SOCIETY

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 Bonney's entry in the Oxford DNB. 4pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. The recipient is not named. It is unfortunate that the subject of the letter is not stated. Against the charge of misogyny, it should be noted that Bonney 'had the reputation of being a hard teacher, but also a generous man', and that he could equally well have written in the same way to a man he considered equally ill-equipped for a theological task.

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.

According to Duncan's entry in the Oxford DNB, 'In 1809 he founded the Caledonian Horticultural Society, and in later years he was actively occupied in promoting the establishment of a public experimental garden.' 2pp, 4to. In good condition, on aged paper, creased. The recipient is not named, and the letter begins: 'Although I have already often interrupted important business of State, yet I trust you will once more, forgive an Octogenarian, when he can plead, that his principal temptation, to transgression, is an earnest desire to promote the publick good -'.

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.

Three items from the papers of Sir John Pollock, relating to his translation of Eugène Brieux's scandalous play 'Les Avariés'.

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'.

See the entries for Sutton and Marcet in the Oxford DNB. A strained exchange as a result of a misunderstanding over the presentation by Marcet to the Medical and Chirurgical Society of a paper by Sutton. (The following year Sutton would publish his 'Tracts on Delirium Tremens, on Peritonitis, and on Some other Internal Inflammatory Affections, and on the Gout'.) The shift between persons in Sutton's three letters is indicative of a cooling of tone, and in the final item Marcet comes close to accusing Sutton of lying.

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 good condition, lightly aged, with thin strip of paper from mount adhering to reverse. Begins: 'Gentlemen! | As I am on my way to Edinburgh, from the United States, I shall be obliged by your informing me, here, whether you have remitted or otherways paid the balance due to me on last years account, due on 4th. June, current, rendered to Mr. Probert Cox'. He asks for payment to be made to Messrs Coutts, 'so that it may be at my command here'. He also requests the making up in a parcel of 'a copy of my Testimonials & “the Suppressed Documents”, if you have one'.

1p, 4to. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged and worn, with thin strip of paper adhering to reverse of second leaf, which is addressed to 'Joseph C. Neal Esq | Pennsylvanian office'. He was gratified at Neal's 'notice of Rogets re-publication'. He has sent Roget 'and also the Editor of the Phren: Journal a copy of the Pennsylvanian containing it'. He quotes a paragraph from a 'letter from my Brother Dr. A. Combe', which he suggests Neal makes use of 'as a piece of literary news, only suppressing all allusion to the source from which it is derived'.

1p, 16mo. Aged, worn and discoloured, with thin strip of paper from mount adhering to reverse. 'Sir | In your notice of the late Mr. A. Smith, Banff, you mention that he wrote “The Ethics of Phrenology” an article in the Edinburgh Review. As this article was generally ascribed to Sir William Hamilton, I should be obliged by your mentioning whether you have full reliance on your authority in ascribing it to Mr. Smith? My only reason for asking the question is to do justice to Sir William Hamilton, if he is not the author.'

1p, 16mo. Bifolium. Aged and worn, with repair with archival tape to outer edge. Addressed on reverse of second leaf to 'William Tait Esq | 107 Princes Street'. He writes that he is enclosing an advertisement which he wishes to be inserted in Tait's Magazine on four occasions between November 1846 and May 1847. 'As my advertisement was altogether lost sight of in your office last year, will you be so kind as acknowledge receipt of this order that I may he certain that it has reached you.'

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.

2pp, 4to. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged, with thin strip of paper adhering to the reverse of the second leaf, which is addressed, with postmarks, 'To | Doctor Roget M.D. | Bernard Street | London -'. See the entries on Sutton, Roget and Marcet in the Oxford DNB. The letter concerns a misunderstanding between Sutton and Marcet. (Two of Sutton's letters to Marcet with a copy of a reply by Marcet are offered together separately elsewhere.) The present letter is 2pp, 4to. Bifolium.

For the recipient Samuel Parks, internationally-renowned chemist and member of twenty-one learned societies, see his entry in the Oxford DNB, which explains his presence in Edinburgh at the time of the letter by explaining that it was during a visit to the city in June 1825 that Parkes 'was attacked by a painful disorder, which proved fatal'. 1p, 4to. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged, with thin strip of paper from mount adhering to reverse of second leaf, which is addressed by Duncan to 'Samuel Parks [sic] Esqr | 59 Lothian Street'.

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.