AUTHOR

3 ALsS, 1 TLS and 2 ANsS, all signed 'AE', three from 41 Sussex Gardens, London; two from 84 Merrion Square, Dublin; and one on letterhead of the Irish Statesman, 84 Merrion Square, Dublin, four dated between 1904 and 1933, the other three undated., totalA letter tentatively dated to 1918 or 1919 by MG begins 'It is very good & generous of you & Robert in these hard times to pass on the money received for literary work to Mrs Connolly.

Card, 11.5 x 9cm, vestiges of laying down in corners of verso, good condition. "J'ai été obligé de changer mes petits places de voyage. Voulez-vous aussi chamger les votres et venir mercredi au lieu de Vendredi. |Amitié[ ...]"Note in another hand on verso: "Autograph of Pierre Loti, Académician, officier in the French Navy (real name Viaud) author of Pecheur d'Islande, Fantomes d'Orient, etc. | Given me by M. Arthur Chasserian to whom it was addressed, Decr/92."

Piece of paper, 12 x 8cm, with message "Florence Just | with all good wishes, | Aldous Huxley | 1955", essentially framed by sellotape (with staining), c.7mm, stain extruding once into white space, sellotape and staining covering without concealing the "ey" of Huxley and the tail of the "9". Image available.

Duncan Murray Gordon was born in 1912, the son of a commercial traveller. In 1927 he won a scholarship to Stott's College, Melbourne, and in August 1940 he began a clerical job at the Victorian mining company Broken Hill South Ltd. He served in the Second World War between March 1941 to July 1946, in both the AMF (Australian Military Forces) and AIF (Australian Imperial Force) in Australia and New Guinea (where he finds, as the second volume of the diary reveals, the only way to survive is ‘to find somebody to go mad with’).

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. The letter reads: 'My Dear Sir, | I ought to have thanked you sooner for your kind note of the 21st., but I have been much occupied. It would be pleasant for me to try my hand on Byron or Browining, but I could not dare do so without more chance of continuous work than I can hope for at present.'

Item One: From Havengrove. On reverse of printed 12mo prospectus for the first issue of 'Poetry Folios' magazine (which appeared in 1942), edited by Comfort and Peter Wells. 1p., 12mo. Fair, on aged and creased paper. He thanks him for his letter. 'It is appreciation of this kind that makes one want to go on writing. [...] I wish I could meet you.' Item Two: From Havengrove, on letterhead of 'Poetry Folios'. Undated. 2pp., 12mo. Fair, on lightly-creased and aged paper.

On one side of a 18.5 x 20.5 cm piece of paper, the head of the letter, with address and date, having been cut away. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper. The letter reads: 'Dear Gilmer, | Here is the "Reise - Kaiser"; - the Reader's Report, 2 more illustrations, a preface, & a 2nd appendix, will follow by later post. I have been kept in the country till to-day. | Yrs v. truly | [signed] E Rhys'.

On 8 x 20.5 cm. rectangle, cut from the base of a 4to leaf. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, laid down on piece of cream card. Reads: 'With all Good Wishes, | Yours sincerely, | [signed] Teignmouth Shore | W. Teignmouth Shore Esq.'

Two pages, sm. folio, fair condition, giving details of an advance and the holding of the copyright of "The Sylvesters" if they should decide not to go ahead and want their money back. Minor change apparently initialled "HSK" [= King].

2pp., 12mo. 21 lines of text. Good, on aged paper. She lists four 'figures of St Alexis' which she has found among her memoranda (the first: 'By B. Lutti - much praised by Lanzi - but I know not whether engraved'). Following the four is 'St Adrian. Domenichius Engraved by Gregori'. She asks: Have you any of these or could you procure them for me?' She will be in town the following day, and is 'in desperation about the St Alexis because the press is stopped for want of him - pray help me if you can!'

1p., 12mo. Fair, on aged paper, wtih two small unobtrusive closed holes to the paper. Placed in narrow paper windowpane border. The letter reads 'My dear Cunningham | This will be delivered to you by my Cousin & friend Mr Gray of Glasgow - He is ambitious of paying his respects to you - I need say no more - I am sure that you will soon be good acquaintances - With the greatest regard | Believe me | Yours truly | [signed] T. Campbell'.

1p., 12mo. Very good, within thin paper windowpane mount. She writes 'Dear Mr. Chichester:- | I return statement. Please have it corrected according to "White Islander" contract, and send me the check early in February. And I shall be obliged.' Docketed by Chichester 'Ansd. 1. 30' and 'Corrected State. sent | Sent Ck $186.66'.

Both items in good condition on aged paper. A dramatic, almost novelistic correspondence, regarding 'the Signora' (named in the second letter as 'Mme Sineo', who is staying at her house in Torquay and is apparently too frail to return to her London house. Letter One: Docketed 'No 1'. 12mo, 4 pp. Peard states that she has not 'written of late about the Signora. She has got fairly well again, but she does not seem to us fit to return to London, & I hear that her doctor does not think she ever will be fit.

With maps and diagrams. 694pp., 8vo, original red boards, faint foxing, mainly good condition. Some pencil notes on back endpaper. Inscribed by author: "Rev. J. de Guerin | With the author's | Christian regards | December, 1911." Scarce.

Two pages, 12mo, remnants of album page to which attached formerly, good condition. I will write to you definitely about teh serial early next week. Do you think you could either get me a cheque for 'A Maker of Fortunes' [not traced], or get Mr Colles [literary agent] to discount the sale to me on the usual terms? I should be much obliged if you could, for I have to find a good deal of money on Saturday & this would help. ...

Two pages, 4to, fold marks, some marking, good condition, text clear and complete, as follows: "Permit me to thank you for one of the most acceptable gifts I have ever received, the 'Histoire Morale des Femmes", and for the aimable [underlined] note that accompanied it. Let me thank you also in the name of my Sex for the great service you have rendered us by the admirable Exposé [underlined] of our wrongs, and generous advocacy of our Virtues.

4to, 13 pp on thirteen leaves, consisting of a covering title-page and with the preface itself making up the remaining twelve pages. Bradbury's inscription, in blue felt-tip pen, is on the title-page, with 'FINAL VERSION! | FEB. 1993' above the title and 'Ray Bradbury | SIGNED JAN. 5, 1994' beneath it. The print-out fax information at the top of each page reads '06-02-1993 09:22 PM FROM ZANA BRADBURY TO 16193205383'. Condition is fair, with the leaves somewhat dogeared and discoloured.

4to, 2 pp. Bifolium. Eighteen lines. Text clear and complete. Fair, on lightly-aged and creased paper. Having been presented with a copy of the first volumes of Lyttelton's 'History of the Life of Henry the Second', he has 'read the first Edition with the greatest Pleasure'. He praises the way in which Lyttelton is 'conducting the Narration with the Dignity so peculiarly necessary in that Species of Composition', as well as the 'Classical Elegance of Stile [sic]'. After more praise states 'Mrs Montagu's inoculation was an attempt worthy her Spirit & good Sense.

4to, 1 p. 19 lines. Text clear and complete. On aged and lightly creased paper, with strip of sunning to left-hand margin. Neat signature: 'Nicolas Bentley'. The film and television rights to the book were all 'bought some years ago by Herbert Wilcox, who, as I understand it, still owns them'. Bentley has reports the opinion of 'Messrs A. P. Watt, my late father's agent', on the question of the radio rights. 'I control the stage rights', Bentley states, giving the conditions on which he would agree to a stage adaptation.

Pp.[1]-16, 8vo, disbound, numbered "13" in pencil, fold mark, spine showing wear, mainly good condition, inscribed "John Clay Esq | with the Author's | Kind regards".

Author (see DNB). Six pages, 4to, with hole and chip causing small loss of text, some staining, pahes attached at margin, obscuring a word or two, text clear. Profuse thanks for his "kind letter from the canal" and a later note and present. He enjoyed his short visit, regretting the loss of a day when he attended "the wrangling of a dull county meeting". More on his enjoyment of his company, and hope that he'll fulfil his promise to visit again. He goes on: "A change . . .

4to, 1 p. Bifolium. Addressed, with postmark, on reverse of second leaf. Good, on aged paper. In a hurried hand, with numerous corrections. Relating to the publication of 'articles of poetry from a lady'.

12mo, 4 pp. Bifolium. Good, on aged paper. He has been 'hunting among papers, & found a great quantity of notable letters from notable people but they are mostly confidential - or dealing with some private matters'. He would have liked to gratify her wishes 'in a more liberal fashion, 'but I hope the enclosed may serve'. He wonders whether she is 'packing up for India - - perhaps for Worthing'. The valediction on the final page ('Believe me | sincerely') is followed by a large bold signature which with its underlinings covers an area 11 cm square.

Novelist (1770-1844)(DNB). One page, 4to, bifoliate (blank except for Williams' name and address), some marking but text clear and complete. "I am much pleased with the design inclosed but have to observe that I think the tall boy a little too tall and that his trousers have more the look of a young sailor than those of e gentleman - the farmer boy is excellent - the lake scene very prettty and the whole satisfactory. I had great pleasure in naming you as an artist of great promise to Mr Newman who does a great deal of business & is a very worthy man and good judge of art . . . N.B.

Author. She discusses work in progress (the County Book Sussex), past work (on Lincoln), Lewis's writings and activities, the effects of the War, and life in Ditchling, especially her "new-old cottage". In the final letter there is a postscript: "Yes, Edward Johnston is a loss - he wrote the best book there is on Lettering & was a real master-craftsman in his own line". [Johnston had followed his pupil , Eric Gill, to Ditchling.] Six items,

Novelist (1847-1929). She is obviously writing to an editor of a periodical saying: "The terms are lower than I get elsewhere, but as you ask me to write on a subject for which I am desirous of the widest possible audience I will write you an essay of 4,000 to 4,200 words for your October number; that is, you shall have it on Sept.6." Her postscript: "I seldom find it necessary to type my manuscript".

Novelist. One page manuscript, c.6 x 8", presumably from Miss Mitford's letter book (numbered p.247), poor condition but the text is clear apart from two or three words. The page comprises the conclusion of one draft letter with her full signature, all with a line through, and the first fourteen lines of a draft letter to Sir William Elford, banker, politician, and amateur artist, 1 Dec. 1810, thanking him for his flattering comments and obviously responding to his idea that her poetry has caused illness in him.

LETTER: One page, 12mo. Good, on aged, creased paper, with trace of stub on blank verso. Crest at head. 'It will give my brother & me much pleasure to accept your kind invitation for Tuesday evening the 16th. - I dine that day with Lady Sempill which will make me later than I should wish, but I hope to reach your house soon after 10'. NOTE: One page, 12mo, good, with fraying at head and traces of mount adhering to blank verso. A formal note written in the third person. 'Miss Catherine Sinclair will be happy to have the honor of accepting Mrs. Wedderburns & Mr.

4to, 1 p. Text clear and complete. On lightly-aged paper with minor spotting to extremities. He thanks him for his letter. 'The main drawback to my accepting your most interesting invitation is that my political views are not those of Mr G. K. Chesterton, so I am very much afraid that a literary contribution from me might prove more of a hindrance than a help. I am so sorry.' Murdoch edited the magazine 'G.K.C.' which campaigned on behalf of Chesterton's unsuccessful candidacy. (Sir Austen Chamberlain was elected Rector.)

Original (leaf-patterned) boards, worn and stained, corners bumped, sp. worn, label partly worn away, endpapers loose, hinge str., slight foxing, text clear and mainly clean. INSCRIBED by the author, "To Miss Sharkle/from her kind friend/ the Author".