Naval and military autographs
Good ink, like good wine, is none the worse for age.
Samuel Johnson.
There are some autograph collectors who limit their sphere of operations to the writings of great sailors and soldiers. The subject has already been touched on incidentally under the head of Royal Autographs, for James II. and William IV. were for a time Lord High Admirals of England, while other sovereigns met the enemy on the field of battle.[55] If Wellington can claim distinction as our greatest soldier, he ranks also amongst our most prolific letter-writers. The same may be said of Nelson with almost equal truth. Of Wellington's innumerable letters, a great many are supposed to have been written by his Secretary, Colonel Gurwood, and Nelson's amanuensis is also said to have successfully imitated the handwriting of his chief. There are numerous facsimiles of the letters of both Nelson and Wellington, and the axiom caveat emptor cannot be too frequently remembered when a suspicious specimen is offered for sale. In 1827 we are informed that "English Generals and Admirals vary greatly in value," and they do still. We are told, moreover, that at this epoch "the Royalist Prince Rupert is worth £1 9s., while the Parliamentary General, Fairfax, with four Peers for his supporters, is worth only 10s. The naval hero, Lord Nelson, commands £2 15s., while four other gallant admirals sink to 7s. 3d. each. Washington ranks with Cromwell at £5 15s. 6d., and leaves all other competitors behind." To-day a letter of Thomas Fairfax would bring anything from £7 to £20 or more, and a good D.S. at least £4 or £5. His autographs are always much in request. Washington letters have realised as much as £100 and more, and so have Cromwell's.
PART OF A.L.S. OF EARL HOWE TO EARL SPENCER AFTER HIS GREAT VICTORY OF JUNE 1, 1794.
In 1876-77-78 Mr. Waller was selling letters of Hood and Rodney at prices varying from 4s. 6d. to 7s. and "Wellingtons" at an average of 5s., but asked 12s. 6d. for a good letter of Villeneuve, who was defeated and taken prisoner at Trafalgar. In the same catalogue I find an A.L.S. of Wellington for 3s. 6d., and "fine specimens" of Turenne Mordaunt, Earl of Peterborough (Commander-in-Chief of the Forces in Spain temp. Queen Anne), priced respectively at £2 10s. Five years ago, however, a short letter written by the Iron Duke on the evening after Waterloo realised £105 at Sotheby's, and, as I have already stated, Wellington paid £60 for two similar letters during his lifetime—and committed them to the flames. At this time I see three interesting letters of Marlborough and three of his wife, with one document signed by the latter, were sold in a lot for £10 10s. Very good letters of Marlborough may even now be bought in Germany and Belgium for £3 or £4. In the "eighteen-seventies" very little Nelson MS. seems to have been in the market, but Mr. Frederick Barker offered a long A.L.S. of Lady Nelson (May 2, 1805) for 6s., and "directions for approaching Cadiz, 1 p. folio, wholly in Nelson's handwriting," for £3 5s. He priced two good A.L.S. of 1794 and 1795 at £5 5s. and £4 4s. In 1887 I met with a letter of General Gordon, quoted as "very rare," for £2 2s. In the same catalogue is a fine letter of Prince Rupert for £3 3s. I frankly envy the purchaser for 9s. 6d. of a letter written by Marshal Ney, from Montreuil, Boulogne, in 1804, when the terror of French invasion was at its height.
At the present moment there is little demand for the letters of the less known sailors and soldiers of the latter part of the seventeenth and first half of the eighteenth centuries, like Shovel, Wager, and Rooke, and I have seen a letter of Vernon, whose coat of grogram gave rise to the familiar word which still denotes the dilution of spirits with water, sold for 5s.! There is, however, one naval autograph of this period which now commands high prices. I allude to letters and other MSS. of the ill-fated John Byng, judicially murdered on March 14, 1757, "pour encourager les autres," as Voltaire says in "Candide," or in other words, to save the face of an inefficient and discredited Ministry. I gave £3 in 1907 for an A.L.S. of his which thirty years ago was sold by Mr. Waller for 12s. 6d., but I regard as a veritable autographic treasure the original of his will, which bears his signature in three places, and was executed only forty-eight hours before his tragic death. The sang-froid displayed in its elaboration shows the courage and deliberation of the unlucky admiral when face to face with the "Grim Sergeant."
SIGNATURE OF ADMIRAL BYNG ON HIS WILL A FEW DAYS BEFORE HIS DEATH, MARCH, 1757.
Only twelve months divide the death of Byng from the birth of Nelson, whose autographs are even more costly than those of the Elizabethan heroes of 1588. They now hold, as I shall presently show, the record as regards both price and interest. I have already alluded to the perils and pitfalls of Nelson forgeries. The collector must, of course, bear in mind the striking differences in the calligraphy of the great Admiral before and after the loss of his right arm in July, 1797. The earliest example I possess of Nelson's handwriting is a commission, signed on April 5, 1781, by him as well as by Lord Lisbourne, Bamber Gascoyne, and J. Greville. Nelson was then twenty-three. He was thirty-nine when he penned with his right hand the following historic letter to Earl Spencer:—
Lord Nelson to Earl Spencer.
Theseus, May 28 1797.
My Lord,—On my arrival from the Mediterranean two days past I received from Sir John Jervis your Lordship's Letter of April 3 together with a Gold Medal which the King has been pleased to order to be struck in Commemoration of the Victory obtained by His Fleet on the fourteenth of February last and which His Majesty has been graciously pleased to direct me the honor of wearing.
May I presume to say that when I observe the Medal that it must be a strong inducement for the continuance of my exertion for His Majesty and for my Country and my Country's Service and it shall be my pride to preserve it unsullied to posterity.
Your Lordship having from the moment of your coming to the Admiralty represented my services in the most favourable point of view to the King, allow me once more to return you my thanks together with those for the very handsome and flattering manner in which your Lordship have executed the King's Commands.
I have the Honor to be my Lord,
Your most obedient servant,
Horatio Nelson.
A.L.S. OF NELSON TO LADY HAMILTON ABOUT HIS WIFE, WRITTEN WITH HIS LEFT HAND, JANUARY 24, 1801.
Two months later occurred the accident which deprived Nelson of his right hand. The Bath facsimile[56] is a good specimen of his writing with his left hand in the last years of the eighteenth century. In reading any life of Nelson one cannot help being struck with the tenderness of the letters he addressed to his wife up to their abrupt separation. At the end of 1799, while he was still in the Mediterranean, she wrote him the following letter, now in my collection:—
St James's St
Dec 10 1797
My dear Husband,—I have seen a letter from Lady Berry to Mr. Davison. She tells him of Sir Edward's letter, dated Foudroyant, Minorca, Octr 18th, and mentions you were quite well which I hope is true. I dined a few days back at Mr Nepean's. He told me you were at Gibralter (sic). I thanked him for his intelligence. Would have given something to have asked a question, but that could not be done—therefore I still flatter myself as you are half way we may stand some chance of seeing you. Captn Foley has this instant left me. From what Captn Hood said I was in great hopes Captn F had very lately seen you. He is full of the Earl's commanding the Channel Fleet. Lord Bridport has sailed again. Our good father received yesterday [a letter] from your Br. William teazing him about no dignitaries (sic) for the Nelson family. I must write to the Rector and beg him not to be so tiresome, for truly I am nursing and doing everything I can to make your father comfortable and then he is quite upset by one of these epistles Mr W. N. [William Nesbit] requested me to give Mr Windham a gentle hint. Sir Peter and Lady Parker called yesterday. We have agreed to go and see the famous French milliner. Lady P declares they will put me in a sack and send me to Bonaparte. Her spirits are good indeed. She sends Sir Peter to the Admiralty to hear when you are expected home. I don't know what she is not to do—Dance and grow young. We dined yesterday (Susanna I mean) with the Hamiltons. I wish I could say Mrs Hamilton is the least modernized of all the antique figures. She certainly (is) the most. Mr Morton pais (sic) great attention. Bob Jones tells me Forbes has got Mr M to sign some papers for him. I long to hear what you have done for Captain Hardy. His character is excellent indeed.
Our father has received direction how to proceed in sending to the stage coach for Horace Susanna Bolton is to go to buy Maps in St Paul's Churchyard to amuse his children. Our good father's love to you and Blessing. God Bless and Protect my Dearest Husband
Believe me your affec. Wife
Frances H Nelson
NAVAL COMMISSION SIGNED BY LORD NELSON, APRIL 25, 1781.
The tone of Lady Nelson's letter to her husband presents a striking contrast to that in which, little more than a year later, he speaks of her in a letter to Lady Hamilton, for which I paid a very large sum early in 1905. As might be expected, the demand for Nelson autographs became more urgent as the centenary of Trafalgar approached, but, on the whole, the rise of price was not quite as marked as might be expected, although one particular letter to Lady Hamilton, apparently little more striking than the one now given, was sold for £1,050. The great Nelson sensation (as far as the autograph market is concerned) came off some five months later, viz., on March 14, 1906, when the unique Nelson document described as follows was disposed of at Christie's:—
NELSON'S FAMOUS MEMORANDUM TO THE FLEET ON THE EVE OF TRAFALGAR.
133. NELSON (ADMIRAL LORD) "GENERAL MEMORANDUM," in the Autograph of the Famous Admiral, in which he Foreshadowed the Plan of Attack at Trafalgar, and which he actually Carried Out. "Victory," off Cadiz, 9 Oct. 1805, 8 pp. 4to.
Thinking it almost impossible to bring a fleet of 40 sail of the line into a line of Battle, in variable winds, thick weather, and other circumstances which must occur, without such a loss of time, that the opportunity would probably be lost.... I have therefore made up my mind to keep the fleet in that position of sailing (with the exception of the first and second in command) that the order of sailing is to be the order of battle; placing the fleet in two lines of 16 ships each, with an advanced squadron of eight of the fastest sailing two-decked ships [which] will always make if wanted a line of 24 sail, on whichever line the Commander-in-Chief may direct, etc.
It was bought by Mr. Frank Sabin for £3,600. A newspaper controversy at once arose on the subject of the transaction. Public attention was forcibly directed to the supreme importance of the document, and an effort was made to secure it for the nation, Mr. Sabin most generously offering to sell it to the authorities at cost price. The movement to acquire it fell through, owing to the impossibility of obtaining a grant-in-aid. Quite unexpectedly the late Mr. B. M. Woollan offered to buy it for the nation, but stipulated that during his life-time the MS. "should remain in his possession and be accessible to the public in the Town Hall at Tunbridge Wells." This was agreed to, Mr. Sabin maintaining his proposal to sell at cost price. The Trafalgar order was framed in oak taken from the Victory under the direction of a British Museum expert, and after remaining for some time at Tunbridge Wells, has found (since Mr. Woollan's death) a final resting-place in the National Collection. On March 14, 1906, Messrs. Maggs paid £170 for one of the official copies of the "General Memorandum," viz., that addressed to William Lechmere, Captain of the Thunderer. It filled 5 pp. It was marked "secret," and contained a note to the effect that "the Captain should return the Secret Memorandum to the Victory when the Thunderer quits the fleet for England." The original has been, or will shortly be, facsimiled by the British Museum MS. Department. Collectors will then be able to procure copies of it at an almost nominal price. During the weeks which followed March 14, 1906, the "Memorandum" became the subject of a dozen romantic legends. Several years ago I purchased the signature of Nelson appended to the last few lines of another of these "official copies" for one sovereign. It was formally attested by the widow of the Captain to whom it was originally sent. I possess a 3 pp. A.L.S. written by Lord Nelson to Lord Collingwood on board H.M.S. Victory, on October 10, 1805—eleven days before Trafalgar. It cost £20. Some time since, the album of the Honourable Charles Greville, the first lover of Emma Hart (Lady Hamilton) was broken up. Amongst the documents I purchased from it was a MS. account of Nelson's household expenses while residing in Bond Street, with Mr. Greville, from April 7 to 18, 1803.
The letters of "Nelson's Hardy"[57] fetch from £1 to £2 each. They lack style, but are characterised by the breezy heartiness which was typical of the man whom Nelson loved and trusted. The discovery of many hundreds of Hardy's letters to his Dorset relatives in 1905 enabled me, writing in collaboration with my friend the Rev. R. G. Bartelot, to supply to some extent a long-felt want in naval history. Here are two Hardy letters which came to light subsequent to our examination of the great mass of his correspondence:—
Captain T. M. Hardy, at Plymouth, to his brother-in-law, Mr. Manfield, at Dorchester.
San Josef—Torbay.
Feby 8 1801
Dear Manfield,—We are in Hourly expectation of the St George, where the Admiral is to hoist his flag. The moment she arrives myself and all the officers go with him. We shall sail as soon as possible for Portsmouth, and from thence to the North Sea. After we have done the business there, which we expect to do in about two months, the Flag is again to be hoisted in San Josef. The Squadron under Sir Henry Harvey arrived the day before yesterday and sailed the same evening to detach a squadron after the ships that left Brest about a fortnight ago. Lawrence arrived yesterday with Roberts. He is a fine lad and will do, but he is very young. Admiral [Lord Nelson] tells me he saw you. You landed and of course you made your grand salam to him. I suppose a number of wonderful stories has been told of San Josef in and about Dorchester. Our Beer is reduced to six bottles and on a moderate calculation that cannot last more than three days. Therefore you will add to the many obligations I am under to you if you will order our friend Oakley to send as soon as possible six or eight dozen more directed to Lord Nelson, St George, Spithead, by any vessel that sails from Weymouth. With duty to all friends, I remain, dear Manfield
Your's sincerely
T. M. Hardy
Captain T. M. Hardy, Torbay, to Mr. Manfield, Dorchester.
Dear Manfield,—I have only time to say that we are now getting under weigh for Spithead, and shall probably pass Abbotsbury Ferry during the night. Do write to me at Spithead and tell me if the Beer is sent as the Adml longs for it every day at Dinner
Your's in great haste
T. M. Hardy
LETTER OF DUKE OF WELLINGTON TO MR. ALGERNON GREVILLE, OCTOBER 24, 1841, SPEAKING OF THE NECESSITY OF HIS BEING PRESENT AT THE BIRTH OF KING EDWARD VII.
Letters of Rodney and Howe now fetch from £1 to £2 each; those of St. Vincent, Collingwood, and the Hoods somewhat less.
Letters of most of the Nelson captains can still be bought at very moderate prices, but if addressed to Nelson the value would be at once doubled.
The finest collection of letters by Fairfax and other soldiers of the Civil War, both Royalist and Parliamentarian, I know of, is in the possession of Mr. F. Sabin, by whose permission I reproduce the letter of Montrose to the King, which is priced at £60:—
Superscription, "for the King's Maiesty," and endorsement, "Lord of Montrose, 3d February."
please yr Maiesty
Haveing never receaved any of yr Mas Commands, since I had the honor to attend you, bot on letter from france only, and knoweing what strange newses yr Ma may daly heare, I heave directed thes that your Ma may know (notwithstanding all opposition and encouragements) I am hopefull, to be once againe in the termes to doe your service[**space - no period, P2] I will not trouble yr Ma with particulars bot leave them unto Mr Elliott, who will informe yr Ma att greatter lenth[**space - no period, P2] I am
Yr Mas Subject and Servant
Montrose
I have already alluded to the varying prices of Wellington's letters, which depend entirely on the time at which they were written. If dated June 17, 18, 19 or 20, 1815, they might be worth anything from £50 upwards; letters from the Peninsula on military topics bring from £2 to £5, but I only gave 30s. for the note and envelope franked and addressed to Lady Sidmouth, covering a lock of Napoleon's hair—the latter being included in the price! In my opinion there could not possibly be a more interesting souvenir of the victor of Waterloo. The letters of Sir Hudson Lowe are sold from £1 to £3, those of Marshal Blücher fetching about the same price.
Few of the letters of living warriors fetch high prices. The amusing and satirical letters of Frederick Burnaby are worth from 4s. to 10s., but I refrain from publishing those in my collection. Letters of Earl Roberts and Viscount Wolseley average from 3s. to 5s., but Lord Kitchener writes little and declines persistently to be "drawn." I once saw a letter of his priced at £2 12s. 6d., but that was when the Boer War was at its height.
AUTOGRAPHS OF MUSIC, THE DRAMA, AND ART
Illustrated letters
On December 17, 1907, four-and-twenty letters of Ludwig van Beethoven were sold at Sotheby's for £660, notwithstanding the fact that the autographs of musicians, artists, and actors, are not even mentioned by the chronicler of prices in 1827! For the solitary letter of Beethoven in my collection I paid M. Noël Charavay £10, and it was at the same outlay I acquired in England an interesting letter of Joseph Haydn's. In extra-illustrating the "History of the Festivals of the Three Choirs," of which my ancestor, William Hayes, Mus. Doc. (1707-1777), was one of the founders and subsequently a conductor, I acquired considerable experience in the market prices of all sorts of musical MSS.
In this particular class of autographs "album specimens" have often considerable value, for musicians have always been the target of the autograph-hunter, especially so of those of the fair sex.[58] It is no uncommon sight after a "star" concert to see the tired-out central attraction in a state of autograph siege, either for inscriptions in albums or signatures to photographs. The plaintive autograph letter of Franz Liszt tells the tale of the request made on behalf of the owner of a Royal Album to the exigencies of which he gracefully surrendered. A few bars of music written and signed by Handel would now be worth quite £20 or £25; and some day the musical autographs of Edward Elgar will fetch very high prices. William and Philip Hayes rank in the first class of English composers of Church music, although the father was overshadowed by his loyal friendship for Handel, and the latter by his admiration for Haydn. I have acquired (with one or two trifling exceptions) the MSS. of their compositions, several of which have never been published. Like most musicians, the Hayeses were humourists. They wrote anthems and chants, but they won fame in their generation by catches, canons, glees, madrigals, and fugitive pieces of all sorts. The tuneful airs of Philip Hayes [1738-1797] re-echoed amidst the glades of Blenheim, and were often heard at Ranelagh, Vauxhall, and "Marybone."[59] Musical autographs have risen considerably in price during the past thirty years, as shown at the comparatively recent Taphouse Sale. A very fine letter of Chopin's was offered for sale at 250 francs last year by Madame Veuve Gabriel Charavay. Letters of Mendelssohn and Wagner are in great request. The former vary in price from £3 to £10. Although Richard Wagner was a prolific letter-writer, any letter of his is worth £5 or thereabouts, and many have sold at from £20 to £50. I have never seen an A.L.S. of Handel's in the sale-rooms. A good one will probably fetch £50. A fragment of one of his compositions, once in the possession of William Hayes, lately realised £100. Much of his music seems to have been written out by Smart.
In 1876 Mr. Waller offered a letter of Beethoven's for sale at £3 10s.; one by Dr. Blow for £1 and 2 pp. of one of William Boyce's compositions for 7s. 6d.! The latter would certainly fetch 40s. to-day, but thirty years ago autographs of Catalani, Bishop, Cooke, Holmes, Hummel, Michael Kelly, Lablache, Loder, Meyerbeer, Offenbach, Louisa Pyne, Rossini, Rudersdorff, Tamburini, and Samuel Wesley averaged about 3s.! I lately gave £3 3s. for the signed MS. of Wesley's "Ode on the Death of Boyce," the bicentenary of whose birth occurs this year (1910), in which also the centenary of the birth of Wesley's musical son, Samuel Sebastian Wesley, might appropriately be celebrated at Gloucester. Amongst Mr. Frank Sabin's autographic rariora is the MS. of the original score of Thomas Moore's "Last Rose of Summer." There is a great demand in America just now for Moore MSS. of this sort, although ordinary letters rarely fetch high prices. Charles Burney's letters (of which I have many) are to my mind always interesting, although they only bring from 15s. to 30s. in the sale-rooms.
For some collectors the Drama offers a peculiar fascination. I have already described the letter of William Wilson of the "Fortune" Theatre, with whom Shakespeare possibly played.[60] The great dramatist himself, from the autograph point of view, has been alluded to. In turning over the catalogues of 1876-86 one is struck with the high prices of letters of David Garrick and Sarah Siddons. Garrick rarely wrote a dull letter. When Paul Sandby asked for a box he replied—
D Garrick
Here are some examples of Garrick's letters to Mrs. Montagu not generally known:—
Mr. Garrick to Mrs. Montagu.
Drury Lane Theatre.
Dear Madam,—I take up ye first piece of paper to answer your note. I feel for you and for poor amiable Miss Gregory from my heart of hearts! These exquisite feelings are too often tortured not to wish them changed for the less sensible dispositions and were mortal matters balanc'd and calmly considered it would be a question whether Mrs. Montagu is more to be envied than a late female cousin of mine who being told of a favourite Brother's death said she foresaw it long ago for he would not leave drinking Punch and then she bespoke her mourning. I shall take care that you have your refusal of a box next Friday if I am able to perform. If you should be engaged pray let it revert to me. I must desire you not to say a word to anybody of my intentions....
Mrs. Garrick and I shall do ourselves the honour of attending you on Sunday.
Most faithful ever and ever Yours,
D. Garrick.
David Garrick to Mrs. Montagu.
My dear Madam,—We are unfortunately engaged on Sunday next but if we are able to quit our Company, may we be permitted to pay our respects to you? If you should be engaged we will wait upon you ye first opportunity. I have made bold to answer for you a subscription to Mr. Capel's School of Shakespeare. I will tell you more of this when I have the honour and pleasure of seeing you.
I am most devotedly yours,
D. Garrick.
SIGNATURE OF THE NONAGENARIAN MRS. GARRICK A FEW DAYS BEFORE HER DEATH.
I have in my collection a Drury Lane box-ticket dated and signed by Mrs. Garrick a few days before her death. In the last decade of the nineteenth century the late Mr. Thomas Knox Holmes told me he had danced with Mrs. Garrick in her drawing-room at the Adelphi when she was past ninety. She was actually engaged in inspecting her dress for the theatre when Death once more "eclipsed the gaiety" of the brilliant little côterie in which Garrick's widow moved.
The letters of Sarah Siddons fetched quite as much or even more in the "eighteen-seventies" than they do now. As a matter of fact, the charming letter to Mrs. Piozzi, now reproduced, exchanged hands in 1876 at £2 2s. more than I gave for it in 1910.
A GENUINE SHORT NOTE SIGNED BY EDMUND KEAN, AFTERWARDS IMITATED.
Mrs. Siddons to Mrs. Piozzi, Westbourne Farm, Paddington, January 29, 1809.
My dear Friend,—I am merely anxious to know how you and Mr. Piozzi are, and the distance between me and your fair daughters, are now so great that I get no accounts of you. You know of old, my distaste of writing, and I know full well my inability of amusing you, so that my letter has nothing to recommend it, except the true love of the writer, which knows no change. Often, very often, do I think of you, and most sincerely do I lament your suffering, but there is nowhere but heaven I believe that is exempt from affliction; but dear Soul let me hear from you. You have heard of the fire in which I lost every stage ornament so many years collecting, and at so great expense of time and money. All my Jewels, all my lace, and in short nothing left. The Duke of Northumberland has given my Brother Ten thousand pounds! and the manner of bestowing this noble gift was so great as anything I have ever heard or read of,
but poor fellow he is I fear in a wretched state of health, yet he looked the other night in Macbeth as beautiful as ever; he is never now without his cough, which they say is gouty (certainly the disorder is flying about him) and if it would come to a good fit that he woud be well. It seems a strange thing to say that a man recovers his health by the loss of his limbs. So thinks poor Mr. Piozzi I suppose, poor dear Soul, how he has suffered from it! and you! You will perhaps scarcely believe how often and how tenderly I think of you, and how deeply I regret the distance between us, but it is nevertheless true. Pray dear Soul let me hear from you very soon and tell me truly how your health and spirits hold out the incessant claims upon them. I have got Cecilia home from school, she is very well at present, but to keep her well she must have sea bathing in the summer. Is there any place of that sort near Brynn Bella? if so, I shoud hope I might be able to see you sometimes. I have got a genteel well principled young woman as a Governess for her, and my family which would consist of seven or eight persons would perhaps be too large to be accommodated very near you. Oh that you were again at Streatham! Remember me very kindly to dear Mr Piozzi. God bless and support you my very dear friend. I am unalterably
Your affte
S. Siddons[61]
I lost in the fire a Toilette of the poor Queen of France, a piece of beautiful point Lace an ell wide and five yards long which having belonged to so interesting a person of course I regret more than all other things. It could not have cost at first less than a thousand pounds. I us'd to wear it only in the trial scene of Hermione in the Winters Tale, it covered me all over from head to foot. I suppose my losses could not be repaired for Twelve hundred pounds, but God be praised that the fire did not break out while the people were in the house!!!
Fine letters from Mrs. Siddons fetch from £10 to £20. A specimen may be obtained for £5 or even less, for I note an invitation "to dine at pretty Westbourne" has just been sold (February 28, 1910) for £2 14s. The letters of the brother of the great actress, J. P. Kemble, sell at from £1 to £3 each. He evidently (according to one of the specimens in my collection) moved in very high circles. This letter is addressed to Sir Thomas Lawrence, whose fatal relations with the Siddons family circle have already been alluded to:—
My dear Lawrence,—I am this moment come from Carlton House. I did not myself see the Prince of Wales; but His Royal Highness desired Mr. McMahon to tell me how highly pleased he is with the Drawing; but would submit to your consideration whether or not the forehead is a little too round and in obedience to His Royal Highness I do submit it to your consideration. The Prince, my dear Lawrence, is charmed with the Portrait. Mr. Smirke writes to-night to the Engraver at Birmingham
Yours,
J. P. Kemble
Friday, October 28, 1808.
The most curious letters of that mysterious personage the Chevalier d'Éon in my collection relate to two public exhibitions of his skill as a fencer, given in Bath during the year 1796. While staying in his native Tonnerre the ex-chargé d'affaires gave a supper in honour of Prince Henry of Prussia. In a bundle of his MSS. I bought in France I found the bill for the historic feast. It was not expensive, and must surely have been enjoyed tête-à-tête.
The letters of artists do not as a rule command large prices, but there are many exceptions. I have never seen a letter from Sir A. Vandyke or Sir P. Lely, but Mr. W. V. Daniell prices the following letter of William Hogarth to his wife in Dorset at £35:—
London, June 6 1749
Dear Jenny,—I write to you now, not because I think you may expect it only, but because I find a pleasure in it, which is more than I can say of writing to any body else, and I insist on it you don't take it for a mere complement; your last letter pleased more than I'll say, but this I will own if the postman should knock at the door in a week's time after the receipt of this, I shall think there is more musick in't than the beat of a kettle drum, and if the words to the tune are made by you (to carry on metafor) and brings news of your all coming soon to Town, I shall think the words much better than the musick, but don't hasten out of a scene of pleasure to make me one. You'll find by the enclosed that I shall be glad to be a small contributer to it. I don't know whether or no you know that Garrick was going to be married to the Violetta when you went away. I supt with him last night and had a deal of talk about her. I can't write any more than what this side will contain; you know I won't turn over a new leaf I am so obstinate, but then I am no less obstinate in loving you
Your affectionate Husband,
Wm. Hogarth.
ACCOUNT FOR SUPPER GIVEN BY THE CHEVALIER D'ÉON TO PRINCE HENRY OF PRUSSIA, AUGUST 15, 1784.
Letters of Sir Joshua Reynolds, George Romney, and George Morland always fetch from £3 to £10 or more. I gave £7 7s. for the letter of Reynolds to Crabbe, covering Dr. Johnson's criticism of the poem submitted to him. The examples of Romney and Morland I possess are placed behind the frontispieces of standard works on their Art. The letter of poor Morland is melancholy reading, and suggestive of the squalor in which he moved and died:—
George Morland to Mr. Graham.
Dear Graham,—I am worse than ever. Had an opium pill to take last night, and as I thought two must do me more good than one, I took them both. I expected it was up.
However I am not quite so bad, but I will use my best endeavour to get on for you this week the whole of which I must keep quiet.
Good bie,
G. Morland.
Wednesday
On other side—
John Graham Esqre
30 Red Lion Square London
Postmark—May 6 1801
A.L.S. OF WILLIAM HOGARTH TO HIS WIFE, JANUARY 6, 1749.
LAST PAGE OF AN A.L.S. BY THE PAINTER GEORGE ROMNEY.
A.L.S. OF SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS TO GEORGE CRABBE, MARCH 4, 1783.
A.L.S. OF GEORGE MORLAND.
TWO PAGES OF ILLUSTRATED LETTER FROM THE HONBLE. MRS. NORTON TO A SISTER, JULY, 1854.
In May, 1810, George Cruikshank, born in 1792, was in the thick of the fight which the caricaturists waged against Napoleon. It was seventy years later than the date of Morland's grotesque scrawl that there appeared in The Times (December 30, 1871) a letter from "Glorious George" claiming to be the originator of the idea of "Oliver Twist." On the following day Charles Manby, a mutual friend of the writer and the artist, thus writes to the latter:—
60 Westbourne Terrace Hyde Park
December 30 1871
My dear old friend,—I see with pleasure that, as I expected you have in the "Times" of this day vindicated your claim to originating the story of "Oliver Twist," which I have a notion you told me of a long time ago. I am persuaded that Dickens himself, would, with his inherent love of truth, have confirmed your statement, and it is a pity that his historian should have written vehemently on the subject. Be prepared with your Sketches, etc. to maintain the position which will be hotly contested, although in reality there is so much positive merit in all that Dickens originated and did, that there is not any necessity for laying claim to the works of others,—his collaborateurs. I should much like someday to see the sketches in question—that is if there is not any indiscretion in the request. I will ask you to allow me to call upon you and look over them.
With every good wish for the New Year believe me
Your's very sincerely
Charles Manby
Lt Col: Cruikshank.
On January 2, 1872, Cruikshank replies as follows:—
263 Hampstead Road N W
My dear old Friend,—It is so long since I illustrated "Oliver Twist," that I do not at present know where the original sketches are, but will look over the bundles of papers for them and when found will let you know, and shall be highly pleased if you will visit my studio and take a peep at them, although some are so rough that they are hardly worth looking at, having been done in such haste. The sketches that Dr. Sheldon Mackenzie alludes to of "The Life of a London Thief" were made about 50 years back, when Charles Dickens was a little boy, and it is a chance if I ever see these sketches again, but I have a list of the subjects which I will show you.
Wishing you and your's a happy New Year and many of them,
I am, Dear Friend, Your's truly
George Cruikshank.
Charles Manby Esqre CE etc.
I often wonder that some zealous collector does not confine his attention solely to letters illustrated by the writers. I have already mentioned the achievements in this connection of Thackeray[62] and Sir Frank Lockwood. I have come across illustrated letters in the correspondence of Sir Joshua Reynolds and Mrs. Piozzi; Mrs. Norton embellished her letters with admirable sketches of a humorous character, and so did John Leech, Hablot K. Browne, Frederick Barnard, and, of course, George Cruikshank. In my three grangerised volumes relating to the history of Punch are letters illustrated by Sir Francis Burnand (who delighted his friends with this kind of jeu d'esprit before he left Cambridge), Mr. G. A. Sala, Mr. Linley Sambourne, Mr. H. Furniss, Mr. Phil May, and Mr. E. T. Reed. One of the most curious illustrated letters in my possession is a rough sketch of a projected bath at Windsor, made by King George III. for the benefit of Wyatt, the architect. Napoleon often added sketch-plans of battles and movements of troops to his letters, and Louis Philippe was fond of making quaint drawings, which are sometimes to be found even on the official documents which passed through his hands. It was from a rough sketch in a letter of Mr. Cobden, now in possession of Mr. T. Fisher Unwin, that we find the genesis of the idea of the "big" and "little loaf," which has achieved something very like political immortality.
ILLUSTRATED A.L.S. OF FRED BARNARD RELATING TO THE PLATES OF "DOMBEY AND SON," N.D.
PORTRAIT OF CHARLES PEACE, THE MURDERER, ON A.L.S. OF SIR FRANK LOCKWOOD, WHO DEFENDED HIM, WRITTEN IN 1888.
A.L.S. OF GEORGE CRUICKSHANK, SEPTEMBER, 1836, ABOUT DICKENS'S FIRST CALL ON HIM.
POSTCARD OF JAMES WHISTLER FROM LION HOTEL, LYME REGIS, CIRCA 1888.
FIRST PAGE OF A.L.S. OF THE PAINTER MEISSONIER, JULY 25, 1861.
PORTRAITS OF SIR R. REID (NOW LORD LOREBURN) AND THE LATE SIR FRANK LOCKWOOD ON AN ILLUSTRATED LETTER WRITTEN BY THE LATTER DURING THE PARNELL COMMISSION.
TWO PAGES OF AN ILLUSTRATED LETTER BY HABLOT K. BROWNE.
TWO PAGES OF A LETTER FROM RICHARD COBDEN IN "THE FORTIES."
(By courtesy of Mr. William Darby, Edgbaston.)