MANUSCRIPT

The present early eighteenth-century document lists the heads of British Army regiments from the period of the Glorious Revolution to the accession of George I. Internal evidence suggests that it was compiled around 1715, and that it was amended until the mid-1720s. The care with which it was compiled, over a decade and in a number of hands, would appear to suggest some sort of official standing. It is on nineteen 18 x 7.5 cm leaves of laid paper, formed in ten bifoliums, now loose but originally bound together, and with traces of thread still present.

1p, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased. Folded once. The salutation 'Dear B. J.' and valediction 'Yours | Jack' are in Priestley's autograph; the rest is typed. Maire Lynd's letter was 'a delight surprise', Priestley being unaware that her son was 'in the film business'.

[8]pp, 12mo, paginated 45-52. Unbound, on two loose bifoliums, one inserted inside the other. Drophead title.

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged. The reverse of the second leaf laid down on part of leaf from an album, the other side of which carries an engraving of Lord Melbourne. The letter is endorsed '1838 Sept 7# | Lady Holland' on the reverse of the second learf, and at the head of the first page: 'R[eplied]. at Dalmeny | Septr. 12. 1838'. There is no salutation to the letter (which is also unsigned), but the reference to Dalmeny House would appear to suggest that the recipient was Archibald Primrose, 4th Earl of Rosebery, or his second wife, born Anne Margaret Anson.

1p, 12mo. On aged and creased paper. Folded twice. Written in purple ink. Firm signature, underlined with diagonal downstroke. Reads: 'Decr. 18 | My dear Williams, | What are you doing this Christmas? Will you come down here? | Your always | William Black'. The reverse carries pencil notes of Italian and French musical compositions in another hand.

1p, 12mo. In fair condition, aged and worn. Folded twice. 68 lines of text, written in a minute, neat hand. Folded twice. Black has numbered the page at top right '206'. The text begins: '[...] seemly and maidenly thing [...]', and ends 'she seemed to know beforehand what he had to say.' Black's entry in the Oxford DNB describes his 1884 novel 'Judith Shakespeare: A Romance' (published in America with the subtitle 'Her Love Affairs and Other Adventures') as 'a romance about the dramatist's daughter'.

1p, on the reverse of an advertisement, with engraving, for his 1886 book 'Tales and Sketches of Lancashire Life', cut down to 16 x 13 cm. On aged paper, with horizontal cut repaired with archival tape. Reads: '[Sent?] me very well. | The poems I propose reading will be | "The New Shirt." | and "The Gravelgate Flood." | You can take your choice betwixt "The New Shirt," and "The Bradley's Visit to Thisle Ho." Please send me a programme as soon as printed.'

Fifteen items of correspondence, including eleven autograph letters from Stonor himself, eight signed 'Edmund Stonor', the other three '+ Edmund Stonor | Abp of Trebizond'. The collection aged and worn, with fraying to edges. The items attached with a brass stud. Regarding the two recipients, prominent solicitors serving the Irish and Roman Catholic interests in London, Philip Witham (1843-1921) - whose firm was Roskell, Witham, Munster and Weld - appears to have succeed F. R. Ward at 1 Gray's Inn Square. The main topic of the correspondence is the drafting in 1888 of Stonor's will.

On one side of 8.5 x 11 cm piece of grey card, with rounded corners. In good condition, lightly aged. Neatly and simply written out (in response to a request for an autograph), reading: 'Best Wishes | Sincerely | Winifred Brown.' Date by Brown at bottom left. Endorsed in pencil at head: 'First woman to win King's Cup Air Race | 1930'.

2pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded once. Addressed: 'To W. J. P. Monckton Esq. | Publisher | "Black & White," | London'. He has just received Monckton's letter, and is enclosing a 'little pamphlet', which will give him 'a full account of the incident depicted in "Saving the Colours"'. If all is well Gibb hopes to be in London on the Monday or Tuesday of the following week, and will 'have the pleasure of calling upon you as promised'. His address will be the Thackeray Hotel, Great Russell Street.

4pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with minor traces of tape from mount adhering along one edge. Endorsed 'Genl. Wm. Napier'. On wove paper with watermark 'CANSELL | 1830'. The letter - written with energy and some resentment - refers to Admiral Sir William Parker (1781-1866), who was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in 1815.

4pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged, with traces of glue from tipping-in affecting the lower part and underlining of Wyatt's expansive signature. Folded twice. 71 lines of text. Note in pencil at head of first page states that the letter was 'sent to Saml. Sharpe of Northampton author of The Moabite Stone', but the writer of the note has confused the Egyptologist Samuel Sharpe (1799-1881) with the real recipient, the geologist and antiquary Samuel Sharp (1814-1882), for both of whom see the Oxford DNB.

Airmail letter, one and a half pages of text, 4to,fold mark, good condition. Kinloch thanks Hjalmer for informing him of the death of "Afstand", an elephant ("astounded by the story"), hoping "the full truth will 'out' at the final trial". He tries to clarify some facts, asking questions about where the tusks were found, had they been sawn off, was the job "professional" (sawn off length), with other technical points.

5pp, 8vo. On bifolium and single leaf of thin ruled paper. In fair condition, on lightly aged and discoloured paper. Closely written, in a not-entirely legible hand, with the first page having the underlined heading: 'to the Editor of the Tonbridgian'. (The Tonbridgian was the magazine of Tonbridge School, where Wilson was educated, and the letter was presumably published as intended.) The letter begins: 'Dear Sir, | I promised when in England last year that I would send a letter sometimes about our work in Melanesia.

Three pages, cr. 8vo, bifolium, fold marks, good condition. "I have read your letter with reference to Mr Justice Stephen with care, and I observe that while you throw the whole responsibility on the Government for the continuance of a condition which you describe as 'notorious' and creating 'a general dissatisfaction' you do not advance a single specific allegation as to a failure of justice on which it would be possible to take action.

Airmail letter, 27 x 17cm, one and a half pages typed, fold marks, minor staining, mainly good. A long and detailed letter discussing the circumstances of the forthcoming trial of Reginald Poole, revealed as a predatory homosexual, and about to be tried for the murder of a Melanesian youth.

Three pages, 12mo, bifolium, good condition,difficult hand at times. "I am very glad that you have had so successful an expedition. | The objects to which you allude do not appear to be interglacial. They consist 1. of cores left in [turning?] vases, grey [schistore?] slatewith a few garnets, [found?] used to strengthen a [?] [track?] - the Val d'Ayas, Italian side of monte Rosa [???] of the material & given to the BM by W.B. Rickman & Gorrell Barnes. 2.

Mackworth was a flamboyant character, but whatever his flaws he played a major and innovative role in energising Welsh industry in the late Stuart period. For information on him and his dubious ventures, see his entries in the Oxford DNB (where his first name is spelt 'Humphry') and the Dictionary of Welsh Biography (where it is spelt 'Humphrey').

Busieness Card, 9 x 6cm, rounded corners, sl. battered but text clear. Printed detail includes name, James Kirkup, and celebrate his membership of the RSL, his professorship at the UNiversity of Nagoya, and Visiting Professorship at the Japan Women's University. The text (see image) is as follows: Many thanks for the books and your beautiful bill | James Kirkup". "AB [?], the recipient presumably has written the date 3 Dec. 1970 with these initial. The verso of the card has Kirkup's printed details (presumably) in Japanese.

1p, 8vo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. With stub from mount adhering along one edge. From the celebrated manuscript collection of Richard Monckton Milnes (Lord Houghton). In reply to the unnamed recipient's letter, he writes that he has presented to the Berlin Academy 'votre Prospectus que vous les avez deja fait parvenir par M le Directeur Merian [i.e. Johann Bernhard Merian (1723-1807)].' The Academy wishes Formey to thank the writer for his attentions, but as such works do not feature 'dans le plan de la Bibliotheque', the Academy will not be able to profit from the offer.

2pp, 12mo. In fair condition, aged and lightly stained. Folded once. Headed by Salisbury 'Private'. The letter begins: 'Lord Salisbury presents his compliments to Mr. Macirone, & is much obliged to him for his letter, & for the very apposite quotations to which he calls Lord Salisbury's attention.' Salisbury does not consider 'Canon Fremantle's letter' worth answering, 'especially as the Bishop of London appears to entertain a similar opinion'.

1p, 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. From the celebrated manuscript collection of Richard Monckton Milnes (Baron Houghton). Addressed by Girodet on reverse 'préssée | A Monsieur | Monsieur Gros peintre d'histoire rue des champs Elissés la 1ere or 2e porte cochere a droite'.

Both items in good condition, lightly aged. ONE: TLS. South Africa House, London; 23 August 1972. Written at the start of his second stint as South African Ambassador to London, 1972-1977. He sends warm thanks on Braham's 'good wishes on our appointment to London', continuing: 'We are honoured and delighted to be able to represent our beloved country once again in the United Kingdom'. Braham's 'kind gesture of friendship will serve as an inspiration in the years that lie ahead'. Autograph postscript reads: 'Looking forward to seeing the five of you soon after our arrival ion Oct.

3pp, 8vo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded once. A personal letter, sending congratulations and news on the birth of the recipients' son. Begins: 'Dear Julian and Susanne, | Nita and I would like to offer our sincere congratulations on the birth of your son and heir.

Laid down on 138pp of a quarto volume. The contents are in good overall condition, lightly aged and worn, but the binding of the volume is in poor condition, heavily worn, with the leather spine split and damaged and the front board becoming detached. Meticulously arranged, with autograph thumb-index and list of AFOs at front, and autograph emendations in red ink to various orders, many of which are marked 'Cancelled'. Ownership signature and title on flyleaf: 'E. J. Littledale. | A. F. Os etc dealing with Ophthalmic Department'.

1p, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. From the celebrated manuscript collection of Richard Monckton Milnes (Lord Houghton). The recipient is not named. Reads: 'My dear Sir/ | I have no doubt but that any statement which you may make to the Speaker will be in strict accordance with the facts; and I shall be always ready to bear testimony to your services during your connection with me - but for that very reason, I should not wish to impute [last word underlined three times] any document which you may have to present to him. Yrs ever faithfully | Francis Palgrave'.

For information on Tait, see her entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. Aged, worn and lightly stained. The fact that Tait was able to produce a lithographed circular for such a minor purpose indicates her resources. The only words in the document in Tait's genuine autograph are the interpolated 'now & in Jan'. The circular reads: 'My dear Sir | I am very anxious to secure the election of Harriet Amelia Johnson to St Ann's School Brixton. Her father who was well known to us died this year leaving a widow and three children unprovided for.

St Luke's Hospital for Lunatics was founded in 1750 by City of London philanthropists to treat mental illness among the poor of London. In 1786 it moved from Moorfields to Old Street, where it remained until 1916. Simmons was appointed physician to the hospital in 1781. 6pp, 16mo. A piece of laid watermarked paper has been neatly torn into three 16 x 10 cm leaves: a bifolium, with the single leaf loosely inserted. In good condition, lightly aged. A poignant artefact. Simple, brief notes, giving age, name, date [of admission], address, some with follow-up notes. The six women are 'Eliz.

On one side of a 12 x 13 cm piece of paper with the corners cut away to make a irregular octagon shape. In fair condition, lightly aged. Laid down on part of leaf from album. Reads: 'Madame | Voici un billet pour la Séance Royale de demain. Je suis charmé d'avoir pu me le procurer puisque vous le desiriez. | Agréez, je vous prie, Madame, l'hommage de mon respect | Guizot | Dime. Juin 16.' At bottom left, in a contemporary hand: '184'.

Two pages, 12mo, fold marks, one edge stained and roughened (perhaps blank second leaf of bifolium removed, and item tipped into album), text clear as follows: "The points which are partally fixed in Ireland extend to the southward as far as Bray Head on the East Coast. And they can be given to the Admiralty Surveyor if required in the course the present year. The North East Coast is already surveyed, and may be copied by the Admiralty surveyors at any time.