NINETEENTH

2pp, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded once. Addressed to 'E Gambart Esq' and endorsed by the recipient. Two years earlier Gambart had published 'Passages from the Poems of Thomas Hood', illustrated with 34 plates by the Junior Etching Club (of which Whistler was a member between 1857 and 1862). The book had been well-received, but the letter makes clear that it had not covered its costs.

1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice. 'My dear Sir | The Era Almanack will entirely consist of Theatrical information and general literature is not contemplated in the plan. Otherwise I need hardly say I should have been most happy to have availed myself of your aid.' The Era Almanack ran from 1868 to 1919, and was one of the more reliable theatrical annuals.

2pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Given the contents of the letter, the recipient 'Mr Willie', whose father is a minister ('of the manse'), may well be 'Master Willie', i.e. a youth named William. He is 'much flattered' by the value Willie puts on his autograph, and he hopes that his collection 'will prosper, & become extensive & distinguished'. He remembers 'that Tom Hood replying to a similar application professed to be in doubt what style of signature was wanted.

The letter must have been written in 1855, as Fox Maule (later Earl of Dalhousie) was appointed Secretary of State for War on 8 February of that year, and Napier died on 16 September. 4pp, 16mo. Bifolium with black border. Loss to part of second leaf caused by removal from mount, resulting in loss of a few words of text, otherwise in good condition. Begins: 'In consequence of a letter from my Son William of your regt. [i.e. the King's Own Scottish Borderers] stating your wish to be appointed a Paymaster to the Out Pensioners, I wrote to my friend Mr Fox Maule the Secy.

The name of the recipient is not clear: it would appear to read 'Wriggles', and the letter suggests that this is a pet name for Melchers' close friend Henriette Lewis-Hind, who wrote the foreword to 'Gari Melchers, Painter', published that same year in New York by W. E. Rudge. An excellent letter, full of content, beginning: 'My dear [Wriggles?]. | We only returned from the West Indies a week or two ago – had a fine time'.

1p, 16mo. In good condition, lightly aged, with slight damage to blank reverse caused by removal from mount. Reads: 'Dear Mrs. Suckling – if it be you that is C. S. - I can't come into Town – but shall always be glad to see you here.'

2pp, 12mo. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. Folded once.

On 3 x 11 cm strip of paper, cut from the conclusion of a letter. In fair condition, lightly aged. Reads: 'I remain with sincere | respect | Yours truly | W E Gladstone', with the recipient's name at bottom left: 'Rev. J. Cumming'. Fragment of text on reverse: '[…] have no inconsiderable sympathies upon the tender subject […]'. Endorsed in pencil in a contemporary hand 'Member Newark'. Gladstone was Member of Parliament for Newark between 1833 and 1846.

On 7 x 11 cm strip of paper, cut from the conclusion of a letter. In fair condition, lightly aged and folded once, with panel of discoloration on reverse, which is endorsed: 'Dr Abercrombie | Jan. 31. | 1843'. Reads: '[…] unite in best regards. | Sincerely & affectly. Yours | John Abercrombie'.

1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged, with stub from mount adhering to one edge. Reads: 'Lieut: Colonel Sir Fleetwood Edwards begs to thank Miss Hogarth for her letter of the 22nd. Inst. and to return the enclosed letter, which The Queen did not desire to keep, as Her Majesty has the one which she intended to retain.'

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.

2pp, 12mo. Creased and worn. Folded once. She explains that she and her husband and daughter are on the way to Rome, where they will stay at the Hotel Molaro for six days, and expresses the hope that 'we may have the pleasure of seeing you & Mr. Story during that time, if you are at home'. She admits that she feels 'a considerable hesitation about letting any of our friends in Rome know of our coming', as they are 'so overdone with “forestieri” at this time of year'.

8pp, 12mo. On two attached bifoliums. In good condition, lightly aged, with slight damage to margin of first leaf. Folded once. A long letter, closely and neatly written in English, responding to 'objections' to his 'Épilogue 1. Les impérialistes au pouvoir: 1895-1914' (1926), giving his evaluation of 'the Edwardian years' in English history, and contrasting his 'spirit' in the study Victorian England with that of Lytton Strachey.

2pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged, with traces of mount adhering to blank reverse of second leaf. A white label has been stuck over the letter's salutation, but MacWhirter writes the name of the recipient at the end of the letter: 'W. Agnew Esq'. He cannot express the pleasure he felt on receiving Agnew's letter.

1p, 12mo. On bifolium with mourning border. In fair condition, lightly creased and worn. Folded once. Reads: 'Dear Capt [How?], | I am expecting you to morrow Thursday at Princes Restaurant 1.30 pm | Yrs vy sincerely | A H Savage Landor.' Endorsed in pencil on reverse: 'author of IN THE FORBIDDEN LAND. | EXPLORER TO TIBET. | IMPRISONED | TORTURED | DECEASED'.

Good clear signature on one side of slip of paper, an irregular rectangle roughly 1.5 x 12.5 cm. In fair condition, aged and worn, with traces of mount on reverse. Reads: 'Your's [sic] most affectionately | James Hogg'.

1p, 4to. In fair condition, lightly aged, with slight wear at head repaired on reverse with archival tape. The context of the letter is explained in Fawcett's entry in the Oxford DNB: 'In September 1829 Fawcett was superseded in the management of Covent Garden […] the theatre in which he had been a main prop for thirty-nine years. With a salary of £100 a year allowed him as treasurer and trustee of the Covent Garden Theatrical Fund he retired to a cottage at Botley, near Southampton.' The letter begins: 'Some weeks back I enclos'd you a draft for £10 intended for the Widow Paulo.

1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Begins: 'My very dear Friend, | I lack words to express my real gratitude for your heartfelt kindness to so young a fellow as your devoted comrade, here writing'. He hopes for an opportunity to show proof of his 'profound and hearty friendship'. He ends with renewed thanks, and 'sincere loves [sic] to your good Wife and dear self'.

Both items are 2pp, 12mo, and bifoliums. Both in good condition, lightly aged, and each folded once. The second has rust marks to margin from a paperclip. Given the sunbject-matter, the recipient may be a relation of the actress Mrs William Barry (1739-1771), whose maiden name was Osborne. ONE: 17 August 1769; on Park Road letterhead. Signed 'Ch. Fechter.' He begins by announcing: 'I have, by no means, altered my mind; but have been – and am still – strolling about the country'.

Written within one of three red rectangular squares on a page on one side of a leaf detached from 'The Meredith Birthday Book'. In good condition, lightly aged. The Princess's inscription reads 'Victoria of Schleswig Holstein Aug. 2. 1902', and the rest of the page is blank. The word 'Victoria' is underlined, and the upper part of the flourish to the 'V' extends over the top of the rectangle, and the date projects into the margin. On the reverse to the leaf are printed quotations from Meredith for the days 4 to 6 May.

2pp, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged, with strip of paper from mount adhering at foot of reverse. The recipient's name is not decipherable, but he appears to have been a royal equerry. Blakeney hopes that he 'got safe home last night', and thanks him 'for giving me the pleasure of your Company'. He is enclosing a letter from Sir John Wilson (1780-1856) 'who is forwarding an application from Mr Ferrier the Quarter Master of this Establishment in favour of an application to obtain admission into the Cambridge [?]'.

1p, landscape 8vo. In good condition, lightly aged. Laid down on part of leaf from album. Reads: 'Lord Anson presents his Compts. to the Mayor Elect of Yarmouth is extremely sorry it will not be in his power to have the Honor of waiting upon him on the 29th. of this Month'.

According to his entry in the Oxford DNB, Arbuthnot 'served as private secretary successively to seven patronage secretaries; to the permanent head of the department, Sir Charles Spearman, and his successor, Sir Charles Trevelyan; to the prime minister, Sir Robert Peel; and to Sir Charles Wood, chancellor of the exchequer in Russell's administration'. The present item was written by Arbuthnot while holding the last position. 1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Laid down on part of a leaf from an album.

1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Laid down on a part of a leaf from an album. Reads: 'Mr. Anson begs to acknowledge the receipt of Mr. D'Orsey's Letter of the 6th. instant and to acquaint him in reply that he has submitted his appeal to Her Majesty The Queen who regrets that the great pressure of claims upon Her Majesty's private Bounty prevents a compliance with Mr. Dorsey's request.'

Card with printed stamp. In fair condition, lightly aged. Central vertical fold line and two punch holes at head. Addressed to 'Dr. B. Guisburg | 18 King's Bench Walk | EC 4', with address corrected in another rhand to 3 Downside Crescent | Haverstock Hill | London | N.W.' Begins: 'Dear Dr. Guisburg, | I wrote you a letter – no a PC this morning, sending it to the Controller of Shipping Office St James' Park'. That being the wrong address, he now attempts to arrange a meeting for lunch.

Jenkins's impressive list of appointments is in Who Was Who, and includes service 'in charge of Naval Brigade before Sebastopol, 1854-1855 (medal with clasp, Turkish medal, and Legion of Honour); Staff-Surgeon of hospital ships “Belleisle” and “Simoon” in China, 1857-61 (medal with two clasps)'. 2pp, 12mo. Bifolium, with the leaves separated, and reattached with small paper labels. Otherwise in fair condition, aged, and with wear along one edge. He regrets that his business engagements 'will not allow of my joining your party tomorrow'.

1p, 12mo. In fair condition, aged and lightly creased, with typed biographical details at head. Reads: 'My dear Henderson, | If you have not made other arrangements we hope you Mrs H & Judy will join our Christmas party for dinner. We shall be a small party, | Yours sincerely, | E R Fremantle'.

On one side of square of paper cut from a 12mo leaf. In fair condition, aged and lightly creased. Folded twice. Reads: 'For Coals and the School | With Lord Tennyson's | Compliments and best Wishes | May 1 / 85'. Presumably 'the School' is the Blue Coat School at Aldworth, and it seems that Tennyson was sending a cheque for the purchase of 'Coals', possibly as part of a tradition.

On thin 12.5 x 10.5 cm piece of paper. In good condition, lightly aged, with thin strip of paper from mount adhering to the blank reverse. Evidently in response to a request for an autograph, Priessnitz has placed his signature ('V. Prießnitz.') at the centre, with curling flourishes above and below. The signature is enclosed with neat ruled lines at the edges of the paper.

1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. As he is leaving town on the following Monday, he only has the following two days 'at my disposal here'. He suggests times on those days when he would be happy to see him. 'A visit here would be better than one at Westgate, because then you could see my Workshop'.