Showing 59 results

Letter from William Wilberforce of Elmodon House, near Birmingham to the Reverend William Jay, 30 Dec 1831. 'I feel honor'd as well as gratified by the proof of your esteem and regard for me which you give by desiring to place my name at the head of your new publication'.

Autograph, with signature.

Papers of Daniel Webster, 1843, comprise a receipt for 'Arrowsmith's Atlas in one volume folio', borrowed from the Library of the United States Department of State.

Letter from Silvanus Phillips Thompson of Morland, Chislett Road, West Hampstead, London to R A Rye [University of London Library], 29 Aug [1908]. Accompanying a book borrowed from the University Library about ten years previously, preserved by Professor Thompson because he knew it to be 'safer in his keeping during the interregnum'.

Autograph, with signature.

Manuscript and printed items, 1891-1963, of a personal and business nature relating to George Smith.

Letter from Adam Smith to William Strahan, Esq, MP, 20 Dec 1777, address: Edinburgh, New Street, Shoe Lane, London. Asks for information on the delay in his appointment as a Commissioner of Customs for Scotland. A postscript states: 'Neither you nor Mr [Thomas] Cadell have wrote me anything concerning the new Edition of My Book, is it Published? does it sell well? does it sell ill? does it sell at all?'

Autograph, with signature.

Letter from Adam Smith, 4 Apr 1760. Address: Glasgow. To his publisher, [William] Strahan. Refers to the 2nd edition of Smith's 'The Theory of Moral Sentiments' (1759), to the Act of Union (1707), and to [Nathaniel] Hooke's 'Secret History of Colonel Hooke's Negotiations in Scotland, in favour of the Pretender, in 1707, etc' (1760).

Autograph, with signature. A facsimile, printed for James Bonar's 'Catalogue of Adam Smith's Library' is filed with the original letter.

Letter from Samuel Smiles of West Bank, Blackheath, London to Charles Manby FRS, 14 Dec 1868. Covering letter to a copy of Smiles's Life of George Stephenson etc (1868 edition).

Autograph, with signature.

Letter from Sir John Sinclair of Whitehall to Messrs Cadell and Davies, booksellers, Strand, 15 Jun 1795. Asking whether the octavo or quarto size would be the more convenient for reprinting the Agricultural reports of 1794.

Written in another hand with Sir John Sinclair's own signature. With a black seal bearing Sinclair's coat of arms.

A draft reply (dated [16] Jun 1795) is written on the second leaf.

(1) Letter from Eyre Massey Shaw of the Metropolian Fire Brigade, Watling Street, London to Mr Fraser, 21 Mar 1872. Explaining that he is unable to inspect premises unless invited to do so by the occupants. The law allows 'your neighbours to set their premises on fire, & then, but only then, I have full power to break in & interfere. The moment the place is cool I must walk away ...'.

(2) Letter from Eyre Massey Shaw of the Fire Brigade, Southwark, London to Miss E S Busk, 13 Jul 1889. Stating that Mr G W Gamble, who had applied to Miss Busk for books, was thoroughly respectable, but 'he is not the whole institution', and advising her to lend the books, and then, if the 'society is likely to endure', to turn the loan into a gift; [the society mentioned has not be identified].

Both letters are autograph, with signatures.

Papers of Bernard Page Scattergood, 1931 and 1935, comprise two letters to Mr [A Y] Ali notably a covering letter enclosing an off-print [wanting] of part of 'The Scattergoods and the East India Company', co-written by Scattergood [with Sir Richard Carnac Temple and Lavinia M Anstey]; written to Ali in England (5 January 1931) and a covering letter enclosing a copy of the completed book.

Papers of Arthur Cowper Raynard, 1881, comprise a letter to Mrs [Sophia] De Morgan, widow of Augustus De Morgan, offering to lend her Professor Edward Singleton Holden's biography Sir William Herschel, his life and works (London, 1881).

Letter from Sir Thomas Phillipps of Oxford to [Edward Duke], 14 Mar 1837. '... my thanks for the kind manner in which you express a wish to see my portion of the Wilts History in print. You will be gratified to hear that I have advanced to page 56 of the 2nd part of Aubreys Wilts [John Aubrey Natural History of Wiltshire] ... & have this last week collected from the stores of Bodley some information which I did not before possess'. Mentioning the expense of publication and the difficulty of selling works of local history. 'I am not so rich as our mutual and valuable friend Sir Richard Hoare to be able to spend & lose 2000 per annum for the mere pleasure of illustrating the History of Wiltshire. At the same time I have no wish to make it a profitable speculation for myself.' Saying that he is happy to purchase a copy of Duke's book [probably Prolusiones historicae (1837)].

Autograph, with signature.

Letter from T E Paget of Charterhouse, Godalming, [Surrey] to Mrs Waller [wife of Augustus Désiré Waller], 7 Mar 1904. Discussing payment of her son's school fees and Paget's reading of one of her husband's books (title not mentioned).

Autograph, with signature.

2 Letters from Charles Kay Ogden of the Royal Societies Club, St James's Street, London SW1, to Montague Summers, 14 Oct and 27 [Oct] [1924]. Discussing books being prepared by Summers: Witchcraft, Restoration Drama and Physical Phenomena of Mysticism.

Autograph, with signature.

Letter from Stanley Arthur Morison of 2 Whitehall Court, [London] to Mrs Irene Wellington, 26 Apr 1958. Thanking her for her gift of a transcription of the Crux Fidelis.

Autograph, with signature. Filed with the original envelope.

(1) Letter from William Frend De Morgan of The Vale, King's Road, Chelsea to H F Heath, Librarian of the University of London, 20 Oct 1900. (2) Letter from William Frend De Morgan of Via Lorenzo Magnifico 25, Florence, Italy to H F Heath, Librarian of the University of London, 4 Nov 1900. Both letters relate to De Morgan's gift of notes and additions made by his father, Augustus De Morgan, for his Arithmetical Books.

Both letters are autograph, with signatures. Filed with a typescript copy of Dr Heath's reply to the first letter.

Letter from George Meredith of Box Hill, Dorking, [Surrey] to 'Sir Reynard' [Edward Clodd], 28 May 1902. 'If you like to have the dedication [of Walter Copeland Jerrold's book on Meredith] you have only to bow your head ... But there should be no mention of you as the subject's friend, for that would overpower the appreciation ...'

Autograph, with signature.

Masterpieces of Hogarth Scrapbook, c 1800-1950, contains cuttings of a majority of Hogarth's paintings and drawings.

Letter from Edward Howard Marsh of Churchdale Hall, near Bakewell, Derbyshire to George K A Bell, Bishop of Chichester, 27 Dec 1940. Covering note for a copy of Christopher Hassall's new book [S.O.S. … 'Ludlow' (1940)]; including Hassall's address.

Letter from Walter de la Mare to J H P Pafford, Goldsmiths' Librarian, University of London

(1) Letter from Walter de la Mare of 4 South End House, Montpelier Row, Twickenham to J H P Pafford, Goldsmiths' Librarian, University of London, 12 Dec 1948. Offering to inscribe any books sent to his daughter and son-in-law's home in Buckinghamshire.

(2) Letter from Walter de la Mare of The Old Park, Penn, Buckinghamshire to J H P Pafford, Goldsmiths' Librarian, University of London, 18 Dec 1948. 'I am returning separately the six books you sent me, & it has been a pleasure to put my name in them'.

Both letters are autograph, with signatures.

Papers of Alexander Macdonald, 1881, comprise a letter to John Salkeld, bookseller asking him to forward J Godkin's 'Land War in Ireland'.

Letter from Baldassarre Boncompagni-Ludovisi, 1856 to [To Augustus De Morgan], asking for a copy of 'The Elements of the Mathematical art commonly called Algebra, expounded in two books, by John Kersey. 1717'.

Letter from Baldassarre Boncompagni-Ludovisi, 1856, [To Augustus De Morgan], asking him to make arrangements with Mr Ashbee for making facsimiles of pages in early printed books.

Letter from Baldassarre Boncompagni-Ludovisi, 1858, [To Augustus De Morgan]. Thanking De Morgan for his letter of 14 November 1858, giving information about Francesco Galigai's 'Pratica d'Arithmetica' (1548), and asking for further details. Letter enquires about the library of Dr [Daniel Mitford] Peacock and asks De Morgan to get Count [Guglielmo] Libri to send catalogues of sales he was to hold [in March and August 1859] in England and in Paris. Enquires about further editions of De Morgan's 'Arithmetical Books' (1847) and offers to get one printed in Rome.

Papers of Katharine Longley, 1812-1993, comprising research notebooks; correspondence files; material associated with the Wickham and Ternan families; photocopies of manuscript material; photocopies from periodicals; a copy of The Charles Dickens Birthday Book; material on The Mystery of Edwin Drood; typescript of A Singular Light; typescript of A Pardoner's Tale; typescripts of Charles Dickens: Towards the Truth; typescript essays; printed books; and photographs and negatives.

Letter from Count Guglielmo Bruto Icilio Timoleone Libri-Carrucci dalla Sommaia of London to [Augustus De Morgan], 26 May 1857. Promising to send him catalogues [of his sales of books and manuscripts] once they are corrected. Reporting the death of [Augustin Louis] Cauchy.

Autograph, with signature.

Letter from Sir Osbert Lancaster of Flat 2, 12 Eaton Square, London to [Dr John Henry Pyle Pafford], 22 Jun [1945-1967]. Agreeing to autograph a book for the University of London Library.

Personal correspondence of Charles Lahr, 1925-1970, including references to Lahr's family and politics, and business correspondence relating to the Blue Moon Press and ordering books. Correspondents include: Rhys Davies; Guy Alfred; Pearl Binder; Hugo Dewar; Christopher Grieve; Oswell Blakeston.

Letter from Hermione Knox of Ranfurly Library Service Ltd, 18 Carlton House Terrace, London to Dr J H P Pafford, 22 Feb 1968. Concerning Dr Pafford's help to the Ranfurly Library Service.

2 letters from Walter Copeland Jerrold of Jessamine House, Hampton, [Middlesex] to Edward Clodd, Esq, 1902.

(1) Accompanying a copy of Jerrold's book on George Meredith: 'I feel horribly aware of its many shortcomings ...'., 22 Nov 1902.

(2) Promising to 'correct the reference to the Chelsea "experiment", [?in the same book] at the earliest opportunity', 1 Dec 1902.

Both letters are autograph, with signatures.

Papers of Aldous Leonard Huxley, 1918 , comprise a letter his brother, Julian Sorell Huxley, discussing books and society and literary figures.

Letter from James Henry Leigh Hunt of [7 Cornwall Road], Hammersmith, [London], 15 Dec [1853-1858] to an unidentified librarian. 'Do not imagine - to speak Hibernice - that I have lost sight of the missing books ... my inability to visit the bookshops is very inconvenient to me ...'.

Autograph, with signature.

Letter from George Jacob Holyoake of 20 Cockspur Street, Pall Mall, London to Lady Trelawny, 20 Jul 1972. Telling of books he had recently read; referring to 'a people's edition now 2/6 of Erewhon ... by young [Samuel] Butler'.

Autograph, with signature.

Letter from Sir Henry Holland of 72 Brook Street, [London] to George Grote, Jan [1870]. Covering note accompanying a reprint of Holland's Recollections of past life, '... with very considerable additions ... [which] were suggested to me by yourself and several other friends'.

Autograph, with signature.

Letter from Octavia Hill of 190 Marylebone Road, London to Miss Brinton, 13 May 1908. Accompanying the gift of a book.

Autograph, with signature.

Letter from Sir Arthur Helps of the Privy Council Offices, [London] to Sir John Duke Coleridge (afterwards Lord Coleridge), 18 Jul 1872. Covering letter to a copy of Helps's book Life and Labours of Mr. Brassey 1805-1870(1872).

Autograph, with signature.

Papers of Dr Negley Harte relating to the history of the University of London, c1950-1986, comprising material collected for Dr Negley Harte's book, The University of London 1836-1986 - an illustrated history (Althlone Press, 1986). Including copies of some illustrations.

5 letters from George Julian Harney to John Salkeld, bookseller, 1888-1895. Requesting books. Including an envelope for the letter dated 11 Oct 1893.

Autographs, with signatures.

Letters, notes and poems from George Rostrevor Hamilton to Thomas Sturge Moore and his wife Marie, 1932-1934. Topics covered include Hamilton's poems and other books, about which he solicits Sturge Moore's opinions.

All items are autograph or typescript, with signatures.

Manuscript volume containing a guidebook to Rome entitled 'Antiquitez Romaines; Rome', [1650-1700]. Probably a school exercise-book.

Letter from Frank Tenney of the American Academy in Rome, Porta S Pancarzio, Rome (29), Italy to Sir Herbert Warren, President of Magdalen College, Oxford, 1 Nov 1922. Thanking him for his generous letter, occasioned by the publication of and commenting on Frank's Vergil: a biography (1922). 'I have now settled down for a few months at the American Academy and shall have time to think about Vergil and repent the too hasty publication of that book'. Referring to 'our friend, Professor [W P] Mustard' [Professor of Latin at Johns Hopkins University and Frank's colleague], who drew his attention to Warren's Essays of Poetry and the Poets (1909).

Autograph, with signature.

Invoices, reviews and accounts including manuscript reviews by Herbert Foxwell of works by the historian William Arthur Shaw; details of Foxwell's monthly expenditure on books, sorted by location; invoices from bookshops, [1880-1925].

Letter from William Warde Fowler of Kingham, Chipping Norton, [Oxfordshire] to [Miss Palgrave (one of Sir Reginald F D Palgrave's daughters)], 9 Nov 1916. Thanking her for a letter about a book recently published by him [?Essays in brief for war time].

Written in another hand and signed by Fowler.

Letter from Peter Stephen DuPonceau of Phildelphia, [Pennsylvania] to J Vaughan, Esq, 19 Nov 1831. Asking him 'to send the enclosed [a copy of An Historical Review of the ... Silk Culture, Manufacture and Trade, etc (1831)] to your excellent nephew'.

Autograph, with signature.

2 scrapbooks of letters, fragments of letters, stamped or franked envelopes, and autographs, collected by Henry Austin Dobson and his wife Frances. Selected individuals represented are listed below.

Volume 1 includes letters written by: Sir Walter Besant; Thomas Hall Caine; Sir Edmund Gosse; Sir Mountstuart E Grant-Duff; Coventry Kersey Deighton Patmore; Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington; and Samuel Wesley (the composer).
Additional signatures in volume 1 include: Robert Browning and Bret Harte.
The volume also contains a religious poem by Hannah More (probably not in her own hand).

Volume 2 includes letters written by: Sir George Biddell Airy; Richard Ansdell; Anthony Ashley-Cooper, Earl of Shaftesbury; Edward Bickersteth (the evangelical leader); Richard Doddridge Blackmore; Marc Isambard Brunel; Sir Andrew Buchanan; William Carus Wilson; William Henry Cavendish-Scott-Bentinck, Duke of Portland; William Courtenay, Earl of Devon; Edward John Eyre; John Fane, Earl of Westmorland; Robert FitzRoy; Giuseppe Garibaldi; Sir Mountstuart E Grant-Duff; Kate Greenaway; William Walter Legge, Earl of Dartmouth; Charles Gordon-Lennox, Duke of Richmond; Robert James Mann; Friedrich Max Müller; Florence Nightingale; Clara Novello, Countess Gigliucci; Edward Bouverie Pusey; James Meadows Rendel; Edward Sabine (later Sir Edward); Alfred Tennyson, Lord Tennyson; Frederick Benjamin Twistleton[-Wykeham-Fiennes], Baron Saye and Sele; Rev Christopher Wordsworth (later Bishop of Lincoln); and Charlotte M Yonge.
Additional signatures in volume 2 include: William George Armstrong; Sir Charles Barry, Nathaniel Beardmore (Mrs Dobson's father) and other members of his family; Sir Charles Tilston Bright; Randolph Caldecott; George Canning; Sir Francis Leggatt Chantrey; Richard Cobden; Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (Lewis Carroll); William Eward Gladstone; Benjamin Robert Haydon; William Hilton; Tom Hood (Thomas Hood the younger); Jean Ingelow; Sir William Jenner; Charles Kingsley; Henry Kingsley; Sir Charles Lyell; Giuseppe Mazzini; Horatio Nelson; Sir James Paget; Sir Robert Peel; George Ponsonby; Edward Sieveking (later Sir Edward); Sir William Smith ('Dictionary of the Bible' author); Richard Chevenix Trench, Archbishop of Dublin; Anthony Trollope; Horace Walpole (later Earl of Orford); Willoughby Hunter Weiss; Professor William Whewell.
The volume also contains a hymn written by James Montgomery for a member of the Beardmore family.

Many of the letters and autographs are undated.

Letter from Sit Thomas (Tam) Dalyell of the House of Commons to Bill Simpson, University of London Librarian, 16 Jan 1994. Presenting a copy of Dalyell's book Dick Crossman: a portrait (1989) to the University of London Library.

(a) Letter from Robert F Crawford of 55 College Place, Camden Town, [London] to Sir James Hannen, president of the Parnell enquiry, 6 Feb 1888. Covering letter accompanying copies of Crawford's published writings, including A political essay on money and Letters on usury.

(b) Covering note from Sir Henry Cunynghame, Probate Division, Royal Courts of Justice, [c1925-1935]. Forwarding Crawford's letter and works to Professor H S Foxwell, [University of London Library].

Both letters are autograph, with signatures.

Six illustrated manuscripts by the artist Walter Crane, including three notebooks produced for his children - 'Beatrice Crane Her Book', 'Beatrice's Painting Book' and 'Lancelot His Book'. Also includes the manuscripts for two published works 'The Necklace of Princess Fiorimonde' and 'Thoughts in a Hammock' and 'A Herald of Spring', and drawings for an unpublished version of the traditional ballard 'The Blind Beggar's Daughter'.

Letter from Joseph Cowen of Stella Hall, Blaydon-on-Tyne, [County Durham] to John Salkeld, bookseller, 21 Apr 1889. Asking for books to be sent; [the enclosed list of books is missing].

Autograph, with signature.

Letter from Sara Coleridge of Keswick, Cumberland to [John] J Morgan Esq of 71 Berners Street, Oxford Street, London [a friend of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, who was staying with Morgan's family in London], 5 Sep 1812. '... to request the favor of you to use your influence with my husband to prevail on him to send me a few lines immediately, for I have been so long [since Apr 1812] waiting for a letter from him ... I will thank you to represent to him that I want a little money very much ... for my sister [Edith] Southey having lost 30 pounds by the failure of the Workington Bank, and having occasion for money at present more than is convenient for S [i.e. Robert Southey, Edith's husband] to draw for - I own I feel very uncomfortable at the thought of not being able to settle my accounts with him ... I have bought the books for the boys; I was obliged to send to London for them ... I have also been obliged to get all their school books bound, the Aeschylus among the rest which was coming to peices [sic]. Please also say that we have not been able to find at Grasmere that "Reynard the Fox" which C [her husband] designed for Southey, and that probably he has it with him in town ...'

Autograph, with signature. A note in the hand of her 9-year-old daughter, also Sara, appears at the end of the letter.