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Letter from Sir Benjamin Thompson of Munich to Lord Sheffield [John Baker Holroyd, 1st Earl of Sheffield], 18 Nov 1791. Describing the condition and people of Bavaria. Speaking of the Elector's troops: '... I know of no Troops that are so well and so comfortably clothed as ours, both for Summer and Winter ...'. Giving details of the crops, minerals and commerce of Bavaria. 'It would be difficult,'he writes, 'to convey to your Lordship an adequate idea of the Ignorance, Superstition and corruption which pervade and darken every part of this neglected Country.' Says that the clergy and nobility hold a monopoly of the beer in Bavaria: '... which is the great source of their riches, and on that account Drunkenness must be encouraged.'

Autograph, with signature.

Volume containing engraved pages completed in manuscript listing fortnightly prices of corn in the markets of the principal towns of each Généralité of France; headings and wheat prices have been added in manuscript for the years 1771-1773.

Manuscript volume containing a copy of the Scottish Act of Sederunt for the regulation of the prices of meat and other victuals in Edinburgh, [1688], entitled 'Coppie of the act of sederunt for regulateing the pryces of vivers', and beginning 'The Lords of Councill and Sessione considering the prejudice which his Majesties Leidges repairing to and resideing in this towne doe sustaine through the exorbitant rates exacted for fleshes and other vivers, they ordain that the rates and pryces of butcher fleshes...sold within the towne of Edinburgh, suburbs thereof and Leith shall not exceed these contained in the table underwryten'.

Two papers, each in a different hand, containing observations on the price of wheat and flour and its effect upon the price of bread, with reasons given for the fluctuations and suggestions for dealing with them, with particular reference to London, [1800-1801]. The items are enclosed in a wrapper, possibly sent by J. Williams (maybe the MP for Winchelsea), addressed to Admiral Sir Michael Seymour, Bt, Commissioner of H.M. Dockyard, Portsmouth, dated and franked 14 Dec 1831.

Letter from Thomas Robert Malthus of London to Rev George Turner, Kettleburgh, Wickham Market, [Suffolk], 28 Nov 1800. Referring to Malthus's tract An Investigation of the Causes of the present High Price of Provisions(1800). 'I sat up till two o'clock the evening before I went to Bath to finish it that it might come out before the meeting of Parliament.' Referring to the the famous Essay on the Principle of Population: 'The prevailing conversation about the pop[ulation] of the country has caused enquiries to be made about the Essay, which is now nowhere to be bought. This I hope will animate me to proceed in another edition, though to say the truth I feel at present very idle about it'.

Autograph, with signature.

[A letter from James Bonar to Professor H S Foxwell, asking permission to print Malthus's letter, and a corrected proof of the letter for the Economic Journal are filed with Malthus's original letter.]

Certified copy of grain prices in Lanarkshire for 1799-1820. The first three leaves contain the prices for the upper ward of the country, 1799-1811, and for the whole county, 1812-1820. These are certified as 'a true copy of the fair prices...of grain before mentioned' in a declaration signed by John Marr, 1 Nov 1821. Each page also bears his signature at the foot. Another hand continues the list up to 1823, adding prices of beans, pease and malt. The document is twice endorsed as being a certified copy for 1799-1820.