917), which Benson edited, although none of the contributors corresponds to 'Sir John'. Benson is grateful for the essay, which will make 'a most useful & interesting contribution to our book'.

With printed pamphlet. Letter is one page, 12mo, tipped on to page extracted from personal album of Arthur Poyser, trimmed to fit a plastci envelope, with a small nick not affecting text, illustrating his career with the City of London Boy Scouts and the Boy Players (album offered separately). Buchan is only free for luncheon on the Wednesday but would be happy to discuss "the book" [the first "Scouts' Song Book" published in 1912) with him then.

4to, 1 p. Ten lines. Text clear and complete. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, with some creasing at head. The delay in replying is due to 'a rather severe attack of influenza'. She has no photograph to send ('I have been meaning to have some new ones taken, but never seem to get time'), but is 'so glad that my books give you pleasure, & I hope that I shall be able to continue to entertain you with them'.

4to, 2 pp. Bifolium. Twenty-eight lines of text. Clear and complete. On aged and stained paper. Docketed by the recipient on the reverse of the second leaf. The recipient drew up her will in 1819, but 'the many changes from Deaths &c which have since taken place' mean that it 'no longer expresses my wishes in several particulars'. Asks a number of questions. States that she is 'aware that as a married woman I have no right to make a Will but as in the former distribution of my property Sir George Scott authorized my doing so (as you many remember) so he will now any alteration'.

16mo, 1 p. Bifolium. Eight lines. Text clear and complete. On stained, aged paper. An uncommon autograph, written in a distinctive stylised hand in purple ink. Reluctantly announcing his inability to go on 'the Barge trip', which he had looked upon 'as the pleasantest excursion of the year, & alas & alas (not that a lass has any thing to do with my engagement) I shall be unable to be with you'.

Piece of wove paper, 27 x 21 cm, blank but for letterhead 'henry miller 18 villa seurat paris XIVe'. Modern-looking, with 'henry miller', 'villa' and 'paris' in bold. Aged, worn, and creased. Having stayed with the writer Michael Fraenkel at Villa Seurat in 1931, Miller moved into the top-floor studio at No. 18 in September 1934, remaining there until May 1939. The rent was negotiated by Anaïs Nin, who briefly shared the apartment. An evocative artifact, redolent of the creative potentiality of the Paris of the American expatriate literary community 'entre deux guerres'.

4to, 3 pp. Bifolium. Addressed, with fragments of red wax seal, on reverse of second leaf. On aged, worn and grubby paper, with extensive damage to second leaf, from which a panel amounting to around a sixth of its area is lacking, with a further two holes repaired with archival tape. The fifty-one lines of text of the first leaf clear and complete; loss to twenty of the twenty-seven lines of the text on the second leaf.

Letter: 12mo, 3 pp. Bifolium. Text clear and complete. On aged and discoloured paper, with four pin holes to first leaf. Difficult hand. Discussing an article the proofs of which he has corrected. Poem: 8vo, 1 p. Headed 'David Harris (tom piscota) '. Five four-line stanzas, chorus, and footnote. Translation begins 'Of every sport thats in the world | Fishing is the best | And have to wind out of south | And to fish will jump on my hand'.

On one side of piece of paper, irregularly-cut from bottom of letter, and measuring approximately 3.5 x 11 cm. Lightly-aged, spotted and creased, with thin strip from mount adhering to the left. Reads 'Yours sincerely, | [signed] Kate Perugini | 24th. Oct.'

4to, 3pp. Bifolium. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper, with slight loss to second leaf caused by opening of red wax seal (part of which still adheres), and minor nicking to edges. Begins: 'The task you set me was a task indeed [...] my first attempt at translation'. He comments on some of the difficulties involved ('The Cara so often repeated in the original is beautiful in repetition while it's angliciz'd Dear is so degraded by vulgar use').

12mo, 3 pp. Forty-two lines of text; clear and complete. On aged and lightly-stained paper, with pin holes and short biographical details typed at head. The Lambs and the Mathews were friends, and the letter begins with a reference to Lamb's celebrated collection of essays, which Anne Mathews had presumably presented to Carr: 'Many thanks my dear Mrs Mathews for the pleasures I have derived from Elia.' Discusses introducing 'two old Devonshire female friends' to the Mathews: 'They do not like to return to Devonshire [...] without this gratification.

4to, 3 pp. Bifolium. Good, on aged paper. Thirty-nine lines of text. Good impression of red wax seal depicting Alexander Pope. In breaking open letter a 7 cm closed tear made to second leaf, and a small part of leaf torn away, and now under seal, with loss to three words of valediction. Slight glue staining from mount at head of verso of second leaf, which carries address and Twining's docketing.

Ist Edition. No dustjacket except surviving front flap of dj enclosed, covers sl. sunned, corners bumped manily g+. INSCRIBED by AUTHOR on title; "Robertson Davies / with love to Elsa / Christmas 1967 // [The drawings in this book are by me but the publisher forgot to say so.]