THE

The background to the two documents is given in Guidott's entry in the History of Parliament, which states that his uncle Anthony was 'for many years a lawyer to the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough and described the latter in his will as “my particular good friend”. Guidott benefited from the connexion, succeeding his uncle as lawyer to the Marlboroughs. […] He proved a disappointment to the Duchess of Marlborough, however, as by 1711 he had begun the embezzlement of funds from the Marlborough estates for which he was sued in 1725.

On 5.5 x 10 cm. piece of paper cut from the conclusion of a letter. Lightly aged and ruckled, with closed tear repaired on reverse with archival tape. Traces of previous mount on reverse. Reads: 'Believe me, | Yrs [last word underlined] very sincerely | Albert Edward'.

2pp., 8vo. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. On a single leaf of laid paper (with crown 'G R' watermark), signed at the foot of each page 'Wm Cowper'. Entries dating from 30 June to 2 August 1737. Around fifty items of stationery, placed together in twelve groups, the twelve totals amounting to £46 4s 0d. Items include paper, '5 hundred pens', ink, pencils, cloth bags, 'Tortoise penknives', 'Indian Sand', binding tape and wax.

Title-page reads, in full: 'A Short Account of the Cause of the Disease in Corn, Called by Farmers The Blight, the Mildew, and the Rust. By Sir Joseph Banks, Bart. Third Edition, with Additions: | And | A Letter to Sir J. Banks, On the Origin of the Blight, and on the Means of Raising Late Crops of Garden Pease. By T. A. Knight, Esq. | 1815.' [19]pp., 8vo. Paginated [401]-419. Banks's paper on pp.402-414; Knight's on pp.415-419. Disbound with loose leaves. In good condition, lightly aged.

A marvellous slice of Victorian social history. The entry for 'Matrimonial News' in 'Frederick May's London Press Dictionary and Advertiser's Handbook, 1871' runs as follows: 'MATRIMONIAL NEWS AND SPECIAL ADVERTISER – 2d. F. Farrah, 282, Strand, W.C.

56pp., 12mo. Disbound pamphlet without wraps. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. A series of seventeen letters, written from Jerusalem in 1865. The author was the daughter of Owen Jones, and these letters are edited with a preface by Owen Jones. The book went to at least seven editions. No copy of this first edition at the National Library of Wales, and no other copy on COPAC either. Now scarce.

4pp., 4to. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. With two tax stamps. Laid out in double column, with the Dutch text on the right, and a French translation on the left. Begins with official announcements ('Administration. | Renovation.' and 'Contribution Fonciere sur les Proprietes Baties'), followed by 'Nouvelles - Politique' ('Baviere', 'Angleterre' and 'Empire-Francais') and ending with 'Varietes'.

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Written in a shaky hand. The letter begins: 'Dear Sir | I was much obliged to you for the extra copy of The Inquirer which I was glad to have, containing very good letters supporting Free Trade. It is a subject on which I feel strongly – perhaps inherited from my father!

[31]pp., 4to. In grey wraps with title reprinted on cover. In poor condition, heavily creased, in creased, worn and damaged wraps. Contains eleven items, mostly statistical tables: 'Order of Sessions to print Reports and Accounts', 'The Committee of Visitors', 'Report of Visitors to Quarter Sessions', 'Confirmation of Report', 'Superintendent's Annual Report', 'Statistical Tables', 'Accounts of Receipts and Payments', 'General Statement of the Receipts and Payments', 'Summary of the Cost per head per week', 'Farm and Garden (Stock)' and 'Farm and Garden Account'.

1p., 8vo. Bifolium addressed on reverse of second leaf to 'Messrs: Nichols & son, | No. 26, | Parliament Street, | Westminster.' (Delivered by hand, with word 'Wait.' at bottom left of address.) In fair condition, lightly aged. Written in a bold hand, the letter reads: 'Gentlemen, | I lately sent you by post a careful review of Baron D'Ordre's “Exiles of Parga,” & offered to correct a proof for you. Have you any intention to print the same?

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, on aged paper, with light staining to corners from previous mounting. Reads: 'Dr Jacobson presents his Compliments to Mr Baker and begs leave to inclose a Post Office Order for the Amount of his Bill of May 21st.'

1p., 4to. In good condition, lightly aged. She apologises for the late reply to her 'nice letter', and has 'autographed the bookplate as you requested'. She ends with the question: 'Have you read my latest book, "A Prologue to Love"?' Note: Eileen Cond was an autograph collector who used to send her bookplate for sigining to significant contemporaries.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged. He is enclosing 'the Extract from "Men and Women of the Time"' that the editor sent him, with corrections and additions, and would like to see a proof.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium on monogrammed letterhead. In fair condition, lightly aged. The body of the letter is written by a secretary. A useful communication, laying out the requirements for a batchelor's degree in music during Ouseley's tenure as Heather Professor, between 1855 and 1889. Ouseley writes in reply to Le Tenore's letter, setting out what is 'required of Candidates for the degree of Mus. Bac.', beginning with the composition of 'an exercise in 5 real parts, with accompaniments for a quintett [sic] band.

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., landscape 12mo. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper, with closed tear and tape stain at head. Reads: 'British Museum | Sept. 12. 1842 | My dear Sir | I was not at home when Mr Justice Norton presented your Note of recommendation to our Reading Room. I lose no time in enclosing a Card for him, with our Regulations. | Yours very truly | Henry Ellis'.

On one side of a slip of paper cut from a letter. In good condition, lightly aged. The conclusion of a letter, reading: '[...] also to get another Servant, so I shall put it off till my return & I have every thing in order. | My kind love to all of you & you my dear Mother ever truly | F Marryat'.

1p., 12mo. On grey paper. In fair condition, lightly aged. Reads: 'Dear Sir, | Will you please give me an appointment on Thursday next when I am in town? | Faithfully yours, | Lewis Melville'.

The five signatories are: Sir Alfred Claud Hollis (1874-1962), Governor of Trinidad and Tobago, 1930-1936, and author of a historical account of Spanish Trinidad; his wife Enid Mabel Hollis (née Longman), Lady Hollis (1888-1939); Sir Edward Brandis Denham (1876-1938), Governor of British Guiana, 1930–1935, and Jamaica, 1935–1938; Sir Thomas Reginald St Johnston (1881-1950), Governor of the Leeward Islands, 1929-1936; Sir William Charles Fleming Robertson (1867-1937), Governor of Barbados, 1925-1932. On one side of a 13.5 x 16.5 cm leaf of cream paper torn from an autograph album.

All three items are in good condition, lightly aged. Both letters are signed 'Richard Bentley'. ONE (ALS, 4 May 1927): 2pp., landscape 12mo. Annotated by Heal at head of first page: 're Writing Masters'. Begins: 'My dear Sir | I thought you MUST have the mezzo of Tomkins! The private schools being adjacent to that of St. Pauls is hardly accidental? It would seem to imply a connection of duties (though not of schools.) and in former times people lived close to their work. No railways – no omnibuses even then. Stage Coaches, pre-Palmer, also slow'.

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. Lithograph engraved facsimile of Garrick's autograph manuscript on unwatermarked wove paper. In fair condition, lightly aged. The origin of the engraving is unclear. Headed: 'Some additional shift to ye Comic part of ye Midsummer Night's dream. | Song for Epilogue | By Quince, Bottom Snug, Flute Starvling, Snout.' The first nine lines of the poem follow, beginning: 'Most noble Duke to us be kind, | Be you and all your Courtiers blind, | […]'. The poem as published in Colman's edition of 1763 does not feature the penultimate line: 'That will not do at Court:'.

Bentley is without a doubt the author of this anonymous work, and the present copy comes from the Bentley Archives. viii + 67 + [1]pp., 8vo. In attractive paper-vellum quarter-binding, with red cloth boards on the cover of which the title is stamped in gilt. In good condition, lightly aged. Attractively printed, with title-page in black and red. Divided into six parts: 'Events in the Reign of Edward III', 'English Governors of Brittany'; 'Introductory: The Attack on Vannes', 'The Battle of Saintes', 'The Battle of Mauron' and 'After Mauron'.

Half-penny postcard printed in purple. In fair condition, lightly aged, with thin strip along one edge from former mounting obscuring parts of a few words. Addressed to 'F. Davis Esq. | 4 Upper Phillamore [sic] Place | W.' The communication reads: 'Sir, | I beg to inform you that we have bought out Maltons Gt. Treatise on Perpective in the columns of the Forge & Lathe a fortnightly Journal devoted to Practical Mechanics &c. The Preface appeared in our No. Published yesterday price 6d by post 7d Terms for Subscribers 16/- Yearly 8/- ½ Yearly 4/- Quarterly. | A. Absolon | Publisher'.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, laid down on piece of card, with slight staining from the glue employed. The note reads: 'My dear Benthall. | I enclose what you wished for, a slip of Sala's “Copy”, and one of my own. They are both sufficiently grimy, having been through the printers' hands. | Sincerely your's [sic] | Edmund Yates'.

1p., 12mo. With mourning border. In good condition, lightly aged. He found the recipient's 'kind letter' on his return home, and thanks him for it and for his 'good offices in procuring me the payment from Rustal's Charity'. He asks him to communicate his best thanks to the Trustees, 'at the next opportunity which may occur'.

ONE: On letterhead of 'The Ben Greet Company', addressed from 20 Buckingham Street, WC [ London ]. 14 July [ no year ]. 2pp., 8vo. In fair condition, aged and worn, with the first page carrying pencil scorings and a short note by Forsyth. The first paragraph reads: 'If business will permit can I have one of the small boxes for Monday night. You generally let me have something during the Season. I've been a very regular Gallery & Amphitheatre and stallite this season.' He continues: 'You've got a genius in Frau , & you sd keep her. Everyone is raving about her.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged. He is sending a copy of a note his secretary has 'just sent about an opera box for the next season. | The box we were able to get this year contrasted so poorly with my old "loge entre les colonnes" in Paris that I am afraid my personal tastes would be about as well satisfied without one!' He feels sure that 'with this long notice and with a friendly word' from Higgins, 'something better can be done'. One of the grandest residences in London, Dorchester House was rented by Reid as the American Embassy from 1905.

13pp., 8vo. Stapled. In fair condition, lightly aged, with slight rust to staples. Consisting of a title leaf and 9pp. of text in small print, paginated [2] 3-11. The author is not named, and no other copy of the title has been traced, either on OCLC WorldCat or on COPAC, but the item comes from a collection of papers by Stanley - and Africa is his specailist subject.

8pp., 8vo. Paginated 645-652. In good condition, lightly aged. Extracted from the magazine and with traces of stitching. Reproducing a letter dated from 'Grayshott, Hants. | August 15th, 1896.' Stanley takes offence to 'the many ridiculous calumnies found in amost every sentence of [Salusbury's] article in your magazine'. He begins: 'I greatly regret being compelled to reply to an article in the June number of your magazine called "The Congo State: a Revelation;" but I am sure Captain Salusbury, the writer of it, must have expected me to do so.'