SCOTLAND

1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Folded for postage. Reads: ‘Dear Mr Keary, / Enclosed is for 1000th Number of Pearson’s Weekly. It is not what I wanted to do for you, but illness and other interruptions have spoiled my work for the last two months. So please reject if necessary. / Faithfully yours / J. J. Bell’.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. In good condition, lightly aged and folded for postage. Addressed to ‘Dear Burdett’ and signed ‘J Bone’. He will let him know if he hears of anything with regard to Burdett’s ‘young friend’, ‘but one hears so rarely now of newspaper openings, as everyone is holding on tight, and there are so many experienced men on the street’. He is sending Burdett’s note ‘on to Manchester in case there should ever be an opportunity there’.

A good firm signature, and not a common one. While hugely popular (see his entry in the Oxford DNB), Sims was an intensely private man, who refused to give autographs. 1p, landscape 12mo. In fair condition lightly aged and with slight rust spotting from paperclip; folded for postage. Reads: ‘Dear Adza Vincent, / My wife and I both thank you for sending Christopher’s Bedford talk. I have taken the liberty of typing a copy for own archives, and can now return the one you sent. / With renewed thanks, / Yours sincerely, / Alastair Sim’.

Puzzlingly, considering his prominence in his field, Kinross is denied an entry in the Oxford DNB. The recipient Philip Dosse was proprietor of Hansom Books, publisher of a stable of seven arts magazines including Books and Bookmen and Plays and Players. See ‘Death of a Bookman’ by the novelist Sally Emerson (editor of ‘Books and Bookmen’ at the time of Dosse’s suicide), in Standpoint magazine, October 2018. Each letter is 1p, landscape 12mo. One of the nine items has creasing to one edge, otherwise the collection is in good condition, with light age and wear.

See Craig’s entry, and that of Chesterfield, in the Oxford DNB. 4pp, 4to. Bifolium. The second leaf had been neatly inserted into a windowpane mount. On brittle and aged paper; complete, but coming away at foot from torn remains of mount, with slight chipping at foot of first leaf, the central horizontal fold of which has closed tears along its crease. The item is unsigned, but ‘Lord Craig’ is identified as the author in pencil in nineteenth century hand twice on the mount. Ninety-two closely-written lines, with extensive revision and amendation.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. Large fragments, both with interesting content, from the beginning of letters to unnamed seedsmen (both addressed to ‘Dear Sir’, but the two docketed by different individuals, suggesting different recipients). Neither has the signature present (presumably supplied to autograph hunters for placement in Sinclair’s ‘Hortus gramineus Woburnensis’, described in the ODNB as‘an expensive folio volume containing dried specimens of the grasses’). Both items in good condition, lightly aged, and with creases from having been folded up.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 3pp, 12mo. Bivolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice. Addressed to ‘Dear Friend’ and signed ‘Thos. Thomson.’ Begins: ‘Having a few moments to spare, I take the opportunity of writing to you. I am sincerely sorry I shall not be back in time to see you before you leave for school, it would have afforded me much pleasure to have cemented our friendship more firmly.’ He likes the medical profession ‘better than any other’, and there is ‘every probability’ of his joining it. He would like to know the recipient’s opinion.

See the entries on Tonyn and Paterson in the Oxford DNB, the latter stating of the recipient of this letter: ‘On 28 December 1799 he married, at St Pancras chapel, London, Jane Ellen Yeats (1771/2–1846), daughter of David Yeats, formerly registrar of East Florida, and sister of his first cousin, the physician Grant David Yeats.’ Paterson’s mother was a Tonyn, and he was also related to the Marchmont family, the Earl having been his early patron. The present item is 3pp, 4to, and a bifolium.

The author of the present item is the last in a line that stretched for around two hundred years. After the passing in 1754 of Lord Hardwicke’s Marriage Act, which prevented minors from marrying without their parents’ consent, English couples would take advantage of laxer Scottish laws. As one of the nearest parishes to England, Gretna Green became the destination of choice, and the marriage was usually conducted before two witnesses by a village blacksmith, who became known as an ‘anvil priest’.

See Mackenzie’s entry in the Oxford DNB. Gauntlett was later appointed Professor of Cello at the Royal Academy of Music. See Sir Anthony Lewis’s appreciative Times obituary. 2pp, 4to. On bifolium of good paper, with letterhead printed in black with the College’s arms in red. A very good facsimile of Mackenzie’s autograph and signature, with twenty-five lines of text. Addressed in manuscript to ‘A. Gauntlett, Esq. / 12 Fairholme Road / W Kensington / W.’ Begins: ‘You will doubtless have heard of our intention to celebrate the centenary of the R. A. M.

See his entry, and that of Colburn, in the Oxford DNB. Campbell agreed to edit Colburn’s ‘New Monthly Magazine’ in 1820, his first number in the post being that of January 1821, and the letter was presumably written between this period and Mrs Campbell’s death in 1828. The reference to ‘Mr Ollier’ would close the dates even further: the Oxford DNB’s entry for Charles Ollier (1788-1859) stating that, after financial difficulties, ‘by the autumn of 1825 he returned to the publishing trade as the chief literary reader and adviser to Henry Colburn in New Burlington Street’. 1p, 12mo.

Written within days of his consecration at Lambeth on 24 June 1865. See his entries in the Oxford DNB and Dictionary of Canadian Biography. The former states that his diocese ‘covered 2 million square miles of territory, with headquarters at Winnipeg, then a hamlet with a population of 150. To assist him in the administration of the diocese he had only eighteen clergymen. In 1866 he made a difficult tour of inspection of the Native American missions’. 4pp, 12mo. Bifolium. Signed ‘R. Rupert’sLand’ and addressed to ‘My dear Covoin’. With embossed letterhead featuring a bishop’s mitre.

From the Macqueen-Pope papers. See his entry in the Oxford DNB. Eleven items, in fair overall condition, on lightly aged and creased paper. All six of Arnold’s communications are signed ‘Tom Arnold’. Arnold’s two TLsS are dated 2 October 1942 and 23 July 1959. In the second of these (1p, landscape 8vo) he thanks MP for a producing a piece of writing which ‘suits the mood’: ‘I appreciate your doing this, and the speed with which you tackled it for me.

From the Macqueen-Pope papers. See the two men’s entries in the Oxford DNB. MP is not named as the author, but there is no doubt that he is. Item one has corrections in his hand. Both versions are simply titled ‘Will Fyffe’. The two versions exhibit a number of differences from one another. It is not clear where the obituary was published, but it was probably the London magazine ‘Everybody’s’, for which MP contributed a weekly column. ONE: 4pp, 4to, double-spaced, on four leaves.

From the Macqueen-Pope papers. (See his entry in the Oxford DNB.) The Clan Chattan Association is a confederation of highland clans. 2pp, 4to. In fair condition, lightly aged, with slight creasing to one corner, and rust staining from paperclip. Folded twice for postage. Addressed to MP’s London address in Coventry Street. ‘I’ve heard about your James MacQueen. His name appears in quite a few locally published papers &c. on Culloden. His new teeth are quite famous up here.’ He accepts the proposal for an article: ‘if you could go to 900-1000 words I’d be happy’.

From the Macqueen-Pope papers. (See his entry in the Oxford DNB.) Interesting London ephemera: the plans for the Refectory Club were clearly ambitious, but there is little to be gleaned about it, and it is unclear whether it even opened. Zinkeisen and her sister Dora are the subject of a 2022 monograph by Philip Kelleway, Emma Roodhouse and Nicola Evans. The four items in good condition, lightly aged, but with rust staining from a paperclip. Folded for postage. ONE: Typed Letter to MP, signed ‘D Mallett’ (but with ‘For Secretary’ typed beneath this). 1p, 4to.

An interesting letter, casting light on the workings of Victorian literary criticism. See his entry in the Oxford DNB. The subject of the letter, ‘Friendship’s Offering’, was one of the four great nineteenth-century London ‘gift books’, appearing between the 1820s and the 1840s, for some of the period at least under the editorship of Thomas K. Hervey. 1p, 4to. In good condition, lightly aged, with thin neat strip of windowpane mount adhering to edges. Folded four times for postage. Thirteen lines of text. Signed ‘W. Jerdan’, with recipient (‘Dear Sir’) not named.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged, and with a minor sooty smudge. Folded once for postage. The recipient is not named. Reads, in an atrocious hand, ‘Dear Sir / My typing work is all being done here, and I cannot take it away from my typist. / I enclose cheque (£3) towards a new typing machine. / Faithfully yours / A Lang’.

JISC records copies in five Scottish libraries, Birmingham University and the BL. Duplicated typescript. 50pp, 4to. Five-page introduction paginated, the rest not. Leaf of addenda loosely inserted. Printed on versos of leaves and stapled into buff paper wraps with title printed on the front. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. The forty-four pages of the catalogue proper carry a total of 106 scholarly entries on exhibits.

Considering his achievements and range of activities it is curious that Bryce should not have been accorded an entry in the Oxford DNB. Waterston was Bute Professor of Anatomy at the University of St Andrews from 1914 to 1942. In 1913, while Professor of Anatomy at King's College, London, he was the first authority to debunk the Piltdown Man hoax. 2pp, 4to. 49 lines of closely-written text. Addressed to ‘My dear Waterston’ and signed ‘James H. Bryce’. In fair condition, somewhat creased and aged.

Wade donated his extensive collection of anatomical specimens to Surgeon's Hall in Edinburgh, where it is now known as the Henry Wade Collection. In 1913 Waterston had attained prominence as the first authority to discredit the Piltdown Man hoax. A total of 6pp, 8vo. The first addressed to Waterston’s doctor at St Andrews, Orr, the others to Waterston himself. None of the letters is short, and all but the second are single-spaced. The first (to Waterston’s doctor, Orr) is 2pp, the others (all four to Waterston himself) 1p. In fair condition, lightly aged and ruckled.

Struthers served as a major in the Royal Army Medical Corps during the Great War. He was a pioneer in the use of local anaesthetic, and wrote a well-regarded work on the topic. He was President of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh from 1941 to 1943. Waterston was Bute Professor of Anatomy at the University of St Andrews from 1914 to 1942. In 1913, while Professor of Anatomy at King's College, London, he was the first authority to debunk the Piltdown Man hoax. The three items are in fair condition, lightly aged, with slight ruckling and aging. All three are folded for postage.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. At the time of writing, a year and a half before his death, Horner was Member of Parliament for St. Mawes in Cornwall. 1p, 4to. Eighteen lines, neatly written. Addressed to ‘My dear Harrison’ and signed ‘Fra Horner.’ In good condition, lightly aged, with negligible remnants of windowpane mount adhering at edges of blank reverse. Folded for postage. He has received both of Harrison’s letters, and is ‘particularly obliged’ to him for ‘sending the copy of Stephen’s communication.

See her entry in the Oxford DNB, which describes her passionate opposition to fascism, but omits the fact that her name featured among those in the Nazi ‘Black Book’. Waterston was Bute Professor of Anatomy at the University of St Andrews from 1914 to 1942. In 1913, while Professor of Anatomy at King's College, London, he was the first authority to debunk the Piltdown Man hoax.

The two men’s entries in the Oxford DNB show that they were well matched: Ellice was known for his ‘extravagant lifestyle’, building at Invergarry ‘a house which was renowned for its comfort’; and Delane ‘was welcomed as a delightful companion.' 6pp, 12mo. Headed ‘Private’, addressed to ‘My dear Delane’, and signed ‘E. Ellice’. On bifolium and single leaf, both with mourning border. In good condition, lightly aged, with negligible remnants of windowpane mount adhering at edges of blank reverse. Folded for postage. He was ‘delighted’ to see Delane’s ‘onslaught on the Scotch Education Bill.

Mulligan’s collection of lantern slides is now part of the St Andrew’s collections, and information about him is to be gleaned from its web pages. David Waterston (1871-1942) was Bute Professor of Anatomy at the University of St Andrews from 1914 to 1942. In 1913, while Professor of Anatomy at King's College, London, he was the first authority to debunk the Piltdown Man hoax. A total of ten pages of closely and neatly written text. In fair condition, lightly ruckled, and with slight loss to the edge of one page, and the ink of one leaf having slightly run on removal from mount.

An 11 x 8.5 cm piece of paper, cut from a letter for an autograph hunter. In fair condition, lightly aged, and laid down on a piece of card which has chipped at the corners. The paper and its backing have a vertical crease through them. Reads ‘Excuse a very hurried letter & believe me / Very truly yours / Robina F. Hardy’.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice. Sixteen closely- and neatly-written lines. After thanking him for his ‘kind and seasonable letter’, he states that he is ‘not much affected by rude abuse in parliament or through the press’ as he is ‘pretty well hardened in that respect’, and that he ‘may possibly have an opportunity’, in his own ‘proper place’, ‘of explaining & vindicating’ his position, for the purpose of which he asks Allan ‘for somewhat more particular information in regard to monumental inscriptions in Christian communities’.

See the two men’s entries in the Oxford DNB. In good condition, lightly-aged, with small triangle cut away from letter in opening red wax seal, of which minor traces remain. Folded and addressed in the customary manner. Franked to ‘Right Honble / Robert S: Dundas &c &c &c / Downing Street / Montrose’, sent from ‘Grosvr: Sq: 5th Jan 1809’ and signed ‘Montrose’. Begins, without salutation: ‘I wish you would look to this act, as it appears to require attention.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 4pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, with slight discoloration along central fold. Large bold signature ‘Napier’. Addressed to ‘The Honble. George Elliott’, with salutation to ‘My dear Elliott’. As he does not know where Elliott’s sister Lady Dunfermline is ‘residing at this moment’, he is placing in Elliott’s hands ‘for transmission’ a letter from the wife of the Turkish ambassador at the Hague. He expresses to Elliott’s family his sympathy at the loss of their father.