CENTURY

Both the letter and the accompanying document are in fair condition, on aged and worn paper. Both items signed 'Dion: Lardner'. ONE: Letter to Dickinson & Co. 1p, 12mo. He wishes to add 'these few lines' to 'the enclosed business letter' (not present), 'to aprise you that from the private knowledge I have of the parties interested in the business that I am of opinion that they are entitled to serious attention.

A total of 8pp of closely-typed text. In good condition. Also present are an additional four-page copy on pink paper of the first letter and its enclosure. First letter signed 'Kevin Bailey', two others signed 'Kevin B.' aq2 One letter lacks its last page and signature.

1p, 4to. In fair condition, on aged and creased paper. Folded twice. In the typewritten letter he explains that he has been in Los Angeles for four months with his wife, and that they 'intend to stay on for a while as I have film and television commitments here'.

9pp, 8vo. Complete carbon typescript. On nine leaves, stapled together. Title at head of first page: 'THE BOAT THAT MOOED.' Fry's signature in blue ink at top left of first page: 'Christopher Fry:'. Fry has cut down the story by deleting and removing a passage. The lower part of the leaf carrying the sixth page of the story has been cut away, and the original seventh page has been removed, hence the typescript pagination 1-6, 8-10 has been amended in manuscript to 1-9. A lighthearted faux-naive story, replete with symbolism. Begins: 'Tom Crunch lived on a boat. All round the boat was water.

3pp, 4to, each page on a separate leaf. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Folded once. There is no indication that either item was published, nor even that the poem is connected to the 'programme'. (If unpublished the poem may have found its way into Fry's papers from Hassall's.) The 'programme' - with no title or heading - is two pages long (with slight damage from a small staple to corners of both leaves) and complete, being divided into six numbered sections.

Contemporary duplicated typescript, from the Christopher Fry papers. 14pp, 8vo. Each page on a separate leaf. In fair condition, lightly aged. Fry's introductory talk is present in its entirety on pp.1-5, this is followed by an unpaginated page, then pp.8-15 with p.[10] also unpaginated. Hence p.6 or p.7, beginning the extracts from the play, would appear to be absent. On the front page, between the heading and transmission details is: 'Rehearsal: Thursday 4th June 1953: 10.00 onwards | Recording: Thursday 4th June 1953: 12.15 - 1.00 p.m. 3A | Recording of Insert: [BLANK]'.

6pp, 12mo. Paginated [1]-6. Lightly aged and a bit grubby. Folded twice. On six leaves of paper, which Herford has made up by tearing in half the 4to leaves of one of his students' essays. Complete, and signed at the end 'C H Herford'. Written in a close hand, with numerous deletions and emendations. He begins by describing how Shelley met his death, and his final writing, before dismissing the suggestion that he committed suicide: 'we may dismiss the utterly uncalled for suggestion that his own hand lifted the veil'.

LETTER: 1p, 4to. On aged and spotted paper. Folded once. Written in the shaky hand of a ninety-seven year-old. She thanks him for his 'letter so well written', adding: 'I don't think I wrote as well as that when I was eleven years old!' She wishes him every success with his autograph collection, and is pleased to add her signature to it. 'I will put it to the end of this sheet so that you can cut it out and paste it in where you wish.' The signature is at bottom right: 'Yours with sincere good wishes | Berta Ruck | 12th March | 1975'.

1p, 4to. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Thin strip of paper from mount adhering to edge on blank reverse. Folded three times. Signed and dated at foot: 'Leman Rede/ | 31. May 1841'. Addressed at bottom left: 'To | Mrs.

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, aged and rather creased. Folded twice. Signed 'William T. Manning.' Addressed to 'The Revd. Samuel Bickersteth D.D. | Canon of Canterbury'. Writing after his appointment as Bishop of New York, Manning begins by stating that Bickersteth must be aware of 'the pressure' that he has been under 'during the past weeks', and this is the reason why his 'kind letter' has not been answered sooner. The appointment 'is a tremendous responsibility but with God's help I shall do my best.

Four-page programme on bifolium, stapled into covers of shiny art paper. In fair condition, worn and aged, with rusted staples. Folded once. The covers are printed on the outside only. On the front are two illustrations in Georgian style, with the caption 'George Barnwell's Contrition'. On the back is a drawing of 'Portsmouth Old Theatre', 'Reproduced by kind permission of Arthur Moreland.' The small signature ('Nigel Playfair') is at top right of front cover. The first page of the programme carries five 'Producer's Notes' by 'Lessee & Manager' Playfair.

Rectangle of paper, cut down from a larger page, with corners trimmed at the diagonal. In fair condition, lightly aged. Laid down on a piece of card. Reads: 'It is good not to eat Flesh, or Drink Wine, or do anything whereby a Brother may be caused to stumble or be made weak. Romans C. 14. V. 21. | Theobald Mathew | September 12 1843'.

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, aged and worn, but with slight water staining and damage to blank area at foot of second leaf. The male recipient is not named. The letter begins: 'My dear Sir | If you present the enclosed to the porter of the Garrick Club, I have no doubt all the Art Treasures of the Garrick will be open to your inspection.

1p, 8vo. On aged and worn paper. Attractive letterhead of the hotel and its surroundings. Addressed to 'My dear Willis'. Written in a shaky hand. Clearly writing in reference to his 1899 autobiography 'A Sailor's Life under Four Sovereigns', he states that he is glad that Willis is 'pleased with the book', and explains that he was 'suddenly driven' to Cannes 'by neuralgic pains'. He concludes: 'If I live to get back I should like to insert the Authors name in your Copy! Your sincere old friend | Harry Keppel'.

1p, 8vo. Aged and worn. Four folds. Panel from envelope attached to reverse, with postmark and address to 'Chas. Thompson Esqr. | 34 Bedford Street | Covent Gard.' He has 'already so many unpublished Plays' in which he has 'the right of Representation', that he must 'decline making any further purchases at present'. But even if he were 'inclined to make further purchases, it would most certainly be in Copyright and not in rights to print - which I suppose is what you mean by the term Printing Copyright'. He is however still 'much obliged to you for the offer'.

1p, 4to. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded three times. Cyclostyled signature: 'Julian S. Huxley'. Addressed to 'Dr. Maurice Ernest, | New Court, | Esher, | Surrey.' He apologises for having been unable to read his book, adding: 'I am afraid I cannot feel that your main thesis is biologically justified'. It is obvious why Huxley did not look beyond the title, as the book he is clearly referring to is Ernest's 'Lives of 300 years and continual rejuvenation' (1942).

2pp, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged, with traces of grey paper from mount adhering at head of second page. Folded once. Reads: 'The Baroness Burdett Coutts sends her kind compliments and thanks to Mr. Blunt and regrets that she is unable to avail herself of the kind proposal of his Father and Mother, as she has another engagement between the City and Chelsea, but her Ladyship hopes to be at the Rectory as near Six o'clock as possible'.

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged, but with traces of glue on blank reverse of second leaf, which has a vertical closed tear the length of a fold line in blank space beneath signature. The male recipient is not named. The letter begins: 'Dear Sir | Do not think me intrusive but I cannot resist offering you in writing the warm thanks of my heart for your Protest against that hateful thing known as Vivisection'. She has read with 'feelings of thankfulness the expression of your opinion which Mr Froude stated with his own to Mr Cross'.

4pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded once. Having found among her correspondence an unanswered letter from her cousin she apologises for the apparent rudeness, before accepting her 'kind invitation to luncheon when next we are in your neighbourhood'. She hopes that they 'may be in the Forest some time in the summer'. She ends by stating that she is enclosing an autograph for her cousin's friend.

1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged, with minor traces of glue from mount on blank reverse. Central horizontal fold, not affecting the drawing. Sandor was clearly a generous fellow, and Norris was a lucky one. Sandor has responded to a request for an autograph by sending a note topped by an attractive miniature graphite drawing of the head and shoulders of an 1890s young lady, more subtle than a 'Gibson Girl', staring quizzically with the distinctive hairstyle of the period.

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, aged and worn. Folded twice. Only the conclusion of the letter is in Holyoake's hand. It carries an unusually large and bold signature. In reply to a letter of Watson's he states that he was not aware of the 'paper in the Westminster Gazette [...] until four days after its appearance'. He asks him to send 'the Leader referring to its appearance which you mention', and commends Watson's son for bringing it to his notice. Holyoake does not know if the matter has 'been mentioned elsewhere in Newcastle'.

2pp, 12mo. On bifolium. Twenty lines of text. In fair condition, aged and worn, with chipping and short closed tears to extremities. Folded twice. Addressed on reverse of second leaf to 'Joseph Blunt Esqre.' Signature underlined with a flourish.

3pp, 4to. Bifolium. In fair condition, aged and worn, with closed tears and thin vertical strip of paper on reverse of second leaf, which carries a seal in black wax and Yates's address to 'T. P. Cooke Esqre. | 28 Manchester Street | Manchester Square'. An interesting letter regarding a Victorian stage dispute. In an understated style, Yates makes a serious accusation: Cooke has broken his word over the manuscript of Fitzball's play 'The Red Rover' (Yates had produced the piece with himself in the title role in 1828, and would do so again in 1831).

2pp, 18mo. In good condition, lightly aged, with a couple of emendations. The subject is Coxe's 'History of the House of Austria', which was 'Printed by Luke Hansard and Sons, for T. Cadell and W. Davies, in the Strand'. The letter begins: 'Mr. Coxe wishes to keep back for a week or two sheet 3z, because he intends to divide the first Volume into two parts; and therefore desires Mr Hansard not to strike off that Sheet; and will trouble Mr Hansard to transfer the commencement of Ferdinand's reign from p 542.

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, on aged paper with traces of glue from mount on reverse of second leaf. The letter begins: 'Dear Miss Cole - | It is kind of you to invite Mr Raj - I have forwarded yr message to him, & told him to answer it himself. He is a very good young man studying just now for his degree in London University - a friend of [Kesemb Amrinder Senj?] & a member of the [Brahur Somcij?] (Church of the One God - of India)'. She knows nothing else about him, but 'the [Brahures?] all come to him by right'.

In 1821, along with Ricardo, Malthus, James Mill, and others, Tooke founded the Political Economy Club. Although Carlyle is unlikely to have had him specifically in mind, Tooke is the archetypal 'Professor of the Dismal Science'. 2pp, 18mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice. Twenty-eight lines of text, neatly and closely written. He has 'deferred acknowledging' his answer to her 'kind invitation' to dinner on the coming Saturday until seeing his son, who has been 'out of town on a fishing excursion'.

Both letters 2pp, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Cole's handwriting is difficult. The recipient is not named. The first letter, 34 lines long, concerns a bill which Cole has drawn on the recipient of the letter. It is coming due, and he is uncertain whether it is for £90 or £100. He asks him to withhold payment for a while, as 'Lent is always a dead time with me'. He is 'going to try the experiment of Mr Butter for 6 nights', and has 'good hopes of the result'. The second letter begins: 'My dear Sir | I have made most liberal offers to Farren, Mrs. Nesbitt & Mr.

1p, 12mo. In good condition, on lightly aged paper. Folded twice, resulting in offset ink smudging. Reads: 'Dear Rylands, | I am writing to you in case Noel is away. I have asked Mr Greene to show you my letter to Noel, if this is should [sic] be so. Anything you could do to help, would be kind and good, I think.

Depressed and paranoid, Lever spent his last days in Italy. For the Villa Morelli, see his Downey's 'Life in his Letters' (1906). 2pp, 12mo. On aged and creased paper, with closed tears to edges, but no loss. Folded twice. The handwriting is neat and controlled, but not always entirely legible. He begins with the news that he is returning 'the books you so kindly lent me'. Presumably referring to Charles Reade's 1866 novel 'Griffith Gaunt', Lever writes: 'Mr Reade is all you said of him, - often very amusing, & oftener very [?]'. A reference to 'the pleasanter reading' follows.

In 1821, along with Ricardo, Malthus, James Mill, and others, Tooke founded the Political Economy Club. Although Carlyle is unlikely to have had him specifically in mind, Tooke is the archetypal 'Professor of the Dismal Science'. 2pp, 18mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice. Twenty-eight lines of text, neatly and closely written. He has 'deferred acknowledging' his answer to her 'kind invitation' to dinner on the coming Saturday until seeing his son, who has been 'out of town on a fishing excursion'.