VICTORIAN

English politician. 'Are not the editors of the Sporting & Dramatic News going to make any use of your drawings? & if not, would there be any possibility of your being able to let my sister have the pencil sketch you made of her? She would value it very much. | We have been hard at work acting here, & all went off very well.'

Victorian novelist (Mrs Henry Reeves). Docketed 'Authoress of "Coming thro' the Rye"'. Signed 'Helen Reeves' and docketed 'nee Mathers'. Closing two lines of letter above signature, and on reverse five lines (referring to "the dreadful time of yours", partly covered by glued-on piece of paper. Creased and discoloured.

Sister of the M.P. Francis Bingham Mildmay. 'I am afraid we shall not be able to avail ourselves of your most kind invitation to view your portraits as we leave town for good on Friday. I shall hope to see your Portrait of Lady Milton, later on.' In a letter of 9 January 1898 F. B. Mildmay refers to Slocombe's 'most kind invitation to view your portraits'.

He has heard that "a prospectus of the Company now being formed for the establishment of an English Opera Theatre in London has been sent to you at Thurloe Square", but he sends another with a few words. "I think that we have undertaken a good work: and I feel confident that, were the Company established, we should prosper." Needs to fill list of shareholders by 13 inst. Asks his correspondent to take a few shares "for the love of an art, which, if not your own, is akin to it".

Grubby and stained envelope addressed to Williams with "With a bag." in top left-hand corner. "The proof of your remembrance of your kind promise to me reached me just as I was leaving London, for a few days in this region. | I place your volumes on the shelves of my humble library with real satisfaction: for I am very pleased to have such a Token of your approval of my enterprize, and of your willingness to cooperate in making it a success. I hope to open - without any "ceremony" - possibly even in this month". Before they begin work he will ask him to visit Rowton House again.

Novelist, dramatist and journalist (1831-1894). One page each, 8vo, good. In the first, he is sorry that “Fred” has been bothered in a particular“matter”. In the second, he says simply “Here is the Valentine you askfor”.

The younger. Quaker cocoa manufacturer and philanthropist (1836-1925). Both letters one page, 4to, and written by an amanuensis. The letters deal with a "proposed new siding", for which "Mr Copperthwaite & my Clerk of Works" think it will be necessary to "take down the bridge which connects the north & south portions of my land, & which is situated midway between the road to & the road to ." In the second letter he says he is leaving for Scarborough that morning, and that he fears his two days' absence "might delay operations with the branch line".

Unionist politician, husband from 1881 of the heiress to the banking fortune and noted Victorian philanthropist, Angela Georgiana, Baroness Burdett-Coutts (1814-1906), whose name he adopted. One page, 12mo. No more than a dozen words. Bad handwriting. "Dear Sir / Could you send this note <?>". Signed "Burdett-Coutts".

Author (1826-1875). 2 pp, 12mo. "[...] You got me into a d - d mess with Nicholson but I promised him to say nothing about it so Mum's the word / Yours in expectation of a True Hoodian morceau". Traces of mount stuck to reverse.