THE WESTERN MAIL

Cardiff, Glamorgan, Wales

27 January 1959

(page 4)

LONDON LETTER.

Letters of Famous.

Fascinating autograph letters of celebrated men and women will be offered on February 24 at Sotheby’s, the second day of an important sale of books and manuscripts and historical documents.

Lot 333 is a letter from Dr. Charles Burney to his daughters, Fanny Burney and Susan Phillips (July 1782) containing a vivid account of the rapturous reception to Fanny Burney’s new novel, “Cecelia,” by Sir Joshua Reynolds and others.

Another letter from Dr. Burney is the autograph draft with revisions of a letter to Lord Lonsdale containing a poignant account of his interview with Dr. Johnson on his deathbed.

Among other letters is one from Hester Thrale, Horace Walpole, Jonathan Swift and King James II. The last-named is an official letter written and signed in James’s name by a secretary.

“Given at Our Court of St. Germaines, 2 April 1692” to Lady Lyttleton at Shene, near Richmond, summoning her to be present at the expected birth of his child in the following month and guaranteeing her a safe voyage and return in the name of Louis XIV.

Another letter is from Sir Hercules Langrishe, the Irish politician, dated December 10, 1791, to Edmund Burke, discussing in detail the position of Roman Catholics in Ireland.

This is the letter to which Burke replied with his famous letter, advocating a complete removal of the Catholic disabilities.

A large group of Napoleonic letters and manuscripts of such diverse literary figures as Charles Darwin, Charles Dickens, “Mark Twain,” Capt. Robert Falcon Scott, Aleister Crowley, George Bernard Shaw, Same Edith Sitwell, Maurice Hewlitt and Edgar Jepson will also be offered.