ADOLPHE

1p., 8vo. On aged and worn paper. Addressed to 'Mademoiselle', but from the papers of The item is from the papers of the second wife of the geologist Alexander Henry Green (1832-1896), previously Miss Wilhelmina Maria Armstrong of Clifton, herself a scientist. He apologises for the late reply, which is to be attributed 'aux distractions du "Christmas" et du Tour de l'An'. His 'Traité de Chimie Biologique' has not been translated into English and it would please him to see such a translation made, with the agreement of his editor M. Manon'.

Each letter 2pp., 12mo. Both in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. He starts the first letter by expressing 'great pride and immense joy' in sending 'my seventh book of French poems [...] According to the reviews, it is the best I ever wrote'. He continues with references to the recipient's 'short but memorable visit to Johannesburg', and to 'the uncomplimentary remarks passed by my confreres in Johannesburg', these being 'indeed compliments, for they indicate that I do not belong to them, in spite of our common profession.

[Stevengraph] Piece of silk, 7 x 11 cm, woven in red, white, blue, black and gold. Portrait of a bespectacled Thiers in an oval, draped with two French flags, with decorations including a quill and a book, and topped by castellated coronet and banner reading 'A. THIERS'. Woven beneath the portrait is 'LIBERATEUR DU TERRITOIRE | 1ER PRESIDENT DE LA REPUBLIQUE'. Laid down on original printed bookmark, reading 'EXPOSITION UNIVERSELLE | 1878 | GALERIE DU TRAVAIL | METIERS POUR RUBANS | PORTRAITS ET CRAVATES EN SOIE | J.-B. CHAMPRONY | FABRICANT A SAINT-ÉTIENNE'.

Small 4to, [vi] + 135 pp. Frontispiece and three plates, with illustrations and cartouches in text. Internally tight and sound, on aged paper, in worn and stained brown-cloth half-binding, decorative endpapers, sprung hinges. Number 43 of 400 copies. Scarce: no copy in the British Library, and the only copy on COPAC at the University of London SOAS.

12mo: 2 pp. Very good on lightly aged paper. 29 lines of text. He will not fail to make use of his correspondent's comments in a new edition. Discusses the section he is working on at present and proposes to send his correspondent an off print. He has ordered other off prints to be sent, in return for his correspondent's useful remarks. For a couple of months he will be at Blainville, 'sur le bord de la mer, ou je puis mieux travailler qu'a Paris, tout en prenant un peu de repos'. Docketed at foot of reverse, 'Theologian, Sulpicien'.

The collection is in good condition, with each letter entirely legible. Two items particularly aged, and one with a couple of closed tears unobtrusively repaired with archival tape. Each item bears evidence of the fact that the collection was previously held together with a pin. An interesting sidelight into the musical culture of Victorian London. COPAC only locates one copy (at Cambridge) of Robinson's piece, published by W. Sprague of Westminster in [1874], copied by F. C. Wood, 'words by permission of Messrs. Hopwood & Crew'. All items 12mo.