LORD

The four items in good condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. ONE: TLS by Spicer, 31 December 1943. 4pp., 12mo. With a couple of minor autograph emendations. A long and wide-ranging letter, discussing the aims of the group (in response to Item Three below). Topics include: 'intellectuals in the Group', whether it is 'disuniting the Party', 'the future of the Party', 'going into opposition', 'the position of the Liberal Party at the next General Election, or at the conclusion of the European War', and whether Radical Action is 'pin-pricking the Parliamentary Party'.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium with mourning border. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper, with head of the document trimmed and blank second leaf with traces of mount. He acknowledges 'the receipt of your letter enclosing a Memorial from the Committee of the Manchester Health of Towns association' and apologise for the delay in the acknowledgement, 'owing to the great pressure of business'.

2pp., 4to. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged. Reverse of second leaf, with part of red wax seal and Keswick postmark, addressed to Ross at Tadcaster, and forwarded to the Crown Inn, 'Harragate', Yorkshire. He begins by explaining that a delay to his departure for Scotland is the reason for the late reply. 'To morrow or next day we shall set out. The moment I reach Edinburgh I shall see Cathcart & immediately write you most minutely every thing regarding the Richmond Scenery | All this Party send you their best Compts.

2pp., 4to. Bifolium. In fair condition, aged and worn. Addressed, with red wax seal, on reverse of second leaf, to 'Mrs. Cockburn Ross | Pooles Hotel'. He begins by explaining why he has not replied to her letter sooner, his clerk having placed it 'with some Letters of Business'. Archibald Black, who was formerly in his service, is 'a good natured honest Creature', but he cannot advise her to hire him. On the poor mans account I would not wish to be more particular than just saying that it is not owing to any objection to his moral Character that leads me to dissuade you from engaging him'.

3pp., 4to. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. He has communicated the recipient's letter, with the memorial regarding 'the amelioration of the Distillery Laws', to 'Sir Charles Ross & Brigadier Genl Mackenzie', and they have been well received. 'One of the Gentlemen submitted the Memorial to the perusal of the Lords Stafford & Seaforth who as I understand are zealous for the reform of those Laws'. Seaforth has signed.

3pp., 4to. Bifolium. On aged and worn paper. He writes that he had 'heard the Report propagated by Sir John of your having given different accounts to the Father & the son', but considering the source he did not believe it, and 'the excerpts of Letters' directly refute it. 'I am extremely pleased with Lord Polwarth's Letter to you & as to any thing else I think you have no reason to feel any regret'.

An extraordinarily-detailed account of 'The Siege of Bhurtpoor', from a series titled 'Operations of the Bengal Army in India and on Foreign Service', utilising a wide variety of sources, both published and unpublished, each quotation meticulously cited in footnotes. On 39 sheets, almost all of them in two columns of small print, mostly roughly 50 x 16 cm, but a few longer, and one sheet of three columns (46 x 28.5 cm, being part of a description of the 'Formation of the Army: and the General &c., Staff.'). Numbered in manuscript 346-385, with 374 not present.

Both items in good condition, with minor signs of age and wear. The black and white photographic print is 24.5 x 19.5 cm, and depicts a chubby Hall, in shirtsleeves and tie, leaning over a seat at the back of a darkened theatre, with a positive look of concentration on his face, as he stares at the stage, a playscript in his hand. The reverse carries two stamps by 'Tony Armstrong Jones, one of them declaring his copyright. Also on the reverse are pencil calculations of dimensions for cropping for publication.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, on aged and ruckled paper. He is sending a copy of 'a Work which I lately published representing the orders of Knighthood received by the late Duke of Wellington from his own & from Foreign Countries', and hopes that 'the Committee will do me the Honor of accepting the same as a Donation to the R V Y Club'.

The collection is lightly-aged, but in good overall condition. It consists of five undated typescripts, twenty-four black and white photographs, and a few items of correspondence. The typescripts: ONE. Early draft of Longford's 1953 autobiography 'Born to Believe', published in 1953. 4to, 58 pp, paginated 1-55, 9A, 9B and 52A. Ends midway through Chapter 6. There are a number of autograph emendations, and the typescript exhibits differences from the published version. A second typed draft of half a page of text covers the earlier draft, which is still legible beneath.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium with mourning border. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Recipient not named: addressed to 'Dear Sir'. She is sending 'one line' to tell him 'how greatly all of us like the window, which was put up in the Church according to your promise before Easter Day'. She praises the 'beauty & harmony of colour', and the 'noble religious dignity of the principal figures' of the window, with 'the careful delicate treatment of every detail'.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Docketed: '20 August 1835 | Lord Auckland to R L'. Reads 'Lord Auckland would be much obliged to Mr Lambert if he would call here tomorrow soon after two o'clock -'.

1p., 8vo. On bifolium. In fair condition. Addressed (with postmark) on second leaf to 'Mr. Thomas Cockburn Writer to the Signet | Edinh.' The letter begins: 'Sir | When I begun the world of business, no sooner had I collected 40 or 50 guineas than I was ready to lend out

All three items bifoliums in good condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. ONE: 13 July 1799. 2pp., 4to. Regarding his endeavours to sell 'the whole Estates of Lewis & Kintail & Lochalsh [...] either in Cumulo or Lots with a resolution to sell to the amount of the debt that is upon them'. He states that it has always been his 'wish & endeavour to satisfy any Creditor on the Seaforth Estate & the interest is paid with a punctuality not exceeded'. He complains of 'the singular hardship of the times'.

Both items in very good condition, on lightly-aged paper. ONE: Copy letter. 2pp., folio. On paper with watermark 'JOHN HOWARD | 1804'. Ends: 'To | Sir J. T. Duckworth K.B. | Vice Admiral of the White | &ca. &ca. &ca. | Given on board the Ocean off Cadiz | 12th. August 1806 | (signed) Collingwood | By Command of the Vice Admiral | (signed) W R Cosway | A Copy -'.

2pp., 4to. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Should Auckland's statement become 'the subject of enquiry' it will be deemed 'perfectly satisfactory', there being 'no question as to the right of appointing a deputy, altho' there might be aas to the reduction of his salary, which was the circumstance referred to me'. The subject is one which must 'necessarily come within the view of the Committee of Finance, whose observations upon every public department it is my anxious wish that we may be enabled to anticipate'.

21pp., fourteen of them in 4to, and the other seven pages cut down. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. Stapled together, with the first leaf detached. The article is complete but untitled. It is unattributed, but comes from the J. R. Gordon papers. A well-written and incisive piece, written from an insider's point of view. Gordon lays out his stall at the very start: 'Few people of our generation have influenced the life of it so profoundly as Lord Northcliffe. He was the incomparable journalist of our age.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition. Casting interesting light on the workings of the British parliament in the Regency period. Headed by Abbot 'Private'. Docketed on reverse of second leaf, presumably by Sidmouth: 'The Speaker, | Novr. ye. 19th: 1806. | Lord Harris's Proposal | Meeting of Parliament | &c -'. He has received Sidmouth's note, and reports that 'Lord Harrowby wrote me a full account of your Meetings on Lord Harris's proposals'.

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The document is possibly a draft, as it contains a couple of emendations. Describing himself as 'an old Lord Rector of 20 years' standing' (he held the post from 1905 to 1908), he praises the University's 'great traditions, which have been maintained & enriched by many generations of their predecessors'. He urges them to 'carry on the torch which has been handed down to them, and to keep their famous University in its place in the forefront of the vangard of the <?> of Culture & Science, to which Scotland & the Empire owe so much'.

1p., 4to. On aged and browned paper, chipped at extremities, but with the 30 lines of text intact.

Full title: 'Report of the Committee of the Society of Dilettanti, appointed by the Society to superintend the expedition lately sent by them to Greece and Ionia; containing an Abstract of the Voyage of the Mission, a List of the Materials collected by them, and a Plan to facilitate the Publication of those Materials.' At end of last page: 'Signed, by order of the Committee, | H. C. ENGLEFIELD, | Secretary.' [2] + 18pp., 4to. Stabbed, but with stitching gone.

Two pages in his sprawling hand, cr. 8vo, bifolium, good condition, fold marks. He apologises for not being able to attend a Dinner of the "London Conservation Society" because of "personal circumstances". Note: no information found about this Society (or the London Conversation Society of that's what he wrote.

ONE: Elkin Mathews catalogue. xii + 125pp., 8vo. 776 items, with a number of facsimiles. In grey printed wraps. Internally in fair condition, on aged paper, cocked at foot, in heavily-worn wraps with repair to rear cover. Containing numerous annotations in Senhouse's close, neat hand, mostly in pencil, giving bibliographical information relating to various entries, with reference to his own collection. Next to the entry for a first edition of 'English Bards and Scotch Reviewers' Senhouse writes: 'my copy "H S" Sold to Quaritch'.

4pp., 4to. Bifolium on card. In good condition, lightly-aged. A bold and characteristic cartoon by Low, depicting the evening's chairman. The central two pages, under the heading 'LADIES' NIGHT', give a humorous description of the planned celebrations, beginning: 'The June Meeting of the Sette is nominally dedicated to the graces of feminine society. Actually, it is an overt act of self glorification on the part of the individual members of the Sette.' Among those referred to are: 'the Master of Ceremonies, Bro. S. K. Glanville (Ushabti)', 'Bro. Vyvyan Holland (Idler)', 'Bro J. G.

The five letters total 10pp., 12mo. On five bifoliums. In good condition, lightly aged. An interesting correspondence, from one of the trustees of the new National Portrait Gallery to its (as yet unknighted) secretary. ONE: 'Brit. Mus. | Saturday afternoon' [1859]. 1p., 12mo. Begins: 'Lord Macaulay [another trustee] tells me that he intends to visit the Portrait Gallery with some friends at 3 on Monday.' TWO: Chevening. 2 November 1859. 2pp., 12mo. After thanking him for 'the drawings for Lady Stanhope' he exclaims: 'Another terrible storm yesterday!

On piece of 9 x 14.5 cm card. In fair condition: aged, lightly-stained and with traces of mount adhering to reverse. Reads: 'To | Lord Jeffrey | With Kind regards from | Thos: Hood'.

1p., folio. In three columns of small print, on a sheet of 37.5 x 23 cm paper. With three manuscript emendations. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper, with a couple of short closed tears at margins along folds. The present item is excessively scarce. There is no record of its existence on either OCLC WorldCat or COPAC, nor does it feature in Harold E. Raugh Jr's 'British Military Operations in Egypt and the Sudan: A Selected Bibliography' (2008). The document is anonymous, but its author is clearly an ADC, and there is a strong possibility that it was Lord Edward Cecil.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper, with short closed tear at foot of fold. Signed 'Owen Philipps'. Having received a letter from Buxton Forman 'about the Matchless Orinda', he gives some details regarding her husband, who is 'an ancestor of mine, being one of the Phillips of Kilsant & Picton'. His brother has 'lent me a copy of her Poems which I have been reading with much interest.' He also refers to his relations 'Mr. Wogan', 'Mrs. Owen', 'Jas Phillips' and 'Hector Phillips'.

One page, 4to, bifolium, damp-stained, one leaf partly stuck to second blank leaf, text clear and complete. "Under the present state of politics I am not to suspect you have any altered sentiment respecting our sapient Rulers, & that I do any thing injurious to your feelings when I propose to you to continue yr support to yr old friend by renewing your proxy. I should have submitted my name instead of Ld [Sd's?] but I am too uncertain an attender to be intrusted with your vote.

For more about John Rutherford Gordon (1890-1974), editor of the Sunday Express between 1928 and 1952, see his entry in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.Although the volume for which the present material was amassed did not materialise, there is no doubting the seriousness of the project. Working with Beaverbrook's approval and encouragement (the nine memoranda by him present in the collection indicate his interest), Gordon employed Sunday Express news editor Jack Garbutt (John Lambert Garbutt, 1907-1973), John ('Jock') Selby Bradford and 'T. N. Shane' (i.e. H. A. H.