AUTOGRAPH

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. The word 'Declined' has been written at the head of the letter by the recipient. The first paragraph reads: 'A number of influential gentlemen in the neighbourhood of Mile End and Bow, in recognition of the services of Mr Talbot, have resolved to give him a testimonial Entertainment on the 27th inst. at the Beaumont Institution.' The 'Committee' have requested Wainwright to ask the recipient to 'kindly preside on that occasion'.

On 12 x 21 cm rectangle, cut from the base of a 4to leaf. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with part of the card mount adhering to the reverse. A firm flowing signature which reads: 'Yours sincerely | Gilbert Frankau'.

The three items, all in manuscript, are in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. All three are folded into the usual packets, with the two items by the accountants each titled in manuscript on the outside. Item One (Gibson's report): 'Report to accompany the Accounts of "Vanity Fair" for the six months ending 30th. Septr. 1880'. In Bowles's autograph, and signed by him at the foot, 'Thos. G. Bowles | 10 Novr 1880'. 1p., foolscap 8vo.

5pp., foolscap 8vo. Attached with green ribbon. The sale was a protracted affair, and the detailed nature of these accounts may be due to Murray's desire to justify his charges of £22 1s 6d. The first entry reads: '1881 | Novr. 1st. Attending Mr. Bowles on his calling and receiving his instructions to act for all parties in the Sale of 1/18th. Share in "Vanity Fair" and General Roberts Executors would call and hand me the necessary papers [6s 8d]'. Other entries include 'Novr. 28th [1881] Writing Mr. Bowles that the Deed would be ready for his signature tomorrow morning [5s]', 'Jany.

2pp., 4to. 29 lines of text. Bifolium. In very good condition, on lightly-aged mourning paper, with broken black wax seal. Reverse of second leaf addressed to 'E Magrath Esq | Athenaeum | Pall Mall'. The letter begins: 'Yes, Truth, (as you say) is better than a thousand apologies. | From the Evng I was last in town (when I met your respected & kind friend Mr. J.

Following the 1951 General Election, Morrision was proposed as Speaker by the victorious Conservative Party, against convention. An election among MPs followed, with Morrision winning against the Labour candidate Major James Milner. 2pp., 4to. Fair, on aged and lightly-creased paper. At the head of the first page Chorley has written the words 'not used'. The first paragraph reads: 'There are a number of reasons why Mr. W. S.

Letter: 1p., 12mo. On bifolium. On aged and worn paper with closed tears at foot and pinholes at head. Reads: 'Sir, | I return you the account of Burley with some Amendments which I think it requires, I dare say that when I have an opportunity of seeing your Work I shall wish to become a Subscriber.' The proof, with a few minor corrections in Winchilsea's hand, are 2pp., 8vo, printed on one side of a half sheet folded once to make a bifolium, with the first page on the recto of the first leaf, and the second page on the verso of second leaf. On aged and worn paper.

2pp., 12mo. 20 lines. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Asking Chorley if he would be one of '3 members for the committee which is to be set up to examine the powers of this House over its members relative to their attendance - that is probably not an accurate description of it, but I have not got the reference handy, and I think you will know what I mean!' The committee is to be appointed the following June, 'but Hendriks would be glad to have the names beforehand'. 'Wedgy Benn [William Wedgwood Benn, 1st Viscount Stansgate] and Lewis Silkin' have also been asked. From the Chorley papers.

Entertaining letters reflecting the privileged childhood of a member of the Irish nobility in the late Victorian period. Both in good condition, on lightly-aged paper, in aged envelope, with stamps and postmarks, addressed to 'Miss C. Parker | The Paddocks | Eccleston | Chester'. Letter One: 'Friday'. 1p., 12mo. She is sending 'some autographs which Mother gave me' (not present), and has 'put whoose [sic] they are on their backs in pencil'. She has 'no time to write now' as she is 'going out riding'.

3pp., 12mo. 62 lines of text. On bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper; neatly written in a close hand. An affectionate letter, addressed to 'Dearest Stephen'. He begins: 'It seems a long while since I heard anything of or from you - the last news was in a letter from Alice [Stephen's wife], which Horatia [Stephen's sister] allowed me to see.' He complains jokingly that his son 'cannot be in a more trying climate than ours is this May - for it is as cold as Xmas, and the bitter cold of a settled N. E.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper. On the first leaf of a bifolium, with the second blank leaf carrying traces of glue from mount. The note reads: 'May /85 | Lord Tennyson begs to thank the Lord Chamberlain for the honour of the invitation on June 6th. He regrets that he is unable to avail himself of it.'

2pp., 12mo. 15 lines. In very good condition. He begins by apologising for not being able to assist Williams. 'I do not know of any book on the subject of the Teachers of the Apostolical age - of course very little indeed can be known about them. The ecclesiastical historians such as and of course a hundred others would I suppose give you all the references that would be of use to you.'

2pp., 4to. 41 lines. In fair condition, on aged paper. He begins by stating that 'Yellow Sands' 'only touches social questions by the accident of the plot. Socialism is a word the definition of which no two people appear to agree about. Ask a dozen Socialists what they understand by their faith & they will each tell you something different.' The opinions depicted in the play are both 'clear' and 'foggy', 'but it is [in] no sense propagandist - I hate propaganda in art.' He goes on to discuss his own views: 'I am not a socialist.

2pp., 12mo. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper, with a couple of small spots of glue from mount. Numbered in another hand at the foot of the second page. He writes: 'The Chalcographic Soicety meet at my house on Friday evening next 21st inst | If you can favor me with your company on that evening it will give me great pleasure.' For information about the Chalcographic Society, founded in 1807, see Dennis M. Read's biography of 'R. H. Cromek' (2011).

Both letter and pamphlet in very good condition. Letter: 8pp., 4to. Written a few days before Russell's death on 12 March 1956. On the first page he describes how the London esoteric bookseller J. M.

2pp., 12mo. On first leaf of bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with unobtrusive spike hole. The letter begins: 'The Marchioness of Westmeath is much obliged to Mesrrs. Fitz & for the two Canisters of Cephalic snuff sent according to desire & requests they will be so good as to forward by the Bearer three or four more Canisters - Also a box of Pills made up exactly according to the enclosed prescription which Lady Wth.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Fair, on lightly-aged paper. It is not 'from inattention or indifference' that Kelly has left Barry's letter unanswered. 'I think it would be inconsistent with my duty in the office which I now hold to become a member of your very excellent association'.

1p., 12mo. 10 lines. On bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. She explains that her only publications up to that point are 'Stormbeaten and Weary' and 'Spectre Stricken' ('a Christmas Story'). 'I wish to remain unknown until I can write a book I consider sufficiently good to have my own name - for this reason I have called myself "Evelyn Burne".'

3pp., foolscap 8vo, with the fourth page carrying the description of the document when folded into the usual packet. Bifolium. In fair condition, on aged paper. With embossed tax stamp and circular stamp in black ink dating the document to London, 24 September 1849. The agreement, on the first two pages, is 'Between George Hibbert of Albany Piccadilly in the County of Middlesex Esquire of the one part and George Krehmer of Albanyaforesaid Esquire of the other part.' It is signed 'George Hibbert', with 'Witness Charles Sprigges'.

2pp., 12mo. 29 lines. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with minor traces of previous mounting, and the annotation '13/19' in a contemporary hand. A significant letter relating to an important collection. Fielding bequeathed his herbarium and botanical library to the University of Oxford where, as the Oxford DNB explains, they formed for many years 'one of the key resources for the study of botany'.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with minor traces of glue from mount. It would give her 'very much pleasure' to accept the invitation 'to join you & other dear workers in the Temperance Work you are planning for April, but I am sorry to say at present I am quite liad aside from all work'. She describes how she has been ill since the previous October.

4pp., 12mo. 49 lines. Bifolium. On aged and creased paper, with remains of stub. In what appears to be a reference to the memoir by Lady Ponsonby that was published after her death (London: John Murray, 1927), Sichel (at the risk of appearing 'an impertinent Bore') thanks her 'for that adorable manuscript': 'You have made me so happy these days, transported me so entirely to the world I longed to see, that it would really be ungrateful not to say how much I thank you. The whole Court lives, and the Queen most of all, & Prince Albert.

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. The letter reads: 'My dear Ella: | It wd be very kind if you cd come to see me as I have never recovered & am downstairs again. - Will you come to tea to-day or tomorrow. I want somebody to play with me!'

4pp., 12mo. Thirty lines. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, with traces of mount at head of second page. Steell is enclosing 'a catalogue of the most recent works of the kind you desire', and points out that 'the short biographical sketches of deceased Scottish artists, in connection with our catalogue, was only printed [last word underlined] by Messrs. Constable'. He ends by offering his 'warmest wishes for the married couple' - in 1881 Christie's seventeen-year-old daughter Alice married Robert King Stewart, KBE, of Murdostoun Castle, Lanarkshire.

2pp., 16mo. Bifolium. On monogrammed letterhead. In fair condition, with traces of glue from mount still adhering. She proposes a date for a meeting, adding: 'Will Miss Paget come in the evening & bring a young friend with her if she pleases?'

4pp., 12mo. 26 lines. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Addressing an unnamed male correspondent, he begins by declining his correspondent's 'kind invitation' to his visit his house, 'on the ground that has already compelled me to refuse similar hospitality on that occasion from Mr. Wright and others'.

2pp., 12mo. 14 lines. With the address and date on the second leaf of the bifolium, the top part of which is lacking. Fair, on aged paper. Writing to an unnamed male correspondent, Mrs Combe states that if he should arrive during her absence, he will find his lodgings 'at Mrs. Capel 7. St. Giles's, Pastry Cook'. She describes the terms as '£1 a week including attendance, plate, cooking linen, with a gratuity to the servant at the end of the term'. She concludes: 'I hope Mr.

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Reads: 'Dear Sir | I have to thank you for the courtesy of your letter received by post this morning. It is always gratifying to an author when another takes an interest in what he has written'.

2pp., 4to. Bifolium. Heavily-aged and worn. Addressed 'Dear Sir', and with facsimile of signature 'For the London Steam Omnibus Co. Ltd. | A. Flemg Nisbett | Secretary.' The circular begins with the reason for sending an advance copy of the prospectus. 'My object in giving you this early intimation is that you may, if you desire, secure beforehand a Founder's Share in the profits of the coming Steam Traffic upon the Roads - which Traffic appears likely to become one day as popular as Steam on Railways'.

2pp., 12mo. Fair, on aged grey paper, with slight chipping at one corner. The letter accompanies a copy of an unnamed play, which Phillips hopes will interest Greenwood. 'I will stand or fall by it. I have learnt so much from your criticism (more indeed than from any one) that I should hope that you might continue possibly that line of such sane and helpful criticism which I have learned to look for from "the onlooker".' He concludes by declaring that there is no one to whom he is sending the book 'with greater pleasure'.