GEDDES

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'.

One page, 12mo, fold marks, staining, other wear and tear but text clear and complete. Before the year is out I wish to send you this friendly greeting. I an soorry that things seem to have gone against you, - always too fine an instrument for this hard world. You have never been very patient with 'sympathy', but I just wish to ['express' elided] say that I have towards you, as always, that feeling of comradeship which a warm grip of the hand would ['indicate' elided] better express. But I hope there are sunny days ahead yet and that we shall have another journey together some day.

One page, octavo. On aged paper, with slight chipping to corners, but text clear and entire. He is afraid that he 'did not answer your second letter in regard to a book on Sex.' 'After careful consideration', Thomas and 'Prof. Geddes' [Sir Patrick Geddes, 1854-1932] have come to the conclusion that 'if we wrote another book on that subject it should be published either by "Walter Scott" (who has 'The Evolution of Sex') or by Williams and Norgate (who have 'Sex')' [both books, 1889 and 1914 respectively, also by Geddes and Thomson].

All four are notable British artists of the first half of the nineteenth-century: A. E. Chalon (1780-1860), J. J. Chalon (1778-1854), Geddes (1783-1844), Robertson (1777-1845). Paper dimensions roughly four and a half inches by five and a half. Grubby and discoloured with age, and with some wear and creasing to edges. Signatures read ' R: Jackson [perhaps John Richardson Jackson, mezzotint engraver, 1819-77] | Alfd. Edwd Chalon | Jno. Jas. Chalon | Andw. Geddes | A. Robertson'.