BURIAL

['The most perfect ode in the English language': Charles Wolfe, Irish poet.] Photographic facsimile of Autograph Letter Signed to John Taylor, containing the text of his celebrated poem ‘The Burial of Sir John Moore at Corunna’.

Author: 
Charles Wolfe (1791-1823), Irish poet, of the family of General James Wolfe and Wolfe Tone, author of the celebrated poem ‘The Burial of Sir John Moore at Corunna’
Moore
Publication details: 
With facsimile of postmark dated 6 September 1816. No place (but from Ireland).
£120.00
Moore

The present item gives the text of the poem described by Byron as 'the most perfect ode in the English language' before its first publication in the Newry Telegraph in April 1817. See Wolfe’s entry in the Oxford DNB. The source of the present item is unclear. It is a photographic facsimile, many decades old, on both sides of a 4to leaf. In fair condition, slightly creased on browned paper, with negligible loss to margin at head. With five creases from folding. Addressed to ‘John Taylor Esqe / at the Revd Mr. Armstrong’s / Clonoully / Cashel’.

[Sir James Graham, Home Secretary.] Autograph Letter Signed ('J R G Graham') to unnamed recipient, announcing his decision to remit the death sentence passed on Robert Sandys of Stockport, convicted of poisoning his children.

Author: 
Sir James Graham [Sir James Robert George Graham] (1792-1861), 2nd Baronet, Tory Home Secretary, 1841-1846 [Robert Sandys of Stockport, poisoner]
Publication details: 
Whitehall. 24 April 1842.
£120.00

The case was fully reported in The Times, with the issue for 14 April 1842 reporting the pronouncing of the sentence of death on 'Robert Sandys, a stout built Irishman, having a pale and haggard appearance, who was found guilty at the last assizes for this county [Chester] of the diabolical murder of his children by poison, in order to obtain a few pounds from a burial society of which he was a member'. 4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Headed 'Private' by Graham.

Autograph Letter Signed W Cantuar, with original envelope, with substantial copy letter from Alfred Wigan, curate, Trotterscliffe [sic], concerning the issues and events surrounding the burial of a child of followers of Joannna Southcott.

Author: 
William Howley, Archbishop of Canterbury [Rev. Arthur Wigan, Trottiscliffe [Trotterscliffe]]
Autograph Letter Signed W Cantuar with another
Publication details: 
[?] Hall, 12 August 1846 AND Trotterscliffe, Maidstone, 11 August 1846
£225.00
Autograph Letter Signed W Cantuar with another

Letter One (Archbishop of Canterbury] 3pp., 12mo, approving Wigan's actions in the burial of the child whose baptism was irregular and defective. He was right to toll the bell, and depositing the body of the child in the churchyard. He wants time to consider the right steps in such an important matter for 'similar cases which perhaps may be brought forward .... Letter Two: This copy letter, a rough draft in Alfred Wigan's hand, explains the situation with the dead child of followers of Joanna Southcott. They were said to have no intention of asking for Burial ...

[printed form filled out in manuscript] St. John the EVANGELIST, Waterloo Road, District Church. [...] A Bill of Dues for the Burial of a STRANGER. [i.e. 'John Thomas Gardiner'] [signed by the sexton, 'R Booker']

Author: 
R Booker, Sexton, St. John the Evangelist, Waterloo Road, Lambeth
A Bill of Dues for the Burial of a STRANGER
Publication details: 
20 November 1835.
£28.00
A Bill of Dues for the Burial of a STRANGER

On one side of a slip of laid paper, roughly 21 x 8 cm. Printed form for burial in the 'SECOND GROUND.' (amended in manuscript to 'Third'). Gardiner is said to be 'Above [amended from 'Under'] the Age of 10 Years.' Printed charges are for Ground and Bell, Rector, Clerk, Sexton, and Registrar'; with 'Extra Digging' added in manuscript, with '4 OClock Precisely'. Printed note at foot: 'N.B. The Sexton is directed not to enter an Order for any funeral until the Fees are paid.' St.

Handbill headed 'Funeral Reform Conference. July 23, 1884. The Earl of Shaftesbury, K.G., Presiding.', reporting Haden's views on 'the desirablilty of greater simplicity in the conduct of funerals'.

Author: 
Funeral Reform Conference, 1884 [London Necropolis Company; Seymour Haden]
Publication details: 
1884. Printer not stated.
£56.00

12mo, 2 pp. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with one dog-eared corner. Quoting Haden's views, which appear distinctly progressive. He finds the 'retention in a dwelling-house for as long as possible of a body, which ought to be committed to the earth as soon as possible', and the need for a 'strong coffin' great evils.

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