PALGRAVE

An excellent letter, casting light on one of the milestones of the English poetic canon. See his entry, and hers, in the Oxford DNB. ‘The Golden Treasury of the Best Songs and Lyrical Poems in the English Language’ appeared in 1861, and it remains, as J. W. Mackail wrote in the original DNB, 'one of those rare instances in which a critical work has substantive imaginative value, and entitles its author to rank among creative artists'.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB, and that of the recipient, who is not named, but is Sir George Cornewall Lewis (1806-1863), Liberal Chancellor of the Exchequer, husband of the author Lady Theresa Lewis (1803-1865; ODNB), with whom he lived in Kent House in Knightsbridge. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded once for postage. 3pp, 12mo. Signed ‘F. Palgrave’. Written in a difficult hand. Begins: ‘My dear Sir / I should never think of [?] upon Lady Theresa the labour of searching through our dusty records’.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB, with that of the recipient Lady [Maria] Theresa Lewis (1803-1865), who lived in Kent House in Knightsbridge with her second husband Sir George Cornewall Lewis (1806-1863), Bart, Liberal Chancellor of the Exchequer, her first husband having been the novelist Thomas Henry Lister (1800-1842). The three items are in good condition, lightly aged. Written in a difficult hand. ONE (13 June 1850, ‘Rolls House’): AL in the third person. 1p, 12mo. ‘Sir F.

1p, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. From the celebrated manuscript collection of Richard Monckton Milnes (Lord Houghton). The recipient is not named. Reads: 'My dear Sir/ | I have no doubt but that any statement which you may make to the Speaker will be in strict accordance with the facts; and I shall be always ready to bear testimony to your services during your connection with me - but for that very reason, I should not wish to impute [last word underlined three times] any document which you may have to present to him. Yrs ever faithfully | Francis Palgrave'.

2pp, 4to. On first leaf of bifolium, the second leaf carrying the address to 'Lady Palgrave | Hampstead Green', with four postmarks, one dated 29 July 1837. In fair condition, on aged, worn and creased paper. Lady Elizabeth Palgrave was the wife of the archivist and historian Sir Francis Palgrave (1788-1861, né Cohen), and daughter of the banker, naturalist and bibliophile Dawson Turner (1775-1858) of Yarmouth.

On 4 x 10.5 cm. strip of paper, cut from a letter, presumably in response to a request for an autograph. In fair condition, with light signs of age.

52pp., 12mo. In green cloth notebook with label of Reeves & Sons Ltd, London. In good condition, with moderate signs of age and wear, in worn binding. Calthrop's ownership inscription in pencil on front pastedown: 'Dion Clayton Calthrop | 29 Sussex Place | Queens Gate | S.W.' Apart from the two landscape studies in charcoal colours (both of cliffs by the sea), the rest of the sketchbook consists of pencil sketches in a tight, disciplined hand.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly-aged. 'Sir F Palgrave' in another hand at the head. Reads: 'My dear Sir | I enclose a note for Hooker but not knowing your particular object it is rather vague | Yrs truly | F. Palgrave'.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Reads: 'My dear Young | Jack Calthorpe-Clayton is in the country: and I don't know when he will be home. He will be much grieved, I know, not to be here to welcome you back to our dingy old capital, when he knows of your apparition here | Yours very truly | J Palgrave Simpson'. The identity of 'Jack Calthorpe-Clayton' is uncertain. The name is certainly spelt thus, but may be a mistake for 'Colthorpe-Clayton'.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, on aged paper, with a closed tear along a fold line unobtrusively repaired with archival tape. Addressed at foot to 'F. Palgrave Esqr' (he would not be knighted until 1832), beside which Palgrave has written: 'Mr. Crofton Croker. | Author of Fairy Legends of the South of Ireland &c.' The text of the letter reads: 'My dear Sir | I ought to apologize for not replying to your invitation for Wednesday evening last. - My excuse must be that I did not return to town until yesterday and that your note reached me on Friday at Brighton.'

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Palgrave begins: 'My dear Inglis/ | I have had such avalanches [last word underlined] of business - and most of a confidential nature - that I have really been unable to write to you. By confidential business I mean business of a class which I cannot open to mhy clerks - and what must be either copied by my own hands or at home - If it had not been for Fanny Brown in addition to her sister I do not know what I should have done'.

3pp., 4to. Bifolium. Addressed, on reverse of second leaf, to 'Francis Cohen Esq | King's Bench Walk | Temple | London'. Fair, on aged paper, with the narrow remains of a paper windowpane mount around the edges of the second leaf. Milman begins: 'I found Garbett so much occupied that until yesterday I have not had an opportunity of seeing him'. Garbett has promised to send Milman 'a detailed answer' to all of Cohen's questions, 'and is very much flattered by your favorable opinion'.

Dimensions of card 6 x 9 cm. Good. Printed on the card are the name 'Miss Anna Swanwick,' and the address. Written around the name in MS is 'Mr Palgrave, The Misses Palgrave from [Miss Anna Swanwick] With kindest regards and all the good wishes of the season.'

On piece of grey wove paper cut into a rough rectangle, 5 x 8 cm. Good, but with light traces of glue from previous mounting on reverse. Reads '<...> | I have honour to remain | Dear Sir | Yr obt. & hble. Servt | F. Palgrave', with the flourish to the 't' of 'Servt' forming the top horizontal stroke to the 'F.' in Palgrave's signature. Reverse reads '<...> | In conformity <...> | my letter to you <...> | July last, I requir<...> | my name may be <...>'.

One page, 12mo, asking her friend to dinner "to meet a friend from the country", fearing that "there is small chance of finding you disengaged" with such late notice.

One page, octavo. Good, on aged paper with some loss to extremities repaired with archival tape. Fifteen lines of text clear and complete. On learning of Dawson Turner's celebrated collection of autographs from her son, Elizabeth Palgrave's 'kind old neighbour' Lady Bentham asked her 'some questions which led to the enclosed note & the letters I send' (none present).

Three pages, 12mo. Good, but with a couple of closed tears on crease and with the remains of a brown-paper mount adhering to the blank verso of the second leaf of the bifoliate. The letter (2 pages) reads 'The coming coach drove my husband [Sir Francis Palgrave, 1788-1861, civil servant and antiquary] into London before he had well finished his note [see below].

Playwright under the name Walter Gordon. The first, 4 pp, 12mo, on mourning paper, 24 August 1887, c/o Mrs H. E. Rose, Buxton on the Water, Glos. "I went to Town yesterday to attend the Funeral of my old friend [John] Palgrave Simpson [dramatist and novelist, 1807-1887, DNB], returning here again this morning. / Of course the death seemed sudden when it came although one had forseen it coming for some long time past.