VICTORIAN

3pp., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Blanchard and his wife 'very seldom go out of a Sunday but should the weather be at all favourable' they will 'make a vigorous effort to avail ourselves of the strong temptation you have so kindly thrown in our way'. They will be 'quite content with an afternoon ramble in your beautiful garden and a chat with dear Mrs. Keeley'. He is sending 'impromptu lines written by my father nearly a Century ago' (not present) that he believes ought to be in Burgess's possession 'as a double ancestral inheritance'.

1p., 16mo. Good, on aged paper. He writes that the bearer, 'Mr Brumby', has come to him with an introduction from Crawley of St. Savour's [Rev. J. C. L. Crawley of St Saviour's, Leeds]. 'It wd be of great use to him, I think, not to be thrown so much upon himself. I am afraid of his mind preying upon itself. Cd. you make him acquainted with 2 or 3 good men. He is of N. C.'?>

3pp., 16mo. Bifolium. Fair, on aged paper with fold lines. The front page carries the printer's slug, and gives the price of $6 for 'Course Tickets', 'For sale at the houses where the readings are to be given, on and after FEBRUARY 19th.' The middle two pages give the addresses, with owner's names, of the houses at which the six readings are to take place.

1p., landscape 8vo. On the first leaf of a bifolium. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. Well presented, with the second blank leaf neatly inserted into a windowpane border. The poem is sixteen lines long, arranged in four stanzas, neatly written out on a piece of wove paper. The first stanza reads 'Confide ye aye in Providence, for Providence is Kind | And bear ye a' lifes changes, wi a calm an' tranquil mind | Though pressed an' hemmed on every side, hae faith, an' ye'll win through | For ilka blade o grass keeps its ain drap o dew'.

2pp., 4to. 35 lines of verse. On a leaf of laid paper with watermark 'J WHATMAN | TURKEY MILL'. Paginated 13-14. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. The first page begins with the line 'The shrouding soil, and give it back to air,' and the second page ends with the line 'Won it's [sic] dark truth, and Gaspar fed on such.' The verses in this manuscript are published on pp.19-21 of 'A Day at Tivoli: with other Verses' (London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, Paternoster-row, 1849).

3pp., 16mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. She begins: 'I am sure you wil grieve to hear that my dear Parents have met with a severe accident, altho', thank God! we have every cause to hope that there wil be no latent results. They were knocked down by a horse, in attempting to avoid an Omnibus: both are cut on the head, & Mama is much bruised in several places.' 'Quiet and care' will restore them, she trusts. Her mother has asked her to write, as it will be impossible for her parents to keep the dinner engagement with Mrs Cooper.

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed, with oval red postmark and broken red wax seal, on reverse of second leaf of bifolium to 'E. V. Utterson Esqre | 32 York Terrace | Regents park'. She writes that she and her husband are 'sorry to have so bad an account of Mrs Utterson', whom she will visit 'when she can see her friends'. 'Mr. Callcott [the landscape painter Augustus Wall Callcott (1779-1844)] was in York Terrace yesterday but having forgotten your number & finding you denied at three or four doors he began to think you had moved or that I had given him a wrong direction'.

On one side of a piece of laid paper, approximately 11.5 cm square. Minor traces of glue to corners on the reverse. Good, firm signatures, provided for an autograph hunter. The husband signs first: 'Charles Kean | Friday | 25 June 1852'. Beneath this is the wife's signature: 'Ellen Kean'.

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with negligible glue from previous mounting to the corners of the blank reverse. The letter reads: 'Sir, In reply to your note, I write to say that as it is not my intention to close the Princess's Theatre during any portion of Lent, it will not be in my power to avail myself of your offer.'

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with stub from previous mounting neatly adhering to margins. Mackay hastens to reply to Moffatt's letter, but fears that 'the "pesky" gout in my right hand will render my cacography illegible'. After dealing with his 'Selected Poems' and the Reform Club, Mackay discusses his poem 'Eternal Justice', which was printed with his 'knowledge & permission' by 'Miss Victoria Woodhull Martin [...] I have since received a visit from her, and highly esteem the honour of her acquaintance.

3pp., 12mo. 37 lines. Fair, on worn and discoloured paper. An interesting letter, casting light on the relationship between two great actors who, according to the Oxford DNB, 'disliked but respected each other'. Macready is not named, but Young ends by sending his 'Kind Comts to Mrs Macready'. Macready had taken over at Drury Lane on 4 October 1841, but the season would not begin until 27 December. The letter begins 'My dear Sir!

4pp., 12mo. Fair, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed to 'My dear friend', and with the name of the recipient obliterated from the valediction: 'Will you give my sincere and grateful remembrances to your noble hearted husband? and believe me | dear <...> | Every affectionately, | [signed] Charles Swain'. He can put off 'the evil day' no longer, and must now 'give in to circumstances' and reluctantly inform her that he cannot come and visit.

3pp., 12mo. 55 lines, neatly and closely written. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed to 'Mr W. Shoberl.' An excellent letter, giving an experienced and knowledgable view of the state of the mid-Victorian British booktrade. Redding begins by stating that he is 'indeed concerned to hear the statement' Shoberl has communicated to him. He wishes it was in his power to forward Shoberl's wishes.

1 p, 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper, and still tipped-in onto leaf removed from album. Arranging a time at which to call on him. According to the Oxford DNB Greville moved from Grosvenor Place to Lord Granville's house in Bruton Street in 1849.

1 p, 4to. Good, on lightly-aged paper, and still attached to a leaf removed from an autograph album. His troupe 'play in Manchester on the 11th. Jany. for one week. Now, observe! Can you effect an engagement for a week previous to or subsequent to that period - or both subsequent and previous.' Knowles will be in London, 'please God, next week', and the recipient's 'attention deserves and has' Knowles's gratitude. A postscript reads: 'Miss Elphinstone achieved a complete triumph in Edinburgh, the reception was great indeed. You know our terms'.

Both items in very good condition, on lightly-aged paper, each with slight trace of paper label at spine. Letter One: 3 pp, 12mo. Docketed at head of first page '1 Dec/88.' and 'The Explorer of Thibet [sic]'. He thanks him 'for the Card of the St Botolph Club' and will try to go there the following day. He has 'so many things to do' that he is not sure he will be able to stay there long. Letter Two: 4 pp, 12mo. Docketed beneath address '6 January 89.', and beneath signature 'The traveller in Thibet [sic]'. Thanking him for the 'note and cheque', and hoping that the sketch arrived safely.

1 p, folio. On grey paper. Fair, on aged paper, with slight spotting and chipping to extremities affecting a few words of text. A whole page of the manuscript, numbered '9' and written entirely in Reid's hand, with a few minor emendations by him, from Chapter XXVI, 'Treed by an Alligator'. Begins with the reported speech: '"That would be anything but pleasant - perhaps more so [last word emended from 'unpleasant'] to those who are waiting for us, than to ourselves.

4 pp, 12mo. Bifolium. 73 lines. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper. Hood returned to England from Ostend in 1840, moving into Devonshire Lodge after trying other lodgings. A fine letter, informative, energetic and moving. Jane begins by thanking Mrs Elliot for the 'kind present to my Tom [the couple's son Thomas Hood the younger (1835-1874)]': 'I only wish you could have seen the happy boy - how proud he was - and indeed is, of his new appearance - he sends his love & best thanks. I am sorry to say he does not yet write a readable letter'.

8vo, 14 pp (followed by blank leaf). Unbound and stitched. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper. Drophead title. With 'PRIVATE' in print in the top left-hand corner of the first page, and '[285]' in the bottom left-hand corner. Dated in type at end 'T. H. S. | October 1891.' Sanderson's inscription, at the head of the first page, reads 'From the Author | [signed] S | Sept. 1918'. From the collection of Sir Victor Wellesley, and with two marginal notes by him.

8vo, 43 pp. In original grey printed wraps. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper, in discoloured wraps. Title taken from front wrap. Title-page reads, in abridged form: 'By order of Messrs. W. & T. Avery, Limited, who have recently acquired the Freehold. | Soho Foundry, Smethwick, Birmingham. To Engineers, Boiler Makers and Others.

4 pp, 12mo. Bifolium. 51 lines. Text clear and complete. Fair, on lightly-aged paper. The General Committe have asked Besant to thank the recipient for his 'kind assistance during the last year, and to express their hopes that your sympathy with the objects which they have at heart will still continue'.

4 pp, 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. The unnamed recipient appears to have been named as executor in a prvevious will of Sir Henry Bishop. Opens in dramatic style: 'I was very greatly surprised to receive a letter from you this morning, dated from Brighton, as my poor Brother, Sir Henry Bishop, had not the slightest idea that you were still an inhabitant of this world, having heard of your death some time since, in consequence of which, he made another will similar to the one in your possession, but changing the executors'.

2 pp, 12mo. He is only in Putney for a day, and does not expect to be able to see Schnadhorst. Sir Charles Dilke 'says that Oct. 13 is fixed for Halifax, and that he is not sure that he may not be able to go there after all'. If this is so, 'it would be best to change my day at Newport from the 13th. October'. He will tell '', and would be grateful to Schnadhorst for arranging another day.

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.

12mo, 1 p. Text clear and complete. On aged and creased paper. As 'Archdeacon Manning was unable to call in Clifford street' on the previous Saturday, he would like 'Messrs Stulz to finish his frock coat, & to send it to 22 Tavistock Square, not to be forwarded.' The address was the home of Manning's brother-in-law John Lavicount Anderdon.

12mo, 1 p. Fair, on lightly-aged paper. He is 'unable to make an offer for the back Vols of The Athenaeum - our stock in house being sufficient to meet demands'.

12mo, 3 pp. On bifolium. Clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper. She has 'finished the brown drawing of elves, & birds singing', and, as she is going into the country for a few days, will leave it, 'in a portfolio', at Stratton St. She asks him to 'kindly take care of it', as he has been 'good enough to do with the others. It is, as you know, a very careful & highly-finished drawing'. She asks him to have 'the delicacy of the lines reproduced, & the drawing of the limbs of the little elves, etc. very carefully & exactly rendered, otherwise the drawing wd.

12mo, 4 pp. 61 lines. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper. An impressive letter applying for work. He does not expect Massingham (addressed as 'W. H. Massingham') to remember their meeting 'in the Lobby' when he was 'chief reporter on The Sun', while at the same time holding 'a Parliamentary engagement on the staff of the C. N.' Gives details of his subsequent employment, including joining the editorial staff of the 'Manchester Guardian' ('principally to look after their weekly paper which was in a sad way.

12mo, 2 pp. Bifolium. 37 lines. Text of letter clear and complete, but with damage to head of letter, causing loss to date, with traces of the album leaf to which the letter was attached on reverses. Otherwise good, on lightly-aged paper. He thanks him for his 'friendly congratulation', and has now entered his '81st. year under the most favourable conditions'. He is 'truly thankful that my affectionate Partner and Myself have through a long life been so mercifully dealt with'.

12mo, 1 p. Text clear and complete. Marked up for publication, with the first sentence deleted. On aged and stained paper. He 'can only say that your list seems to me as representative as any that could be drawn up', and that he does not 'feel in a position to offer any criticism upon it'. The edited version of Anstey's letter appeared with others in 'The Academy' in November 1897, in a piece with the opening sentence: 'We have received a large correspondence in response to our request for comment on the list of suggested members for an ACADEMY OF LETTERS published last week.'