SIR

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).

1p, 4to. In fair condition, on aged and lightly-creased paper. Addressed to 'Sir Arthur Cope | London'. The letter reads: 'My dear Sir Arthur: | This will introduce Mr. William Edward Cope of New York, a member of the National Press Club, who is going abroad to do some newspaper work. He desires a brief interview with you and I bespeak for him such courtesies as you may find it convenient to render him.' The subject of the letter W. E. Cope would appear to have been a government agent.

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.

1p, 4to. In fair condition, on aged and lightly-creased paper. Addressed to 'Sir Arthur Cope | London'. The letter reads: 'My dear Sir Arthur: | This will introduce Mr. William Edward Cope of New York, a member of the National Press Club, who is going abroad to do some newspaper work. He desires a brief interview with you and I bespeak for him such courtesies as you may find it convenient to render him.' The subject of the letter W. E. Cope would appear to have been a government agent.

1p, 12mo. On aged paper, with closed tear repaired on reverse with brown paper. Folded twice. Addressed to 'Dear Sir William'. The prime minister (Asquith) has asked him to say that he is 'quite at a loss to understand how he came to be so misinformed as to the progress of the negotiations connected with the appointment of the Royal Commission'. All the prime minister can do is 'express his regret at the misunderstanding'.

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'.

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.

2pp, 8vo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Folded twice. The content is remarkably sprightly and the handwriting firm. The letter begins: 'My dear Russell, | Telephone: no good. So I guess that you are holiday-making. | Lord Drogheda is my close friend & collaborator. His wife Joan is a pianist[.] I have heard her only when she gave her services. But she appears to practice daily, like a professional trooper.' He has advised her to 'play chamber music.

1p, landscape 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. He thanks him for his letter containing 'kind words about my book, Your England'. He did not expect anyone to agree with all he wrote in it. His aim in writing was 'to pay a tribute to the English who are the most broad-minded, tolerant, and humane of all the numerous peoples among whom I have lived.'

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).

See McCulloch's entry in the Oxford DNB. He was appointed Comptroller of H.M. Stationery Office in 1838. 1p, 16mo In good condition, lightly aged. Folded once. Reads: 'Mr. McCulloch presents compts to Sir James and Lady Em. Tennent, and begs to thank them for their kind invitation to dine with them on the 5th proxo, which he has much pleasure in accepting.'

A nice piece of Oxford Union ephemera, with the three signatures - 'James Robertson-Justice.', 'Compton Mackenzie' and 'Michael Maclagan' - printed in a row on the otherwise blank reverse of the 25.5 x 20.5 cm leaf, which is aged and worn, with closed tears to extremities and a fold line. Printed beneath the text of the advertisement on the other side of the paper is an attractive illustration in imitation of infant drawing, printed in brown, red, green black and white on a pink ground. The entire text reads: 'OXFORD UNION SOCIETY | Thursday, May 26th, 1955, at 8.15 p.m.

1p, 4to. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Folded twice. Bold signature in light-blue ink. He has not forgotten the 'very pleasant meeting' he had with Hills and her husband when she was on a trip to Newfoundland, and will be 'very pleased to accept your kind invitation for luncheon on the 5th November, and say a few words in connection with the work ahead for women in Empire Citizenship'. He assumes that the invitation extends to his wife.

For the context see Halliwell-Phillipps's entry in the Oxford DNB, which states that in 1852 he 'offered by subscription the most elaborate Works [of Shakespeare] ever attempted: published between 1853 and 1865 in sixteen thick folio volumes, lavishly illustrated by F. W. Fairholt and limited to 150 copies, it was initially priced 2 guineas a volume.

On 3.5 x 9.5 cm slip of paper cut from letter. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. On one side, from the conclusion of the letter: 'Yours very truly | Clements Markham'. On the other: '[...] have failed me: so no[...] | [...] you mind my putting [...]'.

1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice. He writes that he has 'received the memorial to the Postmaster General, which you have done me the honor to transmit for the joint transmission of Mr Ross & myself'. He will arrange with Ross to have the memorial 'presented on the earliest possible opportunity'.

4pp, 4to. Bifolium. Panel, a little under one-sixth of total area, missing from bottom outside corner of second leaf, with attendant loss to text, otherwise in good condition, lightly aged and worn. Folded three times. A good long letter in a neat and stylish hand, with a firm underlined signature. He begins by writing that he has that morning 'received the Petition from Belfast which I was pleased to expect from having seen in the Report of your meeting that you had done Mr Dunbar and myself the honor to entrust its presentation to us'.

Four items, in good condition, lightly aged. The three letters with date stamps of the Society of Arts, and two with pencil annotations. All three signed 'Cloudesley Brereton'. ONE: ALS of 4 January 1900. 2pp, 12mo. He thanks him for his 'kindly intervention with the Board of Education', which he believes 'will in time bear good fruit'. He has been 'thinking over' Wood's 'suggestion of giving a lecture on the Rural Schools of France', and would 'much like to take it up if you have still a vacant date & you do not want it too soon - as I am just now overwhelmed with work'.

1p, 4to. In good condition, lightly aged. With date stamp of the RSA. In response to a letter from Wood, he writes that he is 'highly honoured by the election to the membership of the Council of your Society', but that he is 'obliged to communicate to you my inability to accept it'. He explains: 'My work at the Royal Society has, in consequence of the War, increased to such an extent that I do not feel justified in undertaking any additional duties'.

1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded once. Only the salutation ('Dear Mrs. Russell,') and the valediction ('Yours very sincerely | Edward German :' are in German's hand; the rest is by a secretary. He writes that he would 'have liked to write you [sic] personally, but it is a little more than I can manage at present'. Nevertheless he assures her that he is 'most grateful' for her 'very kind message'.

Lauriston Leonard Batten studied at Trinity College, Cambridge (see his entry in Alum. Cantab.). He was admitted at the Inner Temple in 1882 and called to the bar four years later. KC, 1905. Bencher, 1914. The present collection is from the papers of his colleague on the Oxford Circuit, Sir Richard Harington (1861-1931), 12th baronet, who was educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford. Called to the Bar in 1886, he practised on the Oxford Circuit before taking up an appointment as a Puisne Judge in the High Court of Justice at Fort William in Bengal in 1899.

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice. He announces that he has been nominated for the Presidency of the Medico-Chirurgical Society by the Council, and supposes that he will be elected 'according to custom'.

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.

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').

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'.

14pp, 4to. Stitched into grey printed wraps. In good condition, lightly aged, with one corner slightly dog-eared. 143 lots, divided into two sections: 'Miniatures and Enamels' and 'Objects of Vertu'. The snuff-boxes feature in the latter, and include: '112 A Louis XVI. plain oblong gold snuff-box, with rounded ends and reeded borders - bearing the mark of Henri Clavel, Paris 1778 - the rim engraved "DU PETIT DUNKERQUE"' and '122 A LOUIS XV.

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged, with a few light stains from mount. Folded once. Having seen the Times announcement of the birth of Cecil's son the previous Saturday, Jellicoe sends his 'Most hearty congratulations' on the birth of Cecil's son, and is 'so delighted that all is going so satisfactorily & that you can come to see us on the 14th.

2pp, 12mo. On grey paper with letterhead of his name. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with slight staining tape staining to two corners from mount. Addressed to 'Mrs Richard Eyre, | Bullsmead, | Maiden Newton, | Dorset.' The subject of the letter is the preparation for the 1948 British film 'Scott of the Antarctic', in which Mills starred in the title role. The recipient is the mother of the noted English director Sir Richard Eyre (b. 1943), whose father Charles Royds was Scott’s First Lieutenant.

The three letters total 7pp, 12mo. All three in good condition, on lightly aged paper. From the papers of Sir Richard Harington (1835-1911), 11th Baronet, whose father Rev. Dr Richard Harington (1800-1853), had been Principal from 1842 to his death. All three endorsed by Harington with date of receipt. The subject is the replacement of a stained glass window in the college, with Harington receiving the old window, which he put up at his Worcestershire country house, Whitbourne Court.

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased. Folded twice. The letter, which deals with domestic matters, but has some interest considering the writer's father's views on land reform, is written a year after Chamberlain's return from his studies in Germany, where he had been alarmed by the rise in Prussian militarism, and with him on the verge of his entry into politics in the footsteps of his father Joseph Chamberlain. (He was also the older half-brother of the future Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain.) It begins: 'Dear Mr.