AUTOGRAPH

Only a handful of letters (or less) by the artist, aesthete and murderer Thomas Griffiths Wainewright survive (None yet traced!). He holds the dubious distinction of being the first English murderer to employ strychnine; with his wife's help he first murdered her half-sister and then his uncle. Artist, essayist, connoisseur and dandy, friend of Charles Lamb and patron of William Blake, Wainewright is a fascinating and elusive figure who inspired Oscar Wilde, whose study of Wainewright, the essay 'Pen, Pencil and Poison', first appeared in 1889, cribbed from the introduction to W.

Autograph Note in the third person. On one of 11 x 20 cm slip of paper. In good condition, lightly aged, with stub from mount adhering to reverse. Reads: 'Mrs. Piozzi's Coms. And if Dr. Perney is disengaged this Eveng & would like to hear Mr. Yaniewitsh play on the Violin She should be happy in his Company to Tea - - - and it would be very obliging in him to bring the Viol D'Amore with him. | Streatham Park | Friday 24.' Perney was domestic chaplain to the Earl of Coventry. The violinist Felix Janewicz (1762–1848) was a Polish exile from France who made his London debut in February 1791.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged.; Written in a close, difficult hand. The letter begins: 'My dear Arthur | Cecil Sharp of the Conservatoire Hampstead is with me, & would much like to run to Brixham on Saturday & tap your fishermen for songs. He will stay over to Monday.' The final two sentences are not entirely legible. Having been a barrister before entering the church, Arthur Baring-Gould served as chaplain at Parkhurst and Dartmoor prisons.

On both sides of a 5 x 20 cm piece of laid paper. Minor traces of mount adhering to blank parts of one side. In good condition, lightly aged. Unruly hand. No signature: One side reads: '[…] as [last word deleted] [The?] we may say with the Queen in Hamlet methinks he doe protest too much. It is professing too [last word deleted] much with us to [deletion] rejoice as to celebrate the good [...]'. And on the other side: '[…] I suspect on such occasions there is some latent reason, that latent, is imitation'.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. It is good of the unnamed-recipient to ask Elwes 'to hear Mrs. Hill sing and to wish me to give her some lessons […] I do not, however, give lessons as I have not sufficient time to devote to teaching. There is considerable difficulty about hearing singers as I do not live now in London and only go there when I have to sing and always leave again as soon as I can!' He hopes he will not 'think it an impertinence on my part' to suggest that he lets 'Mrs. Hill sing to my singing master, Mr.

'If he survives he may well be a great man at 40':Glubb Pasha gives his assessment of King Hussein of Jordan in 1959Three autograph documents by 'Glubb Pasha', giving a detailed and perceptive assessment of the character and situation of his erstwhile master King Hussein of Jordan (1935-1999), written to assist John Freeman (1915-2014) in preparing the interview with King Hussein broadcast in the BBC series 'Face to Face' on 1 January 1960. From the papers of the programme's producer Hugh Burnett (1924-2011).

Three slips of paper cut from letters. All in good condition, lightly aged, and each with minor evidence of previous mounting. ONE: Hannah More. On both sides of 4 x 15.5 cm slip. On one side: '[…] I am this moment come from Charlotte she is vastly well only her eyes have some remaining weknesses | Adieu my dear Madam believe me with all possible regard your ever obliged and affectionate | Servant | H More'. Other side: '[…] the good People here enough to be all concerned any of their judgment or their Actions where Taste has any thing to do.

4pp., 4to. Bifolium with mourning border. In fair condition, lightly aged, with short closed tears at edges of some folds. An excellent letter, indignantly countering what must be the most serious accusation one historian can level against another, that of making 'false quotations'. The recipient is not named, but from the context is undoubtedly the Headmaster of Rugby School, Thomas Arnold, who since the previous year had held the Regius Professorship of History at Oxford, and would die four months later, on 12 June 1842.

1p., 4to. In good condition, lightly aged. Reads: 'Hamaikamalama [sic] | Sunday Morning. | The King wishes to acknowledge Mr. Synge's Kindness in sending him the “Saturday Review”, which will be returned after perusal. - | The King & Queen regret they cannot accept Mr. Allan's invitation to be of the morning's riding party. - | To H. B. M. Representative'. For information on the recipient William Webb Follett Synge, see his entry in the Oxford DNB.

The recipient Edmund Charles Henning Buxton (1813-1878) was born at Northrepps Hall, Cromer, the Norfolk estate of his kinsman the MP Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton (1786-1845), who presented an abolitionist petition to the House of Commons bearing 187,000 signatures, at the head of which was Amelia Opie's. 2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Addressed on reverse of second leaf, with red wax seal, to 'Edmund Buxton | Douglas's Hôtel | St Andrews Square'.The letter begins: 'My dear Edmund, | Please not to call on me tomorrow for fear I should not be visible, or should be out.

1p., foolscap 8vo. In good condition, lightly aged. On bifolium, docketed on reverse of second leaf: 'Dated the 9th. August 1870. | The Right Honorable Edward Gordon Lord Penrhyn | to | Lieutenant D: G: Griffith | Commission promoting him to be Captain of and in the Royal Carnarvon Rifle Militia.' Added in another hand at foot: 'Gazetted 16th. Augt 1870.' . The twenty-four line commission (appointing Griffith 'vice Kneeshaw resigned) is in a secretarial hand, signed at the foot by Penrhyn.

Five black and white prints, all laid down on mount and in glass frame. Later prints (1940s) rather than the early silver gelatin ones. Each with manuscript caption at foot of mount, and Negative Number written in manuscript on reverse of frame. Each print in excellent condition. All five behind glass in worn plain black frames. From the papers of Charles Chilton, the creator and producer of the influential BBC Radio series 'Journey into Space' (1953-1958), which numbered among its admirers Stephen Hawking and Colin Pillinger.

3pp., 4to. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged, with thin stub from mount neatly adhering. A long, closely written letter of 116 lines, including eight-line postscript at head of first page. Addressed by Dyer on reverse of second leaf: 'To Lord Buchan | Dryburgh Abbey | Berwickshire | Scotland.' Buchan has annotated the reverse of the second leaf: 'George Dyer | Characteristic | while I reasoned with George Dyer in my Library at Dryburgh Abbey on the Economy of Nature and the Providence of God, I said Heaven itself will one day bear witness to my Words.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged, with slight rust staining at head from paperclip. Reads: 'Dear C. B/ | Choice of two photographs with pleasure that you so flatter me as to want one. | Thought the enclosed cuttings from the NY Daily Mirror would interest you. Dont trouble to retain them. | Yours | George.' Wood was a screen and stage actor and comedian. A dwarf, he usually performed as a child. He wrote a weekly column in The Stage, and was a stalwart of the Savage Club. He is mentioned by John Lennon in the Beatles song 'Dig It'.

The two letters in good condition, both laid down on pieces of card cut from an album.`ONE: ALS from 'Muley Ali Cherif H. de Wazan' to Lady Green. 1p., 12mo. Reads: 'Dear Lady Green | Thank you for the dog you were so kind as to send me. I find he is very good for hunting rabbits, a sport I am devoted to, It is most kind of you to promise to take care of him while I am away.' TWO: ANS from 'Muley Ahmed de Wazan'. 1p., 12mo. In purple ink. 'Dear Lady Green | I will arrange the affair you mentioned in your letter of yesterday. With compliments | Your's sincerely'.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with rust-spotting at foot and to one margin. An interesting document relating to the early days of women's admission to British universities. The recipient is the geologist Ernest Westlake (1855-1922), and the subject is his daughter Margaret Agnes Westlake, who would become a diploma student at St Hugh's. Westlake's papers are held at the Museum of Natural History, Oxford. Marett thinks it is 'a bother about your daughter not being able to enter Somerville, but Somerville is not Oxford'.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Traces of mount adhering to blank reverse of second leaf, otherwise in good condition. The recipient is not named. He should have been pleased to 'deliver the opening address to the Dialectic Society - to which I have owed many pleasant hours in former years', but his engagements in November do not permit it: 'I shall then have lectures & other duties at Cambridge which would not allow of my going to Glasgow for the purpose of delivering the address'. He asks for his thanks for the invitation to be relayed to 'the General Board'.

First two letters 1p., 4to; third letter 2pp., 4to. All three signed 'John Cartier'. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. In the last letter he states that he has received the 'envelopes', and has 'distributed them round to various singers and musicians who will eventually, I am sure, be sending you a photograph with best wishes'. He apologises for being unable to invite him to visit: 'You see, this is a very tiny flat and, in fact, I am very seldom here for any length of time as my work means continual journeying from place to place for concerts and shows.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly creased. Reads: 'Dear Charles | I spoke to Walter Shenson about your script. The Beatles have decided they do not want to do a Western after all, so he is returning the script to us. It is as simple as that.' Shenson had produced the Beatles' films 'A Hard Day's Night' (1964) and 'Help' (1965).

A significant document in the history of BBC Television, casting valuable light on production practices and internal procedure in the years following the end of the BBC's television monopoly. From the papers of distinguished producer Charles Chilton (1917-2013), best known for his radio series 'Journey into Space' and association with the Goon Show. The present item relates to the first of the BBC Television Training Courses.

'If he survives he may well be a great man at 40':Glubb Pasha gives his assessment of King Hussein of Jordan in 1959Three autograph documents by 'Glubb Pasha', giving a detailed and perceptive assessment of the character and situation of his erstwhile master King Hussein of Jordan (1935-1999), written to assist John Freeman (1915-2014) in preparing the interview with King Hussein broadcast in the BBC series 'Face to Face' on 1 January 1960. From the papers of the programme's producer Hugh Burnett (1924-2011).

1p., 8vo. In fair condition, lightly aged, with pin holes to one corner. Date stamp. After thanking Luckhurst for his letter he writes: 'I am very flattered that your Council should wish to nominate me for election as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and shall consider it a great honour to be so elected. I am returning the form of application together with my cheque for three guineas.'

1p., 4to. In fair condition, lightly aged. Franked on the other side, with broken seal in red wax and postmark: 'London Feby: the 3 1795 | Miss Poole | Chichester | Egremont'. Unsigned, and in Hayley's untidy hand. Reads: 'Tuesday | 5 oclock | I have not been able to call on the Sheffield Travellers today but having caught a Frank from my noble Friend of Petworth I will dispatch my Servant without losing another post | adio'. Hayley later introduced his friend Miss Harriet Poole (‘the Lady of Lavant’) to William Blake, who would join him on visits to her villa in Lavant.

This is the transcript of John Freeman's celebrated interview of Evelyn Waugh, broadcast in the BBC series 'Face to Face' on 26 June 1960. The Waugh interview is not among those which feature in Burnett's book 'Face to Face' (Jonathan Cape, 1964) and has never been published. Waugh was apprehensive about the interview, writing beforehand to his friend Tom Driberg, who knew Freeman from his time as a fellow Labour MP: ‘I have let myself in for cross-examination on Television by a man named Major Freeman who I am told was a colleague of yours in the Working Class Movement.

1p., 8vo. Slight damp damage along left-hand margin, otherwise in fair condition. Reads: 'My Lord, | I have been honoured with your Lordship's Letter of this day's date; and I will lose no time in giving fresh authority to the Secretary at War to issue the pay and allowances to the Lamerton and Milton Abbott Corps, according to the amended return now transmitted to me by your Lordship.' Docketed on reverse.

The four letters are in good condition, with light signs of age and wear. Written in Payne's neat and mannered hand, and all four signed 'J Bertrand Payne'. For the background to the correspondence see Jim Cheshire's article 'The Fall of the House of Moxon', Victorian Poetry, Spring 2012. Payne was manager of the London publishing house Edward Moxon & Co., celebrated for their association with poets.

In fair condition, lightly aged, with punch holes for ring binder. Addressed to 'John M[?] Esq. | (Far Eastern Section) | B.B.C. | 200 Oxford St | London W'. Text reads 'Alas, I have been ill with a virus infection and am going to France for a holiday with Henry, who has been ill too, and I don't think I had better undertake anything. Can I leave it till I come back – that will be at the end of September? | R. W.' In addition to two date stamps and a reference number the card carries two initialled manuscript notes on the address side.

Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1811-1888) of Frampton Court was the eldest son of Thomas Sheridan (1775-1817) and his wife the novelist Caroline Henrietta Sheridan (1779-1851, born Caroline Henrietta Callander of Craigforth). He was the grandson of his namesake the celebrated playwright Richard Brinsley Sheridan. He was Liberal Member of Parliament for Shaftesbury, 1845-1852; and for Dorchester, 1852-1868. He also served as High Sheriff and Deputy Lieutenant of Dorset. He married Marcia Maria Grant (1815-1884) in 1835, and they had three daughters and six sons.

An interesting artefact of Hancock's celebrated interview by John Freeman (1915-2014), broadcast on 7 February 1960 in the BBC series 'Face to Face'. From the papers of the programme's producer Hugh Burnett (1924-2011). During the half-hour interview an earnest and humourless Hancock responded frankly to Freeman's questions about his life and work. Hancock had always been highly self-critical, and it has been argued that the interview exacerbated this tendency, contributing to his later difficulties.

Two items relating to Sitwell's interview with John Freeman (1915-2014), broadcast in the BBC series 'Face to Face' on 6 May 1959. The two items are from the papers of the programme's producer Hugh Burnett (1924-2011). ONE: Autograph Letter Signed to Burnett. Signed 'Edith Sitwell'. On letterhead of Renishaw Hall, Renishaw, nr. Sheffield. 18 August 1959. 3pp., 12mo. In envelope with Italian stamp and postmark, addressed by Sitwell to 'Hugh Burnett, Esqre. | Television Studio | Lime Grove | London. W.12'.