Rare Book & Collectors' Sale June 23rd, 24th & 25th 2026

98 IMPERFECTIONS NOT STATED Fonsie Mealy’s Est. 1934 A fine collection of Literary and other Autographs , mainly late 19th century, about 30 in all, including Tennyson, Browning, Henry James, Coleridge, Emerson, Matthew Arnold etc., as follows: - Martineau, Harriet [1802-76] , Novelist and critic. Her signature, dated September 20th 1872, on a sheet of her attractive notepaper with an engraving of her home at Ambleside; and a four page ALS (single folded sheet) to John Cropper of Liverpool, dated March 3 1876, with associated stamped envelope, giving a detailed criticism of George Eliot’s Daniel Deronda, which Cropper had sent to her. [She thought it inferior to her other novels, but far ahead of what anyone else could do]. - Trollope, Anthony (novelist). Short ALS to ‘My dear Hughes’, 14 Jan.1878, 1 pp, on his addressed notepaper, an invitation to dinner and to ‘talk niggers generally’ [?]. - Emerson, R.W. [1802-82] , American philosopher and poet. ALS, 2 pp (single folded sheet), dated Boston 8 Oct., to Thomas Hughes, saying Wednesday will not suit, for it is the Annual Meeting of the Board of Overseers of Harvard, any other day will do (for what, he does not say). With a good signature. - Norton, Caroline. ALS on mourning paper to Mr. Hughes, Tuesday (no date), 1 pp, asking if he can accompany her this morning to see Lord Grantley’s will, but only if convenient. - Kingsley, Rev. C[harles] , Author of Westward Ho! and other novels. ALS, 12 pp, March 25 1863, on his embossed notepaper, to ‘My dear Forster’, about the game laws. ‘There is no real objection on Earth to thee making game property .. I believe it would preserve pheasants & partridges .. & destroy hares & rabbits, who are children of the devil..’ With an unrelated envelope. Forster may be W.E. Forster, Liberal MP, later Irish Secretary. - Green, A[lice] S[topford], historian . ALS, 8 pp, Jan. 30 1886, on her addressed mourning paper, to Mrs. O’Brien, discussing at length the Commons debate on Gladstone’s proposals for Home Rule. - Browning, Robert [poet] . ALS, 1 pp, on embossed notepaper, dated June 17 ’76, to Mrs. Forster, thanking her for an invitation but declining due to a previous engagement. With related stamped envelope. - Windsor Castle. Message on mourning paper, Sep. 4 1871, 2 pp (folded sheet), almost illegible but apparently thanking Mrs. Forster for a message of sympathy, apparently concerning ‘her dear child’s departure’ (possibly the marriage of the Queen’s daughter Princess Louise). - Plunkett, Horace. ALS, July 1914, to Mrs. O’Brien, 2 pp (folded sheet) on headed paper of The Plunkett House, Dublin, thanking her for a letter, mentioning a new addition to the Plunkett House, a reference library. - Trench, Archbishop Richard. ALS, 4 pp (folded sheet, plain paper), May ’68, to Aubrey de Vere, discussing secularisation (i.e. disestablishment of the Church of Ireland), and sending him a copy of an anthology. - James, Henry (novelist). ALS, 4 pp (folded sheet), to Mrs. O’Brien, on his headed notepaper, 34 De Vere Gardens, W., dated Friday (no year), returning to her the complete sheets of Marcella [by Mrs. Ward], which he has not quite finished, but he is about to go abroad, etc. Signature runs crossways over the top of the first page. - James, Henry (novelist). ALs on addressed notepaper (Piccadilly) formally accepting Mr. & Mrs. W.E. Forster’s invitation to dine on Wednesday March 19th (no year). With related envelope stamped and addressed. [This is ‘Buckshot’ Forster, Irish Secretary 1880-82]. - James, Henry (attorney, NOT the writer). ALS to Mr. Spring-Rice dated Dec. 26 1881, on paper of The Attorney-General’s Chambers, 2 pp (single folded sheet), something about estates falling in. - Lang, A. (poet and essayist, best known for his variously coloured ‘Fairy Books’). Three short ALS to Mrs. O’Brien, from Royal Hospital, Dublin and a Kensington address, 1893-4, the third on mourning paper, concerning mislaid proofs and other matters, one enclosing a poetic parody. - Barts, R.M. [?] ALS to Mrs. O’Brien , 4 pp (single folded sheet), on paper of H.M.S. Albemarle, Atlantic Fleet, 8.6.07, hoping to meet her when moored at Foynes. - Tennyson, Alfred [poet]. A fragment of watermarked paper with an 8 line verse in manuscript on one side and another similar verse, but crossed out, on verso, with a note signed A. de V[ere]., ‘Written by Alfred Tennyson’. - Coleridge, Samuel [poet and critic] . A page apparently from an ALS to Lady De Vere, closely written front and back, but lacking the opening sheet(s). Includes some discussion of poetry and style, and some family news. With a clear signature, Sam Coleridge. - O’Brien, Augustus. ALS, 5 pp (two folded sheets) to Mr. Wordsworth (the poet), from Cottesmore, dated March 15, a strange letter, apparently asking the poet to rewrite one of his verses so that it could be used as an inscription on O’Brien’s property at Cratloe. - Binyon, Laurence [poet and scholar] . ALS to Mrs. O’Brien, 2 pp, on plain paper, regretting he cannot call on Sunday, sending some autographs. - Wesley, John [probably the Methodist preacher, 1703-91]. A signature, apparently J Wesley, extracted from a letter or document and laid down on a small sheet. - Lecky, W.E.H. [historian]. Opening two pages (single sheet) from an autograph letter to Mr. De Vere, on Atheneum Club stationery, dated Jan. 30 1879, an interesting letter discussing his work on Irish history, ‘flying in the face of nearly all the leading historans’, but lacking the conclusion and with no signature. - Gounod, Charles [French composer]. His signature on a sheet, dated 19 June ’71, inscribed ‘To Miss May Hughes / with my best regards’. Gounod lived in London 1870-74, setting many English poems to music. - Gavan Duffy, Charles . ALS to Miss Arnold Forster, enclosing an engraved portrait of Thomas Davis, ‘a faithful, but somewhat idealized, portrait’, and promising a signature at a later date. - Sand, G[eorges] (pseudonym of Baronne Lucille Dupin, French novelist) . ALS in French, 1 pp, undated (‘Mercredi’), arranging a meeting, addressed to Miss Dewsbury [?]. - Arnold, Matthew [writer]. Long ALS, 4 pp (single folded sheet), on addressed notepaper (Pains Hill Cottage, Surrey), dated Dec. 27th [1882], addressed to ‘My dearest Flo’, Signed M.A., mostly social matters, some mention of politics. - Irving, Henry [actor and impresario] . ALS, 1 pp, on mourning paper, from Liverpool, dated 8.10.96, addressed to ‘Dear Sir’, arranging a meeting. With a very good bold signature. - Landor, W.S.[poet]. ALS, 2 pp (single sheet), addressed to ‘my dear Sir’, July7 (no year), thanking him for a gift of books, etc., signature a little blotted. As a collection, w.a.f., S.N.S.R. (1) Provenance : De Veres of Curragh Chase and O'Briens of Dromoland Castle. €1500 - €2500 761. Autograph Collection from Curraghmore