SOCIETY

Four items, in good condition, lightly aged. The three letters with date stamps of the Society of Arts, and two with pencil annotations. All three signed 'Cloudesley Brereton'. ONE: ALS of 4 January 1900. 2pp, 12mo. He thanks him for his 'kindly intervention with the Board of Education', which he believes 'will in time bear good fruit'. He has been 'thinking over' Wood's 'suggestion of giving a lecture on the Rural Schools of France', and would 'much like to take it up if you have still a vacant date & you do not want it too soon - as I am just now overwhelmed with work'.

For a detailed report of the Incorporated Society of Musicians conference at which these autographs were given, and which took place in Birmingham over the five days between 30 December 1912 and 3 January 1913, see Musical Times, 1 February 1913, pp.113-114. Thirteen signatures of British pre-war musical figures, on ten pieces of paper, ranging from 16 x 19 cm to 7 x 13 cm, nine of them on parts leaves of various colours cut from an album. In good condition, lightly aged. In only two cases are the signatures on both sides of the paper, on the other eight the reverse is blank.

1p, 4to. In good condition, lightly aged. With date stamp of the RSA. In response to a letter from Wood, he writes that he is 'highly honoured by the election to the membership of the Council of your Society', but that he is 'obliged to communicate to you my inability to accept it'. He explains: 'My work at the Royal Society has, in consequence of the War, increased to such an extent that I do not feel justified in undertaking any additional duties'.

3pp., 12mo. On bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded once. With date stamp of the RSA, and endorsement in blue pencil. He is writing to inform Wood that 'a relative of mine has written a paper on a subject of importance regarding the connection of fat [containing glycerin] with manufacture of explosives in Germany - and showing how that Country is approaching a crisis - when her supply of fat will be approaching exhaustion'.

See the entry for Martin Hope Sutton in the Oxford DNB, and that for his grandson Martin Hubert Fouquet Sutton in Who Was Who. 2pp, 4to. I good condition, lightly aged and worn. Folded three times. With RSA date stamp. Signed 'Martin H F Sutton'. In reply to a letter from Menzies, Sutton expresses regret that 'it will be impossible for you to attend the Demonstration here on the 24th inst.' Sutton will be 'publishing certain particulars for the benefit of those present' and will be glad to send Menzies a copy.

The full title is: 'An Address to the Quarterly, Monthly and Preparative Meetings, and the Members thereof, composing the Yearly Meeting of Friends, held in Philadelphia, By the Committee appointed at the late Yearly Meeting to have charge of the Subject of Slavery.' 12pp, 12mo. Pamphlet in (original?) plain brown wraps. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Begins with two pages of extracts from the minutes, 17 May 1839, regarding the setting up of the committee on 'the deeply interesting subject of Slavery', with reference to 'Benjamin Price, Jr. Clerk' and 'Deborah F.

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged. The reverse of the second leaf laid down on part of leaf from an album, the other side of which carries an engraving of Lord Melbourne. The letter is endorsed '1838 Sept 7# | Lady Holland' on the reverse of the second learf, and at the head of the first page: 'R[eplied]. at Dalmeny | Septr. 12. 1838'. There is no salutation to the letter (which is also unsigned), but the reference to Dalmeny House would appear to suggest that the recipient was Archibald Primrose, 4th Earl of Rosebery, or his second wife, born Anne Margaret Anson.

See Goodenough's entry in the Oxford DNB. At the time of writing he had not been long in place: he had been consecrated in the Chapel Royal, Whitehall on 13 February 1808, having been nominated by the Prime Minister the Duke of Portland. The recipient is Rev. Gilbert Ford (1768-1835) of Ormskirk, son of the eminent Chester physician and botanist John Ford (1731-1807). (Ford was possibly related to Goodenough by marriage: the latter's wife was a daughter of Dr James Ford, sometime physician to Middlesex Hospital and to Queen Charlotte.) 2pp, 4to. On bifolium.

Printed in black ink on both sides of a 26 x 30 cm piece of thick shiny art paper. Worn and folded twice. One side carries a priced list of eleven 'Natural History Works by R. KEARTON, F.Z.S.

See Rees's entry in the Welsh Dictionary of Biography. Printed in red and black on one side of a 12mo leaf. Aged and creased, with loss at head and a couple of short closed tears at edges. Gives price and format, with nine appreciative quotations from newspaper reviews, the first from 'Western Mail' and last from 'A Friend'. At foot of the page, crossed out in pencil: 'Printed and Published by | W. SPURRELL & SON, CARMARTHEN.' To the right of the author's name, in ink, and presumably in his hand: 'Sent to the author', and to the left, 'Few copies left.'

196pp, 4to. In ruled notebook. Internally in fair condition, on aged and lightly-worn paper, with covers detached and worn. Providing an interesting view of the day to day challenges of amateur dramatic production in the 1970s. Each set of minutes is signed by one member of the committee. The first set, 7 June 1973, list Philip Rayner as chairman, Bernard Wigginton as secretary, Philip Hickson as Treasurer, with other committee members Gill Ager, Derek Barrett, Peter Orton and Sue Rowlands.

See the separate entries on the Gibsons in the Oxford DNB, which notes 'her eclectic salons, attended by diplomats, writers, politicians, and, after 1848, European exiles. Regular guests included Dickens, Thackeray, Hugo, Lady Morgan, the Disraelis, Cobden, and Louis Napoleon'. (Dickens wrote part of his last novel, 'The Mystery of Edwin Drood', at the Gibsons' London house.) The present item is from the papers of Arethusa's mother Lady Ann Cullum (1807-1875), wife of Rev. Sir Thomas Gery Cullum (1777-1855) of Hardwick House. 4pp, 12mo. Bifolium.

4pp, 16mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded once. With embossed armorial letterhead. Good firm signature: 'Clara Novello.' An interesting letter, casting light on the practical arrangement of musical concerts in Victorian Britain and Ireland. The recipient is not named, and the letter begins: 'Dear Sir, | I have not heard from Mr. Bussell of your Concert, but on receipt of your favor of the 15th. consider myself engaged to Belfast for the 1st.

Despite the four years (1840-1844) Howitt spent in the colony with his brother the entomologist Godfrey Howitt (1800-1873), the present letter has nothing to do with Australia. The letter is addressed to the editors of 'The Aurora Borealis: A Literary Annual edited by Members of the Society of Friends'. This periodical was the work of a group of Quakers in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, with George Atley Brumell (1800-1877) one of the founding editors. Another of those involved was Joseph Watson (1807-1874), named in the letter's address.

4pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice. For information regarding this renowned firm of silversmiths, which possessed the royal warrant and mounted a sumptuous display at the Great Exhibition, see Norman Mosley Penzer, 'Paul Storr, 1771-1844, Silversmith and Goldsmith' (1954), and John Culme, 'Directory of Gold and Silversmiths' (2000). The nature of the '”Australian” implement' which is the subject of the letter is unclear, but information on Hunt's partner's connection with Australia is to be found in L. W.

An attractive artefact, printed in black on one side of a 46 x 34 cm piece of thick paper, with the embossed circular 'lyre' seal of the Society added in red ink in the left-hand margin. Completed in manuscript with the details of the election as a fellow of 'The Right Honourable Lord Alverstone G. C. M. G.', on 17 May 1909. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Ornate heading of the Philharmonic Society, with royal crest (the society being 'Under the immediate patronage of | Their Most Gracious Majesties The King & Queen Alexandra') and the engraved names of the principal officers.

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. With the cover of the letter's envelope, addressed to H. A. Bright at Trinity Collrge, Cambridge. Both letter and cover in fair condition, lightly aged and worn.

No other copy of this royal memento has been traced, either on OCLC WorldCat or on COPAC. It is 29 + [3]pp, 32mo. Stitched with white thread into shiny white paper covers, with title duplicated within border in black on front, and back cover carrying an advertisement for a 'New Series of Packets of Books, for the young'. The final three pages carry a catalogue of 'Publications of The Book Society, 19, Paternoster Row, London.' In fair condition lightly aged, with faded front cover and dogeared corners.

Printed in black on one side of a 51 x 39 cm piece of light-green paper. Heavily inked, in the variety of types and point sizes typical of the period. Printed on high-acidity paper, and perhaps a unique survival. Aged and worn, with chipping and short closed tears to extremities. Reads: 'Imperial College | Literary and Debating Society | [thick-thin rule] | A LECTURE | ON | “The Interaction of Life | and Matter” | BY | SIR OLIVER LODGE, | D.Sc., F.R.S.

2pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, aged and spotted, with loss at foot of reverse of last leaf, the verso of which is addressed to 'Mr Palmer | Bookseller | 18 Paternoster Row'. The recipient is the theological bookseller Ebenezer Palmer the elder (c.1782-1866). Twenty-two lines of text in a difficult hand. The stridently pious tone perhaps hints at some degree of mental instability. The letter opens: 'My dear Sir & friend in the LORD | I greet you in Him'.

Irregular strip of paper, roughly 6 x 14 cm, one side bearing the valediction to a letter. In poor condition, aged and worn. Reads: 'With many thanks for your kind attention & with sincere regards, I remain | Sir | Your very Obedient Servant | Geo. Combe'. Crosswise on the reverse is part of Combe's addressing of the letter: 'Andrew Carmichael E[sq] | M. R. I. […] | [Pullis?] Ro[ad] | D[...]'.

1p, 4to. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with slight use of archival paper, and thin strip of paper from mount adhering to reverse. A splendid explosion of outrage at his correspondent's use of the word 'bump'. The recipient is not identified.

Frost's eventful career (patronised by royalty and blackballed by the Royal Society) is described in his entry in the Oxford DNB, in which he is described as a 'medical entrepreneur'. The letter is written from the premises in which Frost lived from 1824 to 1830, as Secretary to the Royal Humane Society. The recipient Thomas Gibbs (1771-1849), seedsman and nurseryman, of Ampthill and Brompton Lodge, Old Brompton, was the father of the agriculturalist and horticulturalist Sir Benjamin Thomas Brandreth-Gibbs (1821-1885). See his obituary in the Farmer's Magazine, March 1849. 3pp, 4to. Bifolium.

For Murchison and the subject of the letter, the eminent Scottish physician and medical author James Copland (1791-1870), see the Oxford DNB. Both items bifoliums; and both in good condition, with thin strip of paper from mount adhering to the reverse of the second leaf. ONE: 3pp, 12mo. He begins by saying that he has seen Sir Henry Thompson (1820-1904), who 'cannot possibly meet us to-morrow but he will be at Dr Coplands at 3.40 on Thursday – That is the day of my Law Case but I will be there if I can'.

Lettsom's entry in the Oxford DNB erroneously states that his son John Miers Lettsom, M.D., 'a physician of promise', died in 1799. For the true details, see Gentleman's Magazine, January 1800. 1p, 8vo. Bifolium. In fair condition, aged and worn, with thin strip of paper adhering to the blank reverse of the second leaf, which is addressed, with fragment of seal in black wax, to 'Mr Charles Taylor | 134 | Cheapside'. The recipient may well be Charles Taylor (d.1816), physician, originally a Manchester calico printer and dyer, who later became Secretary of the Society of Arts, London.

The present letter concerns the editorship of the Annual Monitor, a Quaker magazine subtitled 'Obituary of the members of the Society of Friends in Great Britain and Ireland', published between 1812 and 1919. The founding editor was William Alexander (1768-1841), and following Alexander's death 'the Editors' referred to in the letter included Sarah Backhouse and the letter's author Samuel Tuke. The recipient would appear to be the magazine's printer. 2pp, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged, with thin strip of paper adhering to blank second leaf of bifolium. Folded twice.

The recipient is Charles Taylor (d.1816), physician, originally a Manchester calico printer and dyer, who later became Secretary of the Society of Arts, London. 1p, 8vo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged, with thin strip of paper from mount adhering to reverse of second leaf, which is addressed, with postmarks to 'Dr. Taylor | Principal Secretary | to the Society of Arts &c | Adelphi'. Folded four times. Reads: 'Dear Doctor | I have this day proposed your name to the Medical Society of London.

1p, 4to. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged, with thin strip from mount adhering to reverse of second leaf, which is addressed, with broken seal in red wax, to 'Dr. Blagden | Secry. to the | Royal Society | London'. After thanking Blagden for the trouble he has taken 'in transmitting the thanks of the R: Socy. To me for the trifling performance I sent to the Library', Hamilton continues: 'I consider myself as honoured by its reception.

1p, 12mo. In fair condition, on aged paper, with thin strip of paper from mount adhering to reverse of second leaf of bifolium. Reads: 'Mr. Paget regrets that an engagement for the Evening of February 4th. prevents his having he honour of accepting the Invitation of the President, Vice-Presidents and Council of the Hunterian Society'. From the distinguished autograph collection of the psychiatrist Richard Alfred Hunter (1923-1981), whose collection of 7000 works relating to psychiatry is now in Cambridge University Library.

For information on Solly, see his entry in the Oxford DNB. 2pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged, with slight damaged to second leaf caused by opening of wafer. Adhering to the second leaf is a thin strip of paper from the mount. The recipient is not identified. He is sorry that he will not be able 'to be present at the first Meeting of the Society', as he made an engagement before he 'remembered it'. He will 'endeavour to have something for the second night'.