Autograph Letters

English actor-manager (1862-1951). One page, 8vo. "Dear Madam / I regret to say that I cannot seemy [sic] way to recommending the enclosed plays to a Manager for production on my account. / I remain / Yours truly / Cyril Maude"

English actor-manager (1837-1919), knighted in 1902. 2 pp, 12mo. "Dear Mrs Horsley / The state of the weather to-day precludes me from even trying to see you & to-night / I shall be happy to come tomorrow with Miss Moore [his wife the actress Mary Moore,1869-1931]".

English actor-manager (1870-1919), elder son of the celebrated Henry Irving. "My wife has asked me to send you the . I do so with the greatest pleasure. [...]". Discoloured, with heavy creasing to margin, and traces of previous mounting on reverse of blank second leaf.

English actress (1872-1949), made a Dame of the British Empire in 1941. Headed "Wednesday" (no date), one page, 8vo. "Mr Sydney Brooks' address is / 2 Montpelier Square / S. W. / He is the cellist who is going to play at your concert. Yours in haste / Irene Vanbrugh".

English actor-manager (1862-1951). One page, 4to. "My dear Drury, / Will you sup with me to meet some members of the company next Wednes day night at 11-45. [in MS] at the Service Club" With postscript in MS, "And to wish you bon voyage you know". Not in best of condition, with creasing and slight staining to MS portion.

English actress-manageress (1869-1931), married successively to the actor-managers James Albery and Charles Wyndham. 2 pp, 8vo. "It was most kind of you to call & enquire after my little boy! I am thankful to say he is picking up rapidly the operation having been most successful However, my troubles are not at an end as the doctor tells me to-day that my eldest boy must undergo the same operation and has fixed next Saturday morning for the ordeal." She will bring her two youngest sons to dine with him on the Sunday, "if you are quite sure they wont worry you".

One page, 8vo. "My dear Sir, / I have dined with the Prince alone & well weighed all that can happen at Plymouth, & am prepared to meet it. / The most material Point seems this Will L. vacate on Monday? for as the House has now adjourned till that day, He cannot now accept Office before that day. / Gl Baker breakfasts with me at ten, & if you will meet him or as soon after as shall suit your convenience I shall be most happy to see you. / Very truly yours / Thomas Tyrwhitt". Tyrwhitt was knighted in 1812, and was Usher of the Black Rod from that year until 1832.

English actor-manager (1837-1919), knighted in 1902. 3 pp, 8vo. An interesting letter in which he angles for some some royal patronage. "Dear Arthur / I am trying to arrange Agatha but there are difficulties - / I wonder whether Her Royal Highness is disengaged next Tuesday. We play a charming little piece on Tuesday afternoon about ¼ past 3 - which I am sure with her dramatic taste she will appreciate - It is a new comedietta called "Mrs Hilary regrets" [by Spenser Theyre Smith] that we played with great success at the Lyceum.

Naturalist (1797-1879). Two pages, 8vo, text as follows: "To enable me to answer your letter of the 6th I must beg you to have the goodness to furnish me with some information regarding "Taunton College School" & the proposed "extension" of it. . . . P.S. Please to address . . ."

Says that Chequers has been "thoroughly photographed twice since our alterations" (1910 and 1917), but that she would be glad to allow Shorter to have other photographs taken. Country Life does not give the Lees copies of these photographs, but does sometimes allow other newspapers to reproduce them. "I remember very well the luncheon at Lord Curzon's about a year ago - Would you care to come to see Chequers before we leave?" The Lees acquired Chequers in 1909, the Chequers Estate Act was passed in 1917 and the couple left in 1921.

Agrees to preach (" 'make a few remarks' in your pulpit)" on Sunday morning, despite the fact that "my preaching days are over". "the fewer people who know it the better". Warns that he has neither physical nor mental strength left, and "By disobeying the medical tyrants" has previously got into trouble. Asks to be lent the necessary robes. Negligible browning from contact with woodpulp slip.

Difficult handwriting. "Dear Sir | I wish <?> good government and Peace [last word underlined three times] | Faithfully Yours | Geo Manville Fenn"

On letterhead of the Guildhall School of Music. Did not reply sooner as he left London "immediately after my concert with the B.B.C." Is so "very much touched by your charming letter" that he is "venturing to send you an autographed Photogravure of myself". Creased and with some loss to two corners. Glue and paper adhering to reverse.

The two pieces are attached on the reverse by gummed paper. The first is the head of the letter, giving place and date, and the second the conclusion, with Noyes' signature.

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".

Asks whether he is able to dine with them on 6 July. Neat square stamp in purple ink at head filled in in another hand with details of when received and answered. Small paper and glue mark at centre of otherwise-blank reverse.

Asks correspondent to give the trunk to the bearer ("the Lewisham carrier") if it has arrived, "and I shall take the first opportunity of calling to settle the expense". Grubby and creased, with glue and paper from mounting on reverse of otherwise-blank second leaf.

"No Bye day!" He saw Charles Payne the day before. "It is freezing here with Arctic severity & I tremble for Friday and Saturday". Signed "J W Melville". Mounted on a piece of card.

Is "at present engaged in building a large School upon my property in Buckinghamshire and in providing Apprentices, Master & Mistress &c. I do this entirely at my own expense without seeking aid from the Government or from any of the Societies. This more than absorbs the sum which I think it right to set apart annually for Educational purposes, and leaves nothing which I can appropriate to the Bristol & Foreign School Society." He hopes "all is going on well in the City", but he finds "the occupations of a country life both agreeable & benefici to body & mind".

"I am laid up from the effects of an accidental blow on the leg." Is only writing to postpone the visit to 9 November.

"I will carefully consider the suggestion and if the need arise will communicate with you again. | Yours faithfully | Sidney Lee"

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.

"Will you be so kind as to send me to this place, a dozen of the finest Champagne in the urse of the Morning? If you have any still Champagne I should prefer it provided it is of the best quality; but this, I fear is out of the question. Send the Bill with the Wine."

They returned from Scotland about a week ago. He writes on behalf of his father [Samuel Christie-Miller], to remind the correspondent of his promised visit. "At all events you will not be very far from Windsor and he will be glad to send you over, if you should have any business at the Library." See Seymour De Ricci, English Collectors, p.109. Neatly attached to large stub along one margin.

The 1889 note: "Let me know whether you care to publish poetry - I can send you 3 stanzas". The other note: "I regret much that I am already engaged to dinner on Tuesday. If it were probable that yr party sat late into the night I would gladly join you in the coffee state of yr festivities". Two items,

On two letterheads of the West African Writers and Artists Club, 129 Camberwell Rd. Major Shepheard has suggested that correspondent might supply contacts for the Club. Describes the Club's activities and lists the names of thirteen Gold Coast students from a recent British Council exhibition, whose addresses she asks for, along with the names of others from Nigeria. Two items,

Potter. Good condition, text as follows: "Dear Roger Thornton, / I hope the enclosed will suffice. Thank you for all the nice things you say in your letter. I will try to go on a little longer making pots as well as I know how if they really give pleasure."

1809-1895, Scottish professor and man of letters (DNB). Two pages, 8vo, minor defects, text clear and complete. He sasy that he has been reading the fourth edition of "Tyndall's Address" and written some remarks whioch would make 6 or 7 pages of his correspondent's "Review" (Edinburgh? No mention in Wellesley 1). He wonders if his correspondent would like it.

Antiquary (1805-1874). 2pp. ea., 8vo, damp-staining and other marksbut text still legible. He is returning some “cuts” lent by the Sussex Society and enclosing “eight blocks for the Catalogue of the Chichester Museum”. He wants his correspondent to follow up on a “cut”. In another letter, he makes suggestions for the improvement of a “proof of the Ark” and requests a book. In the other letter, he says that he is sending “the continuation ofChichester Catalogue” and someone else will send “the greater part of thewoodcut blocks”. He asks for a “cut” to be sent to the printer. 3 items,

2 pp, 12mo. "Dear Fairholt / I could not get down to you last evening, tho' I tried very much - / I will correct any circulars you may be good enough to write for Hone and get it printed and sent out can you furnish a list of archaeological assns. members & institute & the address of the F.S.A.'s - I am without the present lists of either [...] Hone is dreadfully hard up and every day is of much value to him in this affair - / Faithfully yours / Josh Durham" A strip has been torn along one of the margins very close to the text, causing negligible loss to it.