[James Lumsden ('Samuel Mucklebackit'), Scottish author.] Autograph Letter Signed to Edinburgh surgeon Alexander Miles, describing how his family is 'totally ruined' and appealing for help. With copy of his 'Lays and Letters from Linton'.

LETTER: ALS 'To Dr Alexander Miles F.R.C.S.E.' 13 July 1897. 1p, 4to. Signed 'James Lumsden (late of Nether Hailes) | now – 34 Royal Park Terrace | Edinburgh', with postscript signed in initials. Written on the blank reverse of the second leaf of a bifolium advertisement for Lumsden's 'The Battles of Dunbar and Prestonpans, and other selected poems' (1896), on which Lumsden's address is given as 34 Royal Park Terrace, Edinburgh. Aged and worn, with closed tears along fold line. A long letter, one of many similar which Lumsden wrote in his distress. He is sending on approval an unsolicited copy of his new book, 'which has been well received by the Press'. He does so 'with much diffidence, & just trusting that my circumstances may excuse me. Our family occupied for 32 years the large & well-known arable farm of Nether Hailes in Great Lothian, but owing to the long-continued agricultural depression – greatly aggravated in our instance by exceptional domestic trials – we were at length fain to quit it, having lost our all – capital, stock, plant, a considerable amount of house property, &c. - in short, having been totally ruined. Since leaving the famr my chief means of earning a subsistence for our household have merely been those my rustic pen has afforded.' His 'first books were fairly successful, but this effort is, I think the most interesting. And truly it had need be “successful” also, for to authors so poor as I am now the expenses of book publishing are very serious – if not, indeed, appalling.' The price of the book is four shillings, but in his 'sadly altered circumstances', he will 'gratefully welcome' anything that Miles may wish to send, and should he wish to return the book he will 'send stamps for return postage, &c.' BOOK: Copy of Lumsden's book 'Lays and Letters from Linton' ('By Samuel Mucklebacket [sic] (James Lumsden) Author of “Rural Rhymes,” “Country Chronicles,” &c.'). xiv + 220 pp, 8vo. In original burgundy cloth. Internally lightly aged and worn, in worn binding.