LIBERAL

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Folded once. Endorsed on reverse of second leaf. At the time of writing Molesworth was serving as First Commissioner of Works in Lord Aberdeen's coalition government. (In the year of his death Aberdeen would appoint him Colonial Secretary.) The letter begins: 'My dear Merivale | Last November I moved for the enclosed return and since then I have spoken to ]Pal?] [i.e. Viscount Palmerston?] about it who promised that it should be made.

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged, folded twice. The recipient is not named. Begins: 'Dear Sir | I am much obliged to you for your Pamphlet, & agree with you that there is a serious deficiency in the Bill in not securing a Practical Proof of Teaching Power.' He finds the recipient's pamphlet 'clear & decided as to the Evil', but not 'very explicit as to the remedy'.

1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. At top of page: 'From: Lord Strabolgi.' Headed beneath the letterhead: 'TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN.' Reads: 'This is to certify that Mr. T. Avery Radford worked for me as my Private Secretary when I was Member for Hull, from 1919 to 1921. He performed his duties most efficiently, was entirely reliable and trustworthy, an a great help to me in my political work.

'Face to Face', consisting of interviews of notable figures by John Freeman, was a television milestone, and Birkett's was the first interview in the series, broadcast on 4 February 1959. As Burnett recalled in his book of the series: 'Lord Birkett was the first guest on FACE TO FACE. It was a live transmission, as were most FACE TO FACE broadcasts, and much of the character and success of the whole new series depended on his candour and co-operation. We plotted together as we had often done in the past. He enjoyed broadcasting and he liked the challenge of attempting something new.

2pp, 12mko. In fair condition, aged and worn, with slight discoloration along central horizontal fold. Addressed to 'Her Imperial & Royal Highness | The Duchess of Edinburgh'. Reads: 'Madam | At Windsor Your Imperial & Royal Highness was good enough to say I might send these specimens of labour performed in a field which is now not much frequented | Under cover of the permission thus accorded, I take the liberty allowed, and add my request that it may not entail the trouble of any acknowledgment | I have the honour to be | Your I. R. Highness's | most faithful humble servant | W E Gladstone'.

1p., 8vo. Slight damp damage along left-hand margin, otherwise in fair condition. Reads: 'My Lord, | I have been honoured with your Lordship's Letter of this day's date; and I will lose no time in giving fresh authority to the Secretary at War to issue the pay and allowances to the Lamerton and Milton Abbott Corps, according to the amended return now transmitted to me by your Lordship.' Docketed on reverse.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged. Reads: 'Charles W. Dilke. | Emilia F. S. Dilke | Newnham | 10 June | 1891'. Written after the celebrated Crawford Scandal of 1886, which resulted in Dilke losing his seat in parliament, and becoming a music-hall figure of fun as a result of the revelations of his adulterous behaviour.

1p., 12mo. With mourning border. In good condition, lightly aged. Reads: 'Dear Sir | There is no need to notice the enclosed, beyond sending the writer a copy of the Report, as soon as it is out.'

From the papers of the family of the second wife of the geologist Alexander Henry Green (1832-1896), previously Miss Wilhelmina Maria Armstrong of Clifton. 1p., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged. Addressed at bottom left to 'Mrs Wilhelmina Armstrong'. The letter opens: 'Dear Madam | I heartily wish I could see my way – but the clouds of work are growing so thick I cannot see each of them - & my elasticity is failing.' He does not dare undertake anything at the present time, but feels 'grateful & flattered by the invitation'.

A good firm signature, appended to a document in another hand, simply reading: 'Admit the Bearer to the House of Commons'. The illegible address and date are in the same hand. In fair condition, lightly aged, with traces of mount on blank reverse.

1p., on 12 x 11.5 cm piece of paper, possibly cut from the conclusion of a letter. In fair condition, lightly aged, with traces of glue from mount on reverse and slight loss to two words of text from wear. Apparently written to a family member or intimate (but see note below), the note reads: 'The enclosed is the list of the books that will reach you tomorrow morning by Messrs.

At the time of the second letter Mansel was serving his only stint in Parliament, a brief period as Liberal MP for Penryn and Falmouth. ONE (ALS, 13 February 1921): 4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. He expresses great disappointment regarding the misunderstanding which meant that he and his wife missed coming to lunch with the Mansels.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. The male recipient is unnamed. He does not wish him to think that he is indifferent to his application for 'the Volume of <?> life which you have written for'. He continues: 'My Son has got it, and he is away from home. But he is returning shortly and I shall be able to send it to you'. Brown was Minister in Derby, in 1843; at Claylands Chapel, Clapham Road, in 1846; and at Brixton Independent Chapel, Brixton Road, from 1870 until his death.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. He declares his belief that he will 'act well in accordance with what I stated on the nomination day in 1857, by pursuing the course followed by me since I have been in parliament, & abstaining from voting either way on the ballot'. The subject is one concerning which he feels 'great difficulty': 'I fully appreciate the evils of intimidation & bribery which the ballot is intended to cure, although I hope that they are gradually diminishing & will be still further diminished when we have fewer small constituencies'.

1p., 4to. In fair condition, lightly aged, with traces of stub adhering to reverse. Addressed on reverse, with broken seal in red wax and postmarks, to 'Miss Beavan | Brynry Hydd [ i.e. Bryn yr Hydd] | Glasbury | Hay | South Wales'. An expansively-written note, above a similar signature, reading: 'May I request you to read the accompanying Circular, and to give it your favourable consideration?'

Both items in fair condition, on lightly-aged paper, and stapled together. Between 1960 and 1963 Morley was producer of ITV current affairs series 'This Week'. ONE: ALS from 'Jeremy' to 'My dear Peter'. 3 June 1960. 1p., 12mo. Enclosing the 'preliminary Memorandum', and giving his contact details at the Liberal Club. 'In Kenya I have very good contacts who cd lay on a private plane (gratis!) to investigate the re-emergence of mau mau. | In the Protectorate I think I cd arrange Transport.' He ends by opining that 'this scheme has possibilities'.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, with the Society's oval date stamp. He thanks him for the 'kindly renewed invitation to lecture at the R.S.A. As you surmise, I am too much engaged at present to put together anything worthy of so august a body.' He is 'collecting material & perhaps at that indefinite date - "after the war" - I may be able to put it into shape'. He concludes: 'We miss you at the Chadwick'.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, on aged paper. An amusingly sardonic missive, addressed to 'Dear Bennett'. He was not able to compliment him the previous night on his 'excellent speech', but is 'anxious to know what was the cryptic allusion to the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs who had experience of arming savages? I do not believe that Fitzmaurice ever did so, unless you intended the German use of the word “savages” for below-the-gangway Radicals?'

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium on grey paper. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. He writes that Marzials is 'some days too late' with his 'kind offer', as both Birrell and his wife have read 'with great pleasure' Marzials's book on Victor Hugo. 'It was a difficult task. (I mean the Life, not the reading of it) I am no judge on such a subject – being a very stay at home sort of fellow, but anyhow you succeeded in pleasing me. What a sensible, <?>, shrewd sort of fellow he was in what way may be called ordinary things.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Addressed to 'Mr. F. W. Finch, | Woodbridge Row | Mosley | Birmingham'. He thanks him for his letter and continues: 'I am sorry that you have not been so successful as you wished in collecting autographs, but I hope you will be more fortunate in future.' He is 'engaged in other and equally useful work outside of Parliament', and is 'glad to be freed from its restraints & embarrassments'.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged, wiht crease along one edge. The letter concerns international affairs. Regarding the United Kingdom Dilke writes: 'I think it would be quite proper for us to attempt to effect a reconciliation at any moment when it seems possible that we could be of use, and I fancy that we have made some such offer more than once, possibly along with Russia.' As it happens 'the belligerents have preferred, - which was not unnatural under the circumstances, - to avail themselves of the good offices of the United States'.

2pp., 4to. In good condition, lightly aged. The subject of the letter is the Mines Act, passed 10 August 1842, which barred women and girls and boys under ten from working down the mines. The letter, which is headed 'private & confidential', reads: 'Lord Ashley cannot refrain from thanking the Editor of the Globe for the friendly & able support to the measure now before Parliament, which he gave in his Paper of last Evening.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair conditoin, aged and with central horizontal and vertical folds.The letter begins: 'What queer things people do write to you about.' On an unspecified question, Lawson doubts that Farrar 'can do anything in the matter', and thinks that 'the “Mrs. referred to in the plan is the Lady who gave £500 to the Alliance last October [...] she is worth conciliating if it can be done'. He thinks 'the Reform Bill ought to help an alliance crusade and feel – Hardly any publicans will be enfranchised by it, but numbers of their victims & their opponents'.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair conditoin, aged and with central horizontal and vertical folds.The letter begins: 'What queer things people do write to you about.' On an unspecified question, Lawson doubts that Farrar 'can do anything in the matter', and thinks that 'the “Mrs. referred to in the plan is the Lady who gave £500 to the Alliance last October [...] she is worth conciliating if it can be done'. He thinks 'the Reform Bill ought to help an alliance crusade and feel – Hardly any publicans will be enfranchised by it, but numbers of their victims & their opponents'.

In Wyatt-Paine's obituary The Times (13 April 1935) described him as 'probably one of the most learned lawyers who ever held the office of stipendiary magistrate'. Both items in good condition, lightly aged, and both bearing the Society's date stamp. ONE: 12 August 1913. 2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. The letter concerns the Swiney Prize, regarding which Wyatt-Paine has 'perused a notice [...] which states that the prospective award in January 1914 will be made for a treatise on "General Jurisprudence"'.

7pp., 12mo. On two bifoliums. In good condition, on aged paper. First page headed 'Private'. Docketed by Elliot 'My Father's death'. An excellent letter casting interesting light on the machinations of the Liberal government. Erskine is attempting something requiring all of his diplomatic tact: sending appropriate condolences to Elliot on his father's death before turning to his 'own concerns': the putting of his case to Elliot as the brother-in-law of the Foreign Secretary Lord John Russell, on the question of his 'grievance' against Russell and the Foreign Office.

3pp., 4to. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. With a couple of minor emendations. At top left of first page Elliot has written 'Copy'. Docketed on reverse of second leaf: 'Austrian Emigration'. Begins: 'In the Austrian Code (Decree of 1832) Emigration is treated of under a distinct head. | Every Austrian Subject removing to a foreign state or remaining abroad sine animo revertendi, as the Scotch wd. express it, is held to be an Emigrant.' Most of the third page is taken up with a precis of two points 'From Proclamation of Feb.

13 + [3]pp., 8vo. In faded green printed wraps with full title and illustrations. Disbound. In fair condition, on aged high-acidity paper. Subtitle: 'Whereby it is shown that the produce of the soil may be increased from five to seven fold by cultivation.' Now scarce.

32pp., 12mo. In faded green printed wraps with full title and advertisements. Disbound. In good condition, on aged high-acidity paper in brittle slightly-chipped wraps. The first edition was published in 1893 in Dorking by R. J. Clark. This third edition includes new material in seven appendices, pp.19-32, beginning with 'Results in 1893 - A year of drought.' Now scarce.

Page of album, 16 x 12.5cm, green, signs of removal along one sl. jagged edge, good condition.