ROSCOE

1p, 12mo. On recto of first leaf of bifolium of pink patterned paper. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice. The sonnet, which does not appear to have been published, begins: ‘Midst the young eyes that on this book shall shine / Kindling with genius or with feeling bright, / Lit up with all youth’s visions of delight, / There yet shall gage no dearer ones than thine!’ Signed at end ‘J E R.’ See image.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged, Laid down on part of a leaf removed from an album. Reads: 'My Dear Sir | My absence from home must plead my excuse in not sooner replying to your obliging note of the 22nd Ulto - | I have desired 30 more Copies to be forwarded to you as you request, & I am sure you will be glad to hear that thro' your kindness, & that of many others who have interested themselves, we are likely to realize a sum commensurate to the Scholars moderate establishment'.

2pp., 4to. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper with spike hole. The recipient is unidentified. He asks him to 'forward the few books which Mr. Clark & I laid out when we had the pleasure of calling on you in London, with my Account including Mr. Clarkes, when I will remit you the balance -'. He asks him to send 'to Mr. Lunn's in Oxford St. for a Copy of D<?>'s Lexicon which I bot. there, & paid for, & which you'l [sic] please to include with the rest of your parcels'. The letter ends: 'I have concluded for the present to keep my own Copy of the Edns;,

3pp., 16mo. Bifolium. On aged and foxed paper. He wishes to be informed 'whether the Forget Me Not" so long and ably edited by your Father will be published for the ensuing year - i.e. for 1848'. One of his daughters has 'written down Stories one or two of which have already appeared, and she would be very happy to avail herself of an opportunity of writing something' for the annual, so he asks him to 'ascertain whether your Father would like to insert a short Nouvellette [sic] to the extent of 4 to 5 pages'.

2pp., 4to. On aged and worn paper. An interesting letter, casting light on Roscoe's collecting activities. He begins by settling the account for 'the lists of the last Prints', before remarking: 'I observe there are only 3 circles by Domenichino - the set consists of 4, all of which you have, besides the odd print by Bartolozzi, but you have probably packed them up & cannot get at the print wanting. I have sent you the 3 prints back & deducted 16/6d.

48pp., 12mo. Disbound with free endpapers.In fair condition, with light signs of age and wear. Nicely printed, with all edges gilt. Dedication 'To the Friends and Admirers of William Roscoe, assembled to commemorate theh Centenary of his Birth, this Edition of the Memoir, by Dr.

3pp., 4to. Bifolium. In good condition, on aged and worn paper, with the seal neatly cut away resulting in damage to a couple of words of text. Roscoe has felt 'sincere sorrow' on receiving Henry's letter conveying the news of the death of Ferriar (a colleague of Henry's at the Manchester Infirmary). 'I had flattered myself that after all apprehensions from the alarming attack which he some time since experienced had been entirely removed, in which opinion I had been confirmed by his Letters on the subject of Mrs.

Both items in poor condition, with burn marks and damp damage [fire damaged much of the Society's archive]. Some of the text of the autograph letter has faded, and it may be that the signature to the typed note has washed away. Autograph Letter Signed: 2pp., 4to. He begins by offering to 'oppose anybody' in a debate that Mrs Roscoe is organising (at the Society of Women Journalists).

4to, 1 p. Dimensions 20.5 x 25 cm. 42 lines of text, in a variety of point sizes. Text clear and complete. Fair, on lightly-aged and creased paper. A varied bill, more entertainment than instruction, beginning 'The Museum will be thrown open at six o'clock', with references to 'the electric light', 'the large Bird-room [...] Mr. State, the Patentee', 'Mr Hobbs [...] his celebrated lock', 'a Welsh Harper', 'Mr. J. Hallett Sheppard [...] on the Grand Piano-forte', 'Mr. Henry Haydn Rogers, Pupil of Chopin', 'Miss Glyn [...] will read Macbeth.', 'Mr. Waldie, F.C.S.', 'Mr.

The subscription Liverpool Library within the Lyceum, founded in 1757, is believed to have been the first circulating or lending library in Europe, and the first two of these items provide a valuable insight into its status at the time when the advent of the public library system was undermining its position.

Four pages, 8vo, good condition. Price one farthing. It includes an obituary of William Roscoe, a facsimile of the playbill "in which the late Mrs Siddons was announced to sing!", notes on "The Arts", "Metropolitan Weekly Return" (including "Seduced females 1000"), and "Stocks" ("Impudence, open . . . Merit, shut").. With the Prospectus , c. 8 x 7ins., headed "The Cheapest Periodical in the World" and listing contents as above and printing information as above, anticipating its eight columns and price.

The collection as a whole is in good condition, although lightly creased in places and somewhat dusty and aged. All items have unobtrusive pinholes, and Item Seven has fraying and closed tears to extremities. An interesting correspondence casting light on publishing practices at the turn of the nineteenth century. ITEMS ONE TO FIVE: 12mo letters from Lucas's solicitors Field, Roscoe & Co., each on the firm's letterhead, to the 'Receiver and Manager appointed to carry on [Richards'] business', H. C. K. Stileman, dated 9, 11, 18 and 21 March, and 1 April 1905.

Dimensions roughly four and a quarter inches by eight wide. Good on lightly aged paper, and with traces of previous grey-paper mount adhering to reverse, which is docketed, in a nineteenth-century hand, 'Handwriting of the Author of Lorenzo de Medici'. Also docketed in left-hand margin of recto. Begins 'One of the most fatal enemies to the tranquility & happiness of human life is that jealous & timid apprehension which foresees evils at too great a distance, & often imagines them when they do not exist'. Initialled in top left-hand corner.