Autograph Letters

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. Arnold, whose conversion to Roman Catholicism hindered his academic dvancement in England, was grandfather of the writer Aldous Huxley, and taught James Joyce at Dublin. At the time of writing he was running a private tutoring establishment at Oxford. He begins the letter by explaining that it has hardly been possible to reply to Hutchinson 'during term time [...] I had so much work on my hands'.

Lord Hennessy has characterised the subject of these items, the Northcote-Trevelyan Report of 1854, as 'the greatest single governing gift of the nineteenth to the twentieth century: a politically disinterested and permanent Civil Service with core values of integrity, propriety, objectivity and appointment on merit, able to transfer its loyalty and expertise from one elected government to the next'.

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly aged paper, tipped in onto part of a leaf from an album. The main body of the letter reads: 'I am sorry to say the portmanteau has not arrived - will you enquire about it - I hope you addressed it to the Kirkahm Station on the North Eastern railway.' In a postscript he gives the full address as 'Mr Hudson Kirkham Station on the North Eastern railway York', adding that he will pick it up 'in a few Days when we return'. The letter may result from a mix-up with Kirkham Station in Lancashire.

8pp., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. An interesting letter, written four months before the death of her husband. She begins: 'Dearest Sylvia - | I meant to write to you last month because I am one of those tiresome people who remember anniversaries & it was in August that you both came down to the Windermere to see us.

Both letters in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Both addressed to 'Dear Cyril!' Weingartner's grip of English is shaky. ONE (27 December 1908): 8pp., 8vo. He is working hard, making his own suppers, and reminisces about their time together in Paris. The girls in Rosswein are '(some of them) the finest I have ever seen. There is a lot of Balls here, every forth nighth dansing amusement all over. I was surprized to find that here, as well you find real cafe parisienne.' He describes his fellow-students: 'They come here from all parts of Germany.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. He 'went this a.m. to hear Dr Campbell Morgan, there was a huge audience extending into the 2nd. gallery. He did not preach the sermon he had prepared, but said what came into his mind in connection with the death of the King'. He 'passed the Palace & saw the Royal Standard of England flyig at 1/2 mast'. He regrets the king's death, finding him 'such a good sort & such a power for good politically'.

1p., 8vo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Reads: 'Westminster Feb. 18. 1711/12. | Sr | I desire you will buy and accept five Hundred Pounds Stock in the Capitall Stock of the Company of Merchants of Great Britain trading to the South Seas for my Account and in my name; which will oblige | Sr | Yor. Affect. Brother & Servt | Ofsp. Exon'. Annotated in a nineteenth-century hand at bottom-left: 'Dr Ofspring Blackall.' At the time of writing the South Sea Company had only just been created. It would collapse spectacularly in 1720.

2pp., 8vo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly-aged, with seal cut away from second leaf, which carries a postmark and the address: 'For the Rt. Honoble. Sr. Robert Rich, one of the Lords of the Admiralty. At his house near ye Admty. Office. | Westminster'. Thirty-two lines of text.

On 7 x 11 cm slip of paper, torn from the end of a letter. In fair condition, lightly aged, with minor staining to one corner. Reads, with top line slightly cropped: 'I may have more leisure. | Yours sincerely, | J. Masefield.'

Surman had a brief and undistinguished military career. Having trained with the Connaught Rangers, on 30 October 1895 he received a commission in the 9th Royal Rifle Corps, which he resigned a year later, on 20 October 1896. ONE: Autograph Letter Signed from 'J. Gilbert Surman' to Grubbe, in fragment of envelope addressed by him to 'Captain E. A. Grubbe | The Depôt of the Connaught Rangers | Galway'. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. He writes having 'now left the Connaught Rangers to join my own Regiment at the above place.

On 7.5 x 11 cm slip cut from the end of a letter. In fair condition, lightly aged. On one side reads: 'Gentlemen | Your Obt. Servt. | Fred R Pickersgill | 36 Mornington Crescent | 24 May 1853.' and on the other '[...] at the ensuing half yearly distribution of the Funds of the Institution - | Mr. Varrall is not personally known to me but from the representation of Mr WIlliams ARA [...]'.

In good condition, with slight crease to one corner. Informing him that he will be 'very glad to present your petition when the House re-opens'.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Reads: 'Dear Miss Elphick | I shall be happy to see you on Wednesday the 22nd. inst at 10.45 a.m. | With kind regards | yours truly | Alberto Randegger'.

The subject is clearly the Karteria, the first steam-powered warship to see active service. The Karteria was built in 1825 for the Greek insurgentsd by Daniel Brent Shipwrights in the Greenland South Dockyard, Rotherhithe, London. It was financed mainly from the proceeds of the 2nd Greek Loan raised by the London Philhellenic Committee, but also from the private funds of Captain Frank Abney Hastings. Both items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. ONE: Robilliard to 'Thos Whitmore Esq | Secretary &c &c &c'. 1p., 4to. Headed 'Confidential'. Signed 'Nis Robilliard'.

18.5 x 8.5cm, sl. chipped and stained, but text clear. Signatures of Roberts, C.L. Eastlake and Henry Moseley, adding their addresses in holograph (Eastlake and Roberts both at 7 Fitzroy Square, and Moseley at 52 Upper Charlotte Street), probably clipped from an appeal to the Artists' Benevolent Fund.

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed to 'Arthur C. Blunt, Esq', with salutation to 'My dear Cecil'. With regard to 'Mr. Wigram's letter' he writes that he 'would rather not dramatize a novel, and did I feel an inclination to do so I don't think I am at all a good man for the work'. He nevertheless asks the recipient to inform Wigram that he is 'complimented by his and Lord Desart's proposal'. The postscript is mildly amusing: 'P.S. I hope I am not liable to misconstruction in enquiring after your Housemaid's Knee'.

2pp., 12mo. In fair condition, on aged paper, with slight loss to two words from damage at margin. The first paragraph reads: 'I know enough of siness never to put off acknowledging receipt of money - I got your kind letter this morning with the enclosure - You are more considerate than many people, for which I send you my best thanks.' The second paragraph relates to 'Derby's Bill', which Hanbury has 'recycled', and concerning which Guthrie asks 'What next & next?' Guthrie's entry in the Oxford DNB describes him as 'one of the greatest of Free Church leaders'.

The note and memo are on a 12mo bifolium. In good condition, lightly-aged. The letter is signed 'A. J. Hall' and addressed to 'My dear Doctor'. He explains that he would gladly visit him, 'if at liberty', but that he is 'at Wolverhampton that night with Madame Albani'. The biographical note, presumably in Stewart's autograph, is on the reverse of the second leaf of the bifolium, beneath the following, in red ink: 'Memo. by Dr. James Stewart ("Sheamus Rua") Hon. Secy.

1p., 8vo. Lightly aged, and with creasing and closed tear at head. He will be pleased to autograph any copies of his book which Pettitt would like to send, and concludes: 'Are there any Rankin's in Rochford now? They are related to me'.

1p., 12mo. On a bifolium, part of the second leaf of which has been torn away, but with address by Jeremie to 'Payne Esqr. | Commanding the G

'. In fair condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. Reads: 'Sir John Jeremie presents his compliments to Mr. Payne & begs he will do him the favor of dining with him on Tuesday at half past six o'clock.'

1p., 12mo. On aged and lightly-worn paper. It will give him great pleasure to wait upon Salaman and his sister, and he will certainly do so 'unless absolutely prevented' by the House of Commons, which he hopes will not be the case. The word 'Lord' has been added in a contemporary hand before Stuart's signature.

1p., folio. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper, with leaf from diary tipped in onto blank reverse. Signed 'L. Carlyle Lyon', addressed by Lyon to 'Mr. Asherson' with seasonal greetings in autograph. Heavily annotated with notes by Asherson. Begins: 'You are cordially invited to attend (with a friend or friends) the "Pneumonia Evening" of the OSLER CLUB (President, Mr. V. Zachary Cope, F.R.C.S, in the Chair) on FRIDAY, January 11th, at 7.45 p.m. at the Medical Society of London, 11, Chandos Street, Cavendish Square, W.1. | Speakers: Lord Horder, G.C.V.O.: "Osler and Pneumonia".

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Aged and stained, with creasing along one edge. A wonderful letter, linking two notable figures in late-Victorian society, beginning: 'Do I remember it? how can I ever forget it, considering that we introduced ourselves to each other, without any introduction; & that casual acquaintanceship has developed into a friendship (without a discordant note) which has lasted for about 38 years.' Regarding their first meeting he writes: 'I was not subpoenaed as a short hand writer, as no such functionary was engaged at Bow St.

4pp., 12mo. Two pages on bifolium with two-page postscript on loose leaf. In good condition, lightly aged. He thanks him for his 'kind note and opinion respecting my "Many Thoughts" [ anthology of 1857 ] of which nearly 267 - tons have been sold, an odd way of putting it you will say, but such is the fact.' He is working on a 'curious and suggestive book now on Aphoristic Wisdom'. He thinks he may 'gather something' from Girdlestone's 'Collection', which he undertakes will be 'most carefully and thankfully returned'.

4pp., 16mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly-aged. She assumes that her work ('Celebrated Friendships', 1861), 'published with Messrs Hogg', has attracted his attention. 'Now about my novel, about which you have been very kind. Till the storm of adverse criticism is over, I think it will be much better to delay the work. Any notice it may have, will be cursory, & slight.' She wishes to postpone publication: 'My name will not appear in any book next year, that I know of, at present.' She will be in Derby for a few days, and will be happy to hear from him.

1p., 8vo. In fair condition, aged and worn, with slight loss to one corner and creasing to another. Strengthened on reverse with a small piece of tape. Letterhead in red, with Tempest writing in green ink. She writes warmly: 'I've read your Play, and I think it charming up to the point of the two people who are crooks! It suffers from the same thing that our present Play suffers from. Too sudden a jump!' She invites him to go and see the play, 'and you will gather what I mean'. She ends by describing his play as 'amusing and witty'.

One page, 12mo, fold maks, sl. crinkled, text clear and complete. "I found our housekeeper wants some money. John Cobb is coming down tomorrow. I shd thoink he was sure to go to his office first. And that if you w[oul]d on receipt of this send £30 or so to him he w[oul]d bring it for us."

The ten letters total 4pp., landscape 8vo, and 6pp., 4to. The collection in good condition, lightly aged and worn. With stamps and annotations of the Royal Society of Arts. The correspondence relates to a lecture given by him by invitation, and its subsequent publication in the Society's journal. He originally suggests that it be titled 'The Application of Science to economic purposes, with illustrations from the Cotton Trade', thinking that it would 'attract people outside cotton circles', but is persuaded to alter this to 'Examples of Applied Science in the Cotton Industry'.

Each item 1p., 4to. The collection in good condition, on lightly aged paper. The correspondence shows the eighty-three-year-old Bramwell as an active member of the Society's Council. One letter relates a paper by 'Mr. Madgen' on 'the dwelling accommodation in London', another refers to the death of a 'charming colleague' named Cobb.

Seven pages, 12mo, two bifoliums, fold marks, staining caused by (removed) sellotape, text clear and complete. "I have read with great interewst the proposed draft revision of the present Regulations governing the exams & advancement of acct. officers." He hopes they will be adopted, but then raises "points of criticism" about hard-working secretaries, officers who fail first time, fewer different certificates of service, presentation of certificates by candidates, disuse of a writer as a clerk, etc. He had taken command of the "Essex" on the 14 September (i.e.