Allingham, William

Autograph Letter to Moncure Conway

[1867]. Manuscript material. An interesting four page handwritten letter dated August 27 [1867] and sent from Lymington. In the letter, Allingham writes: “Dear Conway, I received your note with pleasure this evening at 6. If you...came down here tomorrow, Wednesday, (as you say) you shall be most welcome, & I will do all my little best. I must tell you how the land lies: Tennyson is away, in Devonshire or thereabouts. I went down with him last week & returned here for business reasons yesterday - am to rejoin him in a few days if I can. He will probably not be at Freshwater for a month or more. I myself cannot leave here, that is for a whole day [underlined], before Saturday afternoon ... Meanwhile I am good for half a day or so. I cannot be expliciter, because my circumstances are vague. Do come if you can - & send a telegram [underlined]. I am only in a lodging - will feed you most gladly, - cannot sleep you. (my ink is dried out). Trains leave Waterloo - arrives Lymington [gives three times]. I shall look out for you tomorrow, & hope you will come. Send a telegram - yours W. Allingham. I may be here on tomorrow week, but it’s quite uncertain.” Moncure Conway (1832-1907) was an American abolitionist, Unitarian clergyman, and author. He moved to England in the 1860s and became part of the artistic, intellectual, and non-conformist social circles of London. His friends included Dickens, Carlyle, Browning, and Darwin. In very good condition with light creases from being folded. ALS/122911. Very Good.

Cooper, Anthony Ashley, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury

Clipped signature

Undated clipped signature of the 7th Earl of Shaftesbury (1801-1885) who was an English politician and social reformer. AUTOGRAPH/060911.

Douglas, James

Manuscript Letters and Documents

London: 1917-1928. Manuscript material. A small collection of letters to James Douglas including typed and handwritten items on his family genealogy, a letter from his son with a condolence letter from his son’s commanding officer, an original photograph, and a leaf bearing the signature of William Randolph Hearst. James Douglas (1867-1940) was a British newspaper editor, critic, and author. He was known as a moralist and was in favor of censorship. As the editor of the Sunday Express in the 1920s, he launched a campaign against Radclyffe Hall’s The Well of Loneliness, writing “ I would rather give a healthy boy or a healthy girl a phial of prussic acid than this book.” He also negatively reviewed Joyce’s Ulysses. This collection comprises an eclectic assortment of items. Douglas was apparently interested in his family’s genealogy, and there are typewritten summaries of his research as well as two letters written to him from clergymen in response to inquiries about his family sent to their parish. There are two typewritten articles by Douglas, one a nostalgic memoir of his childhood Christmases, and the other a piece on meeting Mussolini. Included also is an original photo of Douglas, and, for undetermined reasons, a leaf bearing William Randolph Hearst’s autograph on stationery from the Savoy Hotel in London. Most poignant are two letters from World War I. One is from Douglas’s son, Brian, a member of the RAF, written in 1917 from the WWI front in France. It is a four-page, sweet and chatty letter to “My dearest Pater,” inquiring about his sister’s health, saying how he enjoys flying, talking about a recent article on an incident written about in the Daily Mail about a Hun aerodome bombing, and requesting new pajamas (silk Tartan) and more good books. He signs it “Ever your loving Brian.” The other is a two-page letter to Douglas from his son’s commander, Frank Russell, following the death of Brian in early 1918. In it he conveys the return of Brian’s watch, and thanks Douglas for his kind expression of thanks over the telephone. All items are in very good condition. ALS/062111. Very Good.

Gladstone, W.E. (William Ewart)

Ten Autograph Letters Signed to the Reverend Whitwell Elwin

England: 1856, 1858, 1864. Manuscript material. A very good, closely written, and expressive correspondence about politics, addressed to Whitwell Elwin (1816-1900) the editor of the Quarterly Review. W.E. Gladstone (1809-1898) was the prime minister of Great Britain four times: 1868-74, 1880-85, Feb.-July 1886, and 1882-94. These letters were written when he was out of office, about the time of his move to the Liberal Party. The letters discuss his views of the political scene, various government figures (including Lord Derby and Lord Palmerston), possible articles, and his manuscripts. There is a charming and amusing passage expressing a strong opinion of what was wrong with the current state of British government. Gladstone was a more than occasional contributor to the Quarterly Review from 1839 onwards. Several of these letters concern his important article, “The Declining Efficiency of Parliament,” published in the September 1856 issue. The letters are written on 4.5 x 7 inch stationery and signed. One letter has a half page cut from the last page but the text appears complete. All are in very good condition. Complete texts upon request. ALS/050112. Near Fine.

Harland, Henry

Two Handwritten Letters From Henry Harland

New York and London: n.p. 1887 and 1903. Two scarce and charming letters written by Henry Harland (1861-1905), one sent from New York City in 1887 and the other sent in 1903 after he had moved to England. Harland had two distinct periods in his writing career. He was from New York and while there published sensational potboilers under the pseudonym of Sidney Luska. This novel and two others from that period are referred to as the "Jewish Trilogy." Harland moved to London in 1889 and came under the influence of the Aesthetic Movement. He began publishing under his own name, and with Aubrey Beardsley was founder and an editor of the Yellow Book. He also wrote a number of pieces for the periodical. In the one page1887 letter Harland writes to Mrs. Bishop to say how broken-hearted his wife had been to have missed her visit. He accepts an invitation to dinner for the following Wednesday, noting their appreciation for having been asked to come early. The two page letter of 1903 is to Mrs. Bain in Paris. It concerns her report of the death of Miss Senhouse of Gosforth [Senhouse was very old family name in Gosforth in Cumbria]. He says that he was surprised because she seemed in the best of health and he had expected the "dear and witty old lady" to live for years, He confesses that he had failed to answer her last letter and that he had never read beyond the first line in any of her letters because "she wrote such a wonderfully illegible hand." He thanks Mrs. Bain for telling him more of Miss Senhouse's life and for throwing a new light upon her character. Both letters are written on folded 6 x 9 inch paper and are in very good condition . Both have creases where folded and there is a little staining on the blank last page of the 1903 letter. ALS/043013. Very Good.

Kingsley, Charles

Four Autograph Manuscript Sermons 1852-1872

[England]: [1852-1872]. Four lengthy sermons in Kingsley's own hand, with notes on the times and places of their delivery. All of the sermons were given at Eversley Church between 1852-1872, with one also given in other churches at later dates. Kingsley became the rector of St. Mary's church in Eversley in 1844 and was buried there in 1875. The sermons provide a fascinating look into Kingsley's writing and thought processes. There are many cross-outs, changes, and additions as he composes them. Charles Kingsley (1819-1875) was a major figure of the Victorian Age. He was a minister, professor, historian, poet, and novelist. He was prominent in the Christian Socialist movement, and was an early supporter of Darwin's theory of evolution. He is remembered today as the author of The Water Babies and Westward Ho! but in his day he was as well known as a social reformer and religious leader. Written on lightly lined sheets of 6.5 x 8 inch paper. Each sermon has been tied or stitched together. Some soiling and small tears to the outer pages but in very good condition. With the notes on date and place of delivery, there are sixty-nine pages or text. Housed in custom red clamshell box with leather spine label. AUTO/061213. Very Good.

Le Gallienne, Richard

Handwritten Letter to Florence Farr

[England]: n.p. [1895]. Letter. An autograph letter from the author Richard Le Gallienne to the actress Florence Farr, in which he writes four pages in his minute handwritting elaborately arranging a visit to the home of Grant Allen. He discusses the distance, various travel options, and how delighted the Grant Allens would be to see her. The letter is charming and offers an interesting view of social relations and arrangements in the late 1890s. Written in black ink on a folded piece of stationery that is 4.5 x 7 inches. A small section of the last page is rubbed along the fold, not affecting the text. In very good condition. AUTOLETTER/052313. Very Good.

Renan, Ernest

Autograph Letter Signed

Paris: 1872. This is a one page, twelve line letter written in French from Ernest Renan to a Monsieur Guyard. In it he is suggesting some days and times when they might get together. Ernest Renan (1823-1892) was a French historian and critic. His works include Histoire des Origines du Christianism" and Vie de Jesus.

Steele, Wilbur Daniel

Autograph note

Connecticut. Wilbur Daniel Steele (1886-1970) was an American author and playwright. This is a short note of eight lines written on May 23 to a Mlss [?] Mary Griswold from Steele's home in Old Lyme, CT. In it he sends his regret that due to illness that required a recuperative trip to Nassau, he was unable to write to her and her colleagues in time for the display week. In very good condition with the outline of a small paperclip in top right corner not affecting text, and small spot on upper left margin. Fold crease across middle. 5.5 x 7 inches. AUTO/062411. Very Good.

Wilkie, Sir David

ALS Clipped closing to letter

This appears to be the closing to a letter, affixed to a blank peice of paper. It offers Sir David's kindest regards to two young ladies (Miss...and Miss...) wotj ...of devoted respect, and that he has the honr to be their very faithful servant. Dated Kensignton, November 7th 1824. David Wilkie (1785-1841) was a well known Scottish painter.