Literature

34 lines of typed text on air mail letter on blue paper. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Addressed to Malcom at Paisley, Renfrewshire.

One page, 8vo, fold mark, small closed tears on fold, good condition, pencilled ticks (by Stokes?). "I am in bed, now reading a bit of Ben Johnson [sic] now a bit of 'Moll Flanders", now a bit of [?] & now a bit of Marie Corelli." He anticipates when he'll next be in the "office". New paragrph, "Will you and Mr Moore go through that basket of mine marked "Current" & send off for setting that wghich appeals to you. There is an article on Arthur Machen, which should be cut [...].

One page, 21 x 8cm, one dge frayed and sunned, text clear and complete. Lizars acknowledges paymentof £49.14 from "John Gibson Junr, Esqre for the Trustees of Sir Walter Scott, Bart [...] payment of [annexed?] account [not present] for Titles to Tales & Romances."

ROY VICKERS, Detective Story Writer, 5TLSs, total 6pp., 4to, all 1961, jokey, gossipy letters concerning CWA affairs - Rosemary Robinson being co-opted to the general committee, German rights to an Anthology sold, an enquiry from Japan about Anthologies (leading to a discussion), subject for debate in A.O.B., analysis of membership ("talented amateur mixed with pro"), a new detective publishing house in the U.S.A., guests for the Dinner. Attached to letter of 3 March 1961: copy TL and typescript, total 5pp., including the letter to Gielgud on CWA Anthologies [= source of income for the Asso

Julian Symons, Detective Story Writer and Historian of the Genre, Founder Member, sometime Chairman of CWA (1958/9), 12 TLSs, one page each, 8vo and 4to, some with ms. additions, concerning CWA affairs - news of the Anthology, financial dealings, expenses, the funeral of a member, the Exhibition, Jacobs election as Vice-Chairman, "Margery Allingham has joined!" (3 April 1959, having declined to do so in 1953), personal, the Awards ceremony, appreciation of congratulations on an award, an "abridged novel venture", a criminal case re-enacted (potential BBC tie-up).

Boileau was extremely popular throughout her career, her novels propounding her philosophy (as expounded in 'Turnip Tops') that 'Courage is the foundation of all character and achievement.' In 1936 'John o'London's' magazine described her as the author of books 'whose editions have run into tens of thousands'. Her novel 'Turnip Tops', published in 1932 (and in America by Dutton as 'A Gay Family'), had sold 28,000 copies by 1936 ('one of the merriest sellers of the last few years', according to Maboth Moseley), and 25,000 copies of 'Ballade in G Minor' (1938) were sold before publication.

Limited Edition, no.464 of 600, designed by John B. Goetz. There is a calligraphic presentation inscription on the front free endpaper, "Presented to Anthony Rota [distinguished modern first dealer] on the occasion of the Septmber 28, 1988 meeting of the Caxton Club with the appreciation of the members and guests whose signatures appear below." There are 81 signatures, commencing with Charles [?] Cullen, David G. Hilliard and concluding with Harrison Hayford and an indecipherable.

LETTER: 3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, on aged and worn paper. Kitton writes that he has received two copies of the Book Buyer for March, and is 'much interested' in it for two reasons: 'Mrs. Garlands flattering comments upon myself and my work', and 'a very generous notice of my latest Dickens production'. He finds illustrations 'excellently reproduced', and praises 'the careful attention that has obviously been bestowed upon the preparation of both blocks and letterpress'. Turning to another matter, he notes 'a query (no.

Four pages, 4to. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged ruled paper, with watermark 'D. K & Co. | LONDON'. Sixty-four lines, arranged in eight eight-line stanzas. Apparently unpublished. Evocative of the sensibilities of a more naive age: sincerely meant, but coming across somewhat in the style of a Stanley Holloway monologue.

First edition, 8vo. Laurence A216a. Original red cloth, speckled, lettered in gilt on spine, hinges cracked, in damaged dustwrapper. below). Inscribed on the half-title: "to Yvette Pienne, player and writer, | G. Bernard Shaw | Malvern | 23/8/36." WITH: unpublished photograph, 19 x 14.5, of Bernard Shaw with a bevy of youngish ladies including Yvette Pienne according to a note (NOT in Shaw's hand, prob. Pienne's) on the reverse, "Malvern Festival 1938 || G. Bernard Shaw | [?] Lewis | Yvette Pienne|".

16pp., 8vo (publisher says "foolscap Quarto"), coloured illustrations, missing paper wraps (scans of Oxford copy covers enclosed). Listed on the wraps, back a list of sister works, front full title "Darton's Instructive Stories. Old Times" (titlepage just has "Old Times". Titlepage grubby, marked, wear and tear at edges, contents complete and attractive. Only one copy recorded on COPAC/WorldCat, at Oxford.

The black and white photograph is 24 x 19 cm, and is laid down on a 36.5 x 28 cm mount. The photograph is in good condition, on lightly-aged matte paper; the mount is brittle, chipped and discoloured, with closed tears and a detached corner reattached on reverse with archival tape. Facsimile signature in bottom right-hand corner of mount: 'Yours sincerely | R. M. Ballantyne'. On reverse, in contemporary hand: 'R. M. B. about 1893' (although the photograph does not look as if it dates from the year before Ballantyne's death), and at head of reverse, in the same hand: 'R. M.

8vo, in worn and damaged black cloth. Three sample spines in green cloth are laid down on the front free endpaper, and three sample brown leather spines gilt on the rear pastedown.

115pp., 8vo. In red cloth binding. No dustwrapper. Aged, with back hinge sprung and one bumped corner at the back. Excellent inscription by Spender on the front free endpaper, in which he describes the history of the composition of the play: 'To And | with love from | Stephen. | March 16 1938. | This play begun January 1933, at Barcelona, partly written in January 1937 in Madrid & Albacete, and finished January 1938 in London, is almost a record of our friendships through five years.'

1p., 4to. 22 lines of text. In very good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with traces of mount on reverse.

[4] + 43pp., 12mo. Stabbed as issued. An attractive and elegantly-printed little book. Internally very good, on lightly-aged paper, loose in worn light-brown calf binding, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt, back hinge sprung. Stamped in gilt on the front cover: 'ACIS & GALATAEA | A PIECE OF OXFORD EXTRAVAGANCE | BY | T. F. PLOWMAN'. Inscribed on fly-leaf: 'H. W. Chapman, Esq. | with the author's sincerest regards. | 1869.' A scarce item: only three copies on COPAC, at Oxford, Cambridge and the British Library, all three of which attribute this anonymous work to Plowman.

85pp., foolscap 8vo, on the rectos of 85 leaves. On laid paper with Stowford Mills watermark dated 1874. In a notebook with contemporary brown calf half-binding, with marbled boards and endpapers. Pencil notes regarding provenance precede the text: 'Evelyn MSS. Unpublished (?) | Copy by W. J. Evelyn (?) | Ex Joanna Booth | Ex Christies Evelyn Sale. | pencil MS Note verso p.32 in W. J. E.'s ordinary hand | See note | Transcript of unpublished Evelyn mss. c 1880.' Internally in good condition, on lightly-aged paper, in worn binding.

All three items in very good condition, in superior bindings. ONE (Voltaire catalogue): Written out by Flower in his neat, calligraphic hand, on the rectos only of 102 leaves, 8vo, with some blanks. In very good condition, in a lightly-wrn red morocco quarter binding, with grey boards and gilt title on spine. Entries are short and businesslike, as the following two examples indicate: 'Commentaire sur le livre des Délits et des Peines, s.l., 1766. Bengesco 1724. pp. viii + 120. A pretty copy in contemporary scarlet morocco. Ex libris Mortimer L. Schiff. | Ditto, s.l., 1766. pp. 104 + iii.

114pp., 12mo. In wraps printed in green and red, with striking illustration of jester bursting through the front cover, and advertisements on the rear. In fair condition, on aged paper, in worn wraps. Frontispiece, engraved title, and numerous illustrations in text. A collection of nineteen pieces in prose and verse, with such titles as 'A Chat concerning a Couple of Chairs' and 'Mephistophiles at Malvern'. Scarce: the only copies on COPAC at the British Library and Durham.

Greswell's letter is 1p., landscape 12mo; with Ford's note on one side of reverse. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with small central spike hole made by recipient. Greswell's letter is written in a neat, attractive hand, and begins: 'Mr. W. P. Greswell requested J. G. to compare the Glasgow Copy of Euripides with Musgrave's Edition after which it is printed & to let Mr.

Harper's note is on the recto of the first leaf of a 4to bifolium, addressed by him to 'George Chalmers Esqr' on the reverse of the second leaf, which is docketted by Chalmers 'Notes of Documents from - 1760/67'.. Chalmer's memorandum is written lengthwise and upwards on the reverse of the first leaf. In good condition, on aged paper. Harper's note reads: 'Mr. Harper presents his Respects to Mr. Chalmers with many Thanks for the kind Notice with which he is pleased to honour him. | The Reading Room will be open to Mr. Chalmers whenever he finds it agreeable to avail himself of it'.

[9] + 142 pp., 8vo. In original green cloth, gilt. A good copy, on aged paper, in lightly-worn binding. Inscribed on the front free endpaper: 'E. Mozley | from her father J. R. Mozley | Feb 19. 1898'.

2pp., 4to. On a single leaf, both sides of which are headed 'Répertoire Lecombe'. Printer's slug at foot of 'Verdun on ne passe pas!' Both lyrics printed in two columns (no score to either). In good condition, on aged and worn high-acidity paper. 'Ce sont les Yeux' begins: 'Chacun dans la vie cherche son idéal.' The 'Dernier Refrain' reads: 'Et bien des yeux de mère, | Sont tournés vers la frontière | Où là-bas leurs chers petits enfants | Pour sauver la France donnent leur sang.

xii + 256 pp. Autograph inscription on title-page: 'William Hardy | Nov. 5. 1850 - | N.B. the corrections are by the hand of the Revd. R. H. Barham | The extinct Peerage at the end is not part of this Synopsis'. (Bound in at the end of the volume is a sixteen-page printed list of 'The Dormand and Extinct Peerages of England'.) Barham is listed (p.vii) among the subscribers to the work. In fair condition, on aged paper, in worn red leather library half-binding, with front hinge sprung and front free endpaper and half-title detached.

Title, ii [Index], 412pp., cr. 8vo, hf-cf, sp. gt, marbled boads, raised bands, leather scuffed, top of spine damaged, hinge strain inside front cover, contents good. Bookplate of John Ribton Garstin (see note below). This short-lived periodical is notable for its distinguished contributors (Miss Mitford, Horace Smith, Douglas Jerrold, George Hogarth, Mrs S.C. Hall Redding himself "Etc. Etc".

30pp., 4to. On seven bifoliums and one single leaf, the bioliums stitched to one another. With several watermarks of J. Whatman, Turkey Mill, all dated to 1844. In good condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. Sibbald is not named, but the item is from his papers, and in his hand. Sibbald was in Ceylon between 1818 and 1833. There is no indication that this item has been published.

2 vols: xix + [1] + 288; ix + 263. With frontispieces to both volumes (both with tissue guards) and the eleven other plates called for. First edition, first issue, with the plate facing p.238 of vol.2 in its first state (without the 'grotesque' border), and the 36-page undated publisher's catalogue bound-in at the end of vol.2. In primary binding of pink cloth with floral pattern, and the gilt titles on the spine held up by an image of a clown.

1p., 4to. In fair condition, on aged and creased paper. He announces the publication of 'a book of outstanding literary importance, namely Meyerstein's "Life of Chatterton". Meyerstein is undoubtedly the greatest living authority on this subject, and his book, the result of nine years original research, contains much unpublished material. I believe it will be recognised as the standard work on Chatterton for many years to come.' He states that he has 'put a great deal of money and time into this book', and asks Wilson to help him 'make it a success'.

One: Holograph poem by Gere in red ink on slip of paper. Apparently unpublished, it reads: 'I.M. E.HWM | buried Hampstead 18. 9. '52 | Grave scholar of a Grays Inn cell, | Gay naturalist of Norfolk fen, | Divion [sic, corrected in pencil to 'Division'] now ordains farewell. | I shall not see your like again. | JG'. Items Two to Seventeen: Sixteen transcriptions of letters and notes from Meyerstein to John Gere (as 'J G'). Each on a separate piece or slip of paper, and all written out in red ink.

[2] + 77pp., small 4to. A good tight copy, on lightly-aged paper, with foxing to pp.40-41. In original lightly-worn grey paper boards, with white printed labels on cover and spine. Autograph correction by Meyerstein on p.72. Meyerstein's autograph presentation poem is on the front free endpaper, and is dated by him, in decorative style, to 1949.