SOCIETY

See 'The club of 'Nobody's Friends' 1800-2000: a memoir on its two-hundredth anniversary' by Geoffrey Rowell (2000). Four-page bifolium. Good, on grubby, discoloured paper, with some creasing and wear at foot. Gives details of the election between 1820 and 1877 of fifty-nine Actual Members, and of eighteen Honorary Members. Includes the Rev. Charles Burney, the artist George Richmond and the publisher John Murray.

Three pages, 12mo. Good, on aged paper, but with the verso of the second leaf of the bifolium covered by previous brown-paper mount. 'Mr Cecil' has passed on Procter's letter. 'The object of your Society is highly commendable, & I wish it much success.' He is 'promoting the same end, by giving what [he] can spare, to Ministers in the neighbourhood'. Praises 'Gentlemen in London' for their 'liberality in assisting poor Ministers at a distance'. '[I]n the country we have as many in our neighbourhood as we are able to relieve'.

All items very good, on lightly aged paper. Four closely written and interesting communications on his writings and philosophy. LETTER ONE (16 June 1930, 2 pages, 12mo): On the question of 'that misunderstanding regarding our last visit', the rest of the month is 'booked up', but 'perhaps the postponement - I hope it is no more than that! - of our coming may not be a bad thing'. Since their last meeting he has been 'passing through a phase of extensive internal adjustment, the physical aspect of which has taken the form of very bad health'.

One one side of a piece of laid paper, 26.5 x 21 cms. Aged and creased, with chipping to extremities and staining on reverse from repair to one of two closed tears. Thirty-six lines, with facsimile of Housman's signature at foot. An appeal for 'money for the Library - your Library'. Somewhat poignant, considering the present neglected state of the British library service. '[...] The question is - do you want to give money to your Library? [...] But, for my own part, I ask - why, why Libraries? What are they for? What there do you read?

Four pages, 12mo. Very good, with strip of brown paper adhering at the head. Text clear and entire. A long letter, casting light on the effects on the English middle classes of the financial crisis of 1825. Clayton begins by thanking Procter for the 'card case'. He 'will gladly do any thing that may fall within [his] power, to assist the Associate Fund', but does not think that he can 'do much'. 'The times are such, that Cases of

One page, 12mo. Blind stamped monogram at head. Text clear and entire, but on heavily damp-stained paper. Reads 'The enclosed is to be inserted in the Journal of the Chemical Society among the Proceedings.'

Eight pages, quarto. Unbound and stitched on six leaves. Good, with recto of first leaf and verso of last somewhat more aged. With company and tax stamps. 'Mortgage, [a leasehold plot of land and messuage Numbered 26 in Barker Street Oldham in the County of Lancaster to secure £450 and interest.' Typewritten acknowledgment of payment, 25 February 1929, signed by company secretary W. Harvey and director J. Brown.

All items are good, on lightly aged paper. The 'Report of the Auditors of the Accounts' is seven pages, octavo, stitched and unbound. It consists of five full-page tables: 'Receipts', 'Payments', 'Comparison of Receipts in 1867 and 1868', 'Comparison of Payments in 1867 and 1868' and one showing 'The Assets and Liabilities of the Society on the 31st of December 1868'. Comment by the seven auditors (all named) on final page, remarking on 'the unexampled state of prosperity of the Zoological Society at the close of the previous year'. The four handbills are each on one side of a 12mo leaf.

Clowes is an eminent firm of English printers, founded in London in 1803, and still thriving in Suffolk. The twelve typed letters are each one page, quarto, on the firm's Duke Street letterhead. The autograph letter is one page, 12mo, with mourning border. The collection in good condition overall, with a few items aged and lightly creased. Most items docketed and bearing the Society's stamp. All items except the circular signed by 'W A Clowes', who (he informs Wood in his first letter) has taken over from his cousin, Captain W. C.

Landscape. Dimensions of paper roughly nine inches by thirteen and a half. Trimmed. Clear image on aged and foxed paper. Captioned 'This ENGRAVING of the BOOKSELLERS' PROVIDENT RETREAT at Abbots Langley, Herts, erected upon ground presented by JOHN DICKINSON, ESQ.

All items one page, quarto, and all very good. Two docketed and one bearing the Society's stamp. Letter 1: He will be pleased to attend a committee meeting. Letter 2: He has 'a long-standing engagement' and will be unable to attend 'the Architectural Decoration Committee'. Along with Godfrey Giles he has 'had a long discussion' with Mr. Grigsby 'with reference to the conditions of the Lewis Berger Scholarship'. Letter 3: He knows 'Professor Richardson very well, and this is just the information which I am requiring. I will send my man on to see the secretary as you suggest'.

Octavo: twenty pages. Unbound and stitched. Good, but with outer leaves a little grubby and creased. The word 'rack-rent' on page six has been underlined and three exclamation marks placed beside it in ink. As well as important botanical works, Clarke numbered political economy and education among his interests.

British businessman (1872-1955), chairman of the Medici Society Ltd, chairman and managing director of Henry Stone & Son Ltd, printers. Very good. Mostly octavo, with a few quarto and 12mo. Some bearing the Society's stamp and others docketed. Occasional rust marks from paperclips. Mainly concerned with the day-to-day activities of the Royal Society of Arts, of which Milne was a prominent member, around the time of the Second World War. On 7 September 1939: 'I hardly anticipate that you are likely to have trouble in regard to occupation of the premises.

The studio photograph, with printed label of 'Walter Baker, 159, Mosely Road, Birmingham. Highgate Studios.' on reverse, and the manuscript number '24704 | 98'. is a good clear head and shoulders portrait (dimensions roughly three and a half inches by two and a quarter wide), in very good condition. Although untitled, it seems to be Carl, as represented on the title-page of his book, without the moustache and a little younger. The book is twenty-eight pages, octavo, in original coloured printed boards. Numerous line drawings.

Two pages, 12mo. Good, on aged and creased paper. Engraving of ancient medallion as letterhead. He takes 'the opportunity of a friend going over' to send Smith 'a parcel which I have just received from Monsr De la Plane, Secretary of the Society of Antiquaries of the <?> & the Bulletin of the Society, for the Royal [sic] Society of Antiquaries, the British Archaeological Association [founded 1843], the Numismatic Society, and Smith himself. He is also sending a letter for J[ohn]. Y[onge]. Ackerman (1806-73).

Four pages, on four A4 leaves. Entirely legible, though dogeared and with some wear to extremities. Rust staining from paperclip. Complete from 1066 to 1937, beginning with the Cuneators and giving dates of Chief and Under Gravers together with Remarks on each individual. Dated and signed by Anthony.

On good-quality thick wove paper, roughly fifteen inches by eleven wide. Dimensions of plate roughly eleven inches by six and a half wide. Good, clean impression, with blank borders a tad grubby. Attractive portrait of a handsomely dressed Graves, a bookcase behind him, leaning between two tables, on one of which is a manuscript and on the other another manuscript, coins and books. Graves's dates are corrected in the Dictionary of National Biography.

The five issues are each eight pages long and octavo. All five issues unbound, and stabbed. All good, though lightly aged and with some wear to extremities. An improving publication, produced 'Under the direction of the Committee of General Literature and Education, appointed by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge'.

One page, quarto. Very good, with staple holes in one corner. He thanks Samson for his letter 'about the enquiry from the Esso Petroleum Company concerning a sculptured commemorative tablet. I should be pleased to take part in any limited competition for this project and could carry out the work this year if I were commissioned to do so within the scheme of my existing commitments.' The context is explained by an accompanying photocopy of a carbon of a typed letter (one page, quarto) of 5 May 1960 from Samson to the sculptor Professor R. Y.

One page, roughly eleven inches by eight. On aged paper, with fraying to extremites affecting one word of text. 'Richard Battley Esqre. of Fore Street Cripplegate a Gentleman very conversant in several branches of science particularly Vegetable Chemistry and Pharmacy being desirous of becoming a Fellow of the Medico Botanical Society of London | We whose names are hereunto subscribed do recommend him as highly deserving of that honor & likely to pr an useful and valuable member.' Signed 'J Frost', 'Wm. Yarrell' and 'Wm. Newman'.

The society's letterhead has a circular engraving, 1 1/2 inches in diameter, of Jesus and a fallen woman, surrounded by the quotation ':JESUS SAID UNTO HER, NEITHER DO I CONDEMN THEE: GO, AND SIN NO MORE.' It describes the Society as 'Being "THE LONDON FEMALE PENITENTIARY," founded at Pentonville, 1807, and "THE GUARDIAN SOCIETY," founded 1812, for the RESCUE, RECLAMATION, and PROTECTION of BETRAYED and FALLEN WOMEN from all parts of the United Kingdom, and now united under one management." 1 page, 8vo. Grubby, with staple marks and a closed tear affecting two words of text.

The collection is in very good condition, with a few staple and pin holes. Gray's letters are signed 'Milner Gray' and occasionally 'Milner'. All but the first two, which are on Society of Industrial Artists letterheads, are on Design Research Unit letterheads. An early letter (5 April 1949), to Kenneth Luckhurst, Secretary, Royal Society of Arts, apologises for and explains a 'difficulty' which has arisen 'over the fees we estimated for completing the necessary working drawings and supervising construction of the permanent display screens for the Society's headquarters'.

Signed 'R. A. Gregory'. One page, folio. Good, with one dogeared corner. Bearing the stamp of the Royal Society of Arts. Circular letter referring to an enclosure (not present) relating to an exhibition which 'will shew that by the combination of science and industry we have done nearly as much in four years of war as the Germans did in the preceding forty. More than 250 manufacturers are sending exhibits, and the Air Ministry will make a large display, as well as the Food Production Department.' Asks for 'a sympathetic editorial note or article'.

English physical chemist (1827-1902), fellow of the Royal Society and father-in-law of the first Labour Prime Minister, Ramsay MacDonald. Nineteen pages, octavo (paginated 241-59). Unbound. Stitched. Good, though dogeared in one corner and on paper discoloured with age. In worn discoloured, grubby wraps. INSCRIBED at head of first page 'With J H Gladstone's kind regds.' Front wrap stamped 'SOTHERAN. SACKVILLE STREET. LONDON'.

English physical chemist (1827-1902), fellow of the Royal Society and father-in-law of the first Labour Prime Minister, Ramsay MacDonald. Seven pages, octavo (paginated 54-60). INSCRIBED at head of first page 'With J H Gladstone's kind regds.' Unbound. Stitched. Creased and with foxing at head of leaves. In grubby, creased wraps, stamped 'SOTHERAN. SACKVILLE STREET. LONDON'.

English physical chemist (1827-1902), fellow of the Royal Society and father-in-law of the first Labour Prime Minister, Ramsay MacDonald. Ten pages, octavo (paginated 679-88). Unbound. Stitched. Good, though slightly dogeared and on paper discoloured with age. In worn, discoloured wraps, stamped 'SOTHERAN. SACKVILLE STREET. LONDON'. INSCRIBED on front wrap 'With the authors' kind regds.'

English physical chemist (1827-1902), fellow of the Royal Society and father-in-law of the first Labour Prime Minister, Ramsay MacDonald. Seven pages, octavo (paginated 140-146). Unbound. Stitched. In original grey printed wraps. With dogeared, worn corners (one missing) and on paper discoloured with age. Wraps worn and grubby and with slight loss at bottom. INSCRIBED on front wrap 'With J H Gladstone's kind regds'. Front wrap stamped 'SOTHERAN. SACKVILLE STREET. LONDON'.

English physical chemist (1827-1902), fellow of the Royal Society and father-in-law of the first Labour Prime Minister, Ramsay MacDonald. Seven pages, octavo (paginated 140-146). Unbound. Stitched. In original grey printed wraps. Good on paper discoloured with age and with slight foxing to top of leaves. Wraps worn and grubby and with slight loss and closed tear. INSCRIBED on front wrap 'With J H Gladstone's kind regds'. Front wrap stamped 'SOTHERAN. SACKVILLE STREET. LONDON'.

British economic historian (1860-1927), a disciple of Arnold Toynbee, and proponent of the historical method pioneered in Germany by such scholars as Roscher, Hildebrand and Knies. The manuscript items are all 12mo, the typed item quarto. All twelve docketed and bearing the Society's stamp, and signed 'W. T. Ashley'. The collection is in very good condition, though grubby in parts and with one or two creased corners. An interesting and characteristic correspondence. ITEM ONE (3 pages, 12mo, 5 August 1913): Declines proposal to act as examiner.

Architectural historian (1904-92) and curator of Sir John Soane's Museum, 1945-84. Seven leaves, all very good, though some lightly creased and all with staple holes in top left-hand corner. The first three letters to Mercer and the last three to Samson. Three letters docketed. ITEM ONE (two pages, 12mo, 7 August 1958): He is 'much attracted' by the Society's invitation 'to give three Cantor lectures on Country Houses', 'especially as I understand the text of the lectures would be published'. There is however 'one rather grave difficulty.