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LOUIS XI: (1423-1483) King of France 1461-83. D.S., Louis, one page (vellum), slim oblong folio, Pont-de-l'Arche, 20th June 1481, in Middle French. The manuscript document is addressed to the Treasurers of France and is a warrant for them to reimburse Jehan Lassavoire, ordinary receiver of Rouen, the sum of three hundred and thirty livres tournois. Signed by the King at the foot and countersigned by Guillaume Briconnet (1445-1514) French Cardinal and statesman who served as Superintendent of Finances for the Province of Languedoc under King Louis XI. An area of loss to the lower right edge of the document has been neatly replaced, and with some minor staining and light overall age wear. Lightly tipped to the upper edge of the verso to a folio page removed from an album. About VG

CHARLES VIII: (1470-1498) King of France 1483-98. A rare D.S., Charles, one page (vellum), oblong folio, Lyon, 1st March 1496, in Middle French. The manuscript document is addressed to Jehan Lalemant, receiver general of finances in the Duchy of Normandy, and is a warrant to pay Charles Depontoy the sum of one hundred gold crowns, granted above and besides the pledges, pensions and benefits he already receives, in order for him to acquire a house in Paris. Signed by the King at the foot and countersigned by Hobineau. Autographs of King Charles VIII are rare in any form as a result of an accident which left him in a coma, dying nine hours later at the young age of 27. A small area of loss to the upper left edge and a second area of loss to the lower right edge of the document have been neatly replaced, and with some minor staining (slightly affecting the King's signature) and light overall age wear. Some slight, minor traces of former mounting to the upper edge of the verso, G  

LOUIS XII: (1462-1515) King of France 1498-1515 and King of Naples 1501-04. D.S., Loys (a fine, attractive example), one page (vellum), oblong folio, Lyon, 30th May 1503, in Middle French. The manuscript document is addressed to Jehan Lalemant, receiver general of finances in the Duchy of Normandy, and is a warrant to pay Thomas Bothier the sum of twenty-eight thousand, one hundred and eighty-seven livres and ten sols tournois, being the sum which he had lent the monarchy for their wars, and further instructing that Jean Roussellet also be reimbursed with the sum of twenty-six thousand livres, also being the sum he had lent for the war effort. Neatly trimmed to the lower edge, with the apparent loss of a countersignature, and with a few light, very minor stains. Lightly tipped to the upper edge of the verso to a folio page removed from an album. VGThe present document was signed during the Italian Wars of 1499-1504 which had seen King Louis XII conquer the Duchy of Milan in 1500 and the Kingdom of Naples in the following year. As King of Naples, Louis faced a new coalition gathered by Ferdinand II of Aragon and was forced to cede Naples to Spain in 1504.   

HENRY II: (1519-1559) King of France 1547-59. D.S., Henry, one page (vellum), oblong folio, Montargis, 20th February 1549, in Middle French. The manuscript document is addressed to Jehan La Guette, treasurer and receiver general of extraordinary finances to the King, and is a warrant for La Guette to make a payment from funds received from the clerk of the salt store established at Beaufort-en-Vallee, 'a Nre cher et bien ame Cristofle Petit saulcier en nre cuisine de bouche La somme de Vingtcinq escuz dor sol. Vallans a Raison de xxvi ltz (?) piece' (Translation: 'to our dear and well-beloved Cristofle Petit, saucier in our kitchen, the sum of Twenty-five gold sun crowns, worth at the rate of xxvi livres tournois (?) piece'). Signed by the King at the foot and countersigned ('Par le Roy, Delaubespine') by Claude de l'Aubespine (1510-1567) Baron de Chateauneuf, French diplomat and Secretary of State. One neat slit and area of loss to the lower right and with some light staining to the right edge, affecting a few words of text, otherwise about VG 

BETHUNE MAXIMILIEN DE: (1560-1641) 1st Duke of Sully, Marquis of Rosny and Nogent. French nobleman, soldier, statesman and trusted counsellor of King Henry IV of France who served as Chief Minister of France 1589-1611. D.S., Maximilian De Bethune, four pages, 4to, Paris, 28th November 1594, in Middle French. The manuscript document, un-transcribed, apparently refers to certain rents and is also countersigned by Rachel de Cochefilet (1566-1659) the second wife of De Bethune whom he married in 1592, and Anne Hennequin, wife of Jehan de Reffuge. An amendment to the document in the margin of the third page is signed by De Bethune in his capacity as Marquis of Rosny. Some very light, minor age wear, VG

SAUVE CHARLOTTE DE: (1551-1617) French noblewoman, the mistress of King Henry of Navarre (later King Henry IV of France). Charlotte de Sauve was an accomplished member of Catherine de' Medici's L'escadron volant, the group of beautiful female spies recruited to seduce important men at Court. D.S., Charlotte de Beaune, one page, oblong 8vo, Paris, 18th July 1598, in Middle French. The manuscript notarial document attests that Charlotte de Beaune, Marquise de Noirmoutier, residing at Rue des Petits Champs in the parish of Saint-Eustache, 'a confesse avr nome. constitue et ordonne en presen……Prcreur en charge pour servir et desfendre Alencontre de La Vve me Jehan Racyne' (Translation: 'confessed to having appointed, constituted and ordered in the presence….[of the]…prosecutor in charge to serve and defend against the widow Jehan Racyne', further referring to their property and children. Countersigned at the foot by two notaries. Some very light, minor overall foxing and two very small tears, one just touching one letter of Sauve's signature, and with some extremely minor traces of former mounting to the verso. About VG

CHARLES DE LORRAINE: (1554-1611) Duke of Mayenne, French nobleman, governor and military commander during the latter French Wars of Religion. D.S., Charles de Lorraine, one page (vellum), slim oblong folio (43 x 15.5 cm at the widest points), n.p., December 1593, in Middle French. The manuscript document is addressed to the treasurers Antoine Ribauld and Martin Rolland and is a warrant for them to pay to Antoine Potier the sum of three hundred crowns in consideration of the great services that he has made for the cause and to help him bear the costs and expenses he has borne with his armies over four years, and further to provide him with arms and horses in order to continue to be able to serve when occasions arise, and also instructing that the payment should be recorded with the gentlemen of the Chamber of Accounts in Paris. Signed by the Duke at the foot, his signature a little light in places although legible. With an area of loss to the lower right, slightly affecting some words of text, and with some light overall creasing and dust staining, G

LOUIS XV: (1710-1774) King of France 1715-74. D.S., Paies, Louis, one page, folio, Versailles, 1st November 1758, in French. The manuscript document is addressed to the Royal treasurer Charles Pierre Savalette de Magnanville and is a warrant for them to pay to Charles Thomas le Pilleu (?), a former officer of the Garde Marin, the sum of three hundred livres for the year to date, being the pension granted to him by the late King. Signed by the King at the foot (to the left) with his indication that the amount has been paid and with a secretarial signature of the King to the right, originally applied to confirm the contents of the warrant. Countersigned at the base by Jean-Frederic Phelypeaux (1701-1781) Count of Maurepas, Secretary of State of the Maison du Roi. With a large, neat tear of approximately 13 cm from the base of the document, lightly repaired to the verso and only very slightly affecting Phelypeaux's signature. Some minor dust staining and a few minimal creases to the edges, G

LOUIS XVI: (1754-1793) King of France 1774-92, the last King of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution. Executed by guillotine on the Place de la Revolution at the age of 38. A good D.S., Louis (a fine, large example), as King, one page, large folio (25.5 x 34 cm), Versailles, 13th November 1787, in French. The boldly penned manuscript document confirms the financial state of la Généralité de Soissons as being 'Cent quatre vingt seize mil trois cent quatre vingt cinq livres un sol six deniers' (Translation: 'One hundred and ninety-six thousand, three hundred and eighty five livres, one sol, six deniers'). The document is decreed by the Royal Council of Finances and bears five countersignatures including those of Henri Lefevre d'Ormesson (1751-1808) French politician who briefly served as Finance Minister, and later as Mayor of Paris; Claude Guillaume Lambert (1726-1794) French jurist who served as Comptroller General of Finance, executed by guillotine; Pierre-Charles Laurent de Villedeuil (1742-1828) Controller-General of Finances under King Louis XVI; and two others. Lightly tipped at the left edge to a folio page removed from an album. Some very light, minimal age wear, VGLa Généralité de Soissons was an administrative district composed mainly of countries from the province of Picardy united to the government of Ile-de-France at that time and created in 1595.

MARIE ANTOINETTE: (1755-1793) Queen consort of France 1774-92 as the wife of King Louis XVI. Marie Antoinette was the last Queen of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution. Executed by guillotine on the Place de la Revolution at the age of 37. A rare D.S., Payez, Marie Antoinette, one page, large folio (24.5 x 35 cm), Versailles, 31st December 1783, in French. The manuscript document is addressed to the Treasurer General of Finances, Marc Antoine Francois Marie Randon de la Tour, and is a warrant for him to pay, from the funds set aside by the State for the maintenance and sustenance of officers, unto the Cavalcade Squire de Salveri, the sum of four hundred and fifty livres which has been granted to him, further instructing that the expense be entered into the accounts of the King at Paris. Signed by Marie Antoinette at the foot (to the left) with her indication that the amount has been paid and with a secretarial signature of the Queen to the right, originally applied to confirm the contents of the warrant. Countersigned at the foot by Jacques-Mathieu Augeard (1732-1805) French courtier and memoirist. Lightly tipped at the left edge to a folio page removed from an album. Some very light, minimal age wear, and one small tear to the lower left corner, otherwise VG

[MARIE ANTOINETTE]: (1755-1793) Queen consort of France 1774-92 as the wife of King Louis XVI. Marie Antoinette was the last Queen of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution. Executed by guillotine on the Place de la Revolution at the age of 37. D.S., Marie Antoinette (secretarial signature), one page (vellum), oblong folio, Versailles, 31st December 1783, in French. The manuscript document (untranslated) relates to Pierre Mathagon, acknowledging the good services he has rendered to the crown and granting him a position and funds as an Ordinary Quartermaster of the Queen's Lodges. With various dockets to the margins and verso, in one confirming that Mathagon has taken his oath before Charles Francois Casimir de Saulx (1739-1792) Duke of Tavannes and a Knight of Honour to Queen Marie Antoinette. With two neat slits where the seal would originally have been affixed (no longer present) and some light overall age wear and minor staining, about VG

MARIE LOUISE I: (1791-1847) Austrian archduchess who reigned as Duchess of Parma 1814-47. The second wife of Napoleon I and as such Empress of the French and Queen of Italy 1810-14. D.S., Maria Luigia, two pages, small folio, Parma, 8th January 1842, in Italian. The partially printed document, completed in manuscript, grants the citizenship of Parma to Ercole Malagoli of Modena, a Doctor of Medicine, and states, in part, 'Having seen the petition brought to Us by Doctor of Physics Ercole, son of the late Captain Giovanni Andrea Malagoli of Modena…..to obtain the Citizenship of these States, on the report and proposal of Our President of the Interior, We have decreed and do decree….The Citizenship of Our Duchies is granted to Doctor of Medicine Ercole Antonio Felice Malagoli, born in Modena in the Parish of San Vincenzio on the 28th October 1817 to Captain Giovanni Andrea….' Signed by the Duchess at the conclusion and countersigned by Pazzoni, President of the Interior. Some light age wear and minor creasing to the left edge, otherwise about VG

LOUIS PHILIPPE I: (1773-1850) King of the French 1830-48. L.S., Louis Philippe, one page, 4to, Palais des Tuileries (Paris), 20th November 1835, to Emile de Girardin, in French. The partially printed letter, completed in manuscript, informs Girardin that the opening of the Session of Chambers will take place in Paris on 29th December and that he must be in attendance. Countersigned at the foot by Adolphe Thiers (1797-1877) French statesman who served as Minister of the Interior 1832, 1834, 1834-36 and later as Prime Minister (1840) and President of France (1871-73). Some light staining to the edges, two slight traces of former mounting to the verso, and a neat split to the right edge of the central fold, only slightly affecting the King's signature, GEmile de Girardin (1802-1881) French journalist, publisher and politician. 

ALBERT VII: (1559-1621) Archduke of Austria who served as Sovereign of the Habsburg Netherlands with his wife Isabella Clara Eugenia from 1598-1621, and as Viceroy of Portugal 1583-93 and, briefly, as Archduke of Lower and Upper Austria from March-October 1619. An interesting L.S., Alberto, one page, large folio, Brussels, 22nd December 1605, in French. The manuscript letter is addressed to all of the lieutenants, governors, colonels, captains and men of war, provosts, mayors, aldermen and other justices, officers and subjects who may have cause to read it, and is a commission for Pierre Launay, an archer of the guard, to lead the tercio of Don Pedro Carmiento (?), lately arrived from England, asking that they be allowed free passage 'et le chemin accomodes de vivres et aultres choses necessaires pour leur meilleur passaige, Et enchargeons aud. Archier de tenir la main vers le Me de camp, Capnes et officiers dud. Tercio de faire vivre leurs gens en bon ordre et discipline militaire, et faire de sorte quilz se contentent raisonnablem. des viandes ordinaires que les subiectz auront en leur maison, sans leur demander ou les contraindre d'aller cercher du pain blancq, vin, poisson, chair de mouton, de veau et semblables boissons et viandes extraordinaires' (Translation: 'and the route accommodated with provisions and other things necessary for their better passage, and charge the said archer to join with the master of camp, captains and officers of the said tercio to make their people live in good order and military discipline, and to do so that they are reasonably content with the ordinary meats that the subjects will have in their house, without asking them or forcing them to go and get white bread, wine, fish, meat of mutton, veal and similar drinks and extraordinary meats') and also advising that the archer will notify the governor or principal officer of the province in advance of their arrival. With the small remnants of the affixed seal. Some extensive, small holes to the text and some splitting at the folds, slightly affecting the text and signature. FR The tercio military units of the Spanish Army, active during the reign of the Spanish Habsburgs in the early modern period, were renowned for the effectiveness of their battlefield formations and provided a crucial step in the formation of modern European armies..

[FRANCESCO II SFORZA]:(1495-1535) Duke of Milan 1521-35, the last member of the Sforza family to rule Milan. Manuscript letter issued in the name of Francesco II Sforza and signed ('B. Patellan') by Benedetto Patellani, secretary of the Senate, one page, oblong 4to, Viglenani, 11th January 1531, to Doctor Pretori Berthous, in Latin. The text relates to the litigation of the men of Casal Noxete (?) within the jurisdiction of the Doctor and instructs him to 'notify the venerable brothers of St. Francois of our city to appear before our senate at the second hearing…..to plead with their lawyers on their rights' and further requesting that Patellani be informed of the provision of the means of defence. With address panel and blind embossed paper seal to the verso. Some light overall staining and minor age wear and with a few small holes, only very minimally affecting a few words of text, G 

NICHOLAS I: (1796-1855) Emperor of Russia 1825-55. L.S., Nicolas, a good and bold signature example, three pages, folio, Saint Petersburg, 23rd March 1837, to His Majesty the King of Naples, in Cyrillic. The manuscript letter informs the King, 'Our Dear Brother and Friend.. after having accepted the petition received from our Privy Councillor, Chamberlain and Cavalier Count Adam Matushevits, who is residing now at the Court of Your Majesty as our Envoy Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Minister, we relieve him from his duty and Envoy..´. Countersigned at the foot by Karl Nesselrode. Accompanied by the original envelope wrapper bearing a large Imperial paper seal. Some extremely light, minor age wear, otherwise VG Ferdinand II (1810-1859) King of the Two Sicilies 1830-59. Karl Nesselrode (1780-1862) Russian Count and Diplomat. Foreign Affairs Minister 1816-56. Nesselrode served under Tsars Alexander I, Nicholas I and Alexander II.

ALEXANDER II: (1818-1881) Emperor of Russia, King of Poland and Duke of Finland 1855-81. Assassinated. D.S., Alexander, two pages, folio, Livadia Palace, 30th September 1872, in Cyrillic. The manuscript document, with a printed heading, is addressed to Viscount Lage, head of the Imperial Court of the Princess of Brazil, and grants him the Imperial Order of Saint Stanislaus, First Class. Signed by the Emperor at the conclusion and countersigned by the Chancellor of Orders alongside a blind embossed paper seal. With blank integral leaf. Some overall age toning and wear and with some small, neat splits at the edges of folds, G 

GEORGE III: (1738-1820) King of Great Britain and Ireland 1760-1820. D.S., George R, a 'mad' example, as King, at the head, one page (vellum), Court at St. James's, 1st February 1809. The partially printed document, completed in manuscript, is a military commission appointing J. B. Hart to be a Captain in the 95th Regiment of Foot commanded by Major General Coote Manningham. Countersigned at the foot by the Earl of Liverpool (1770-1828) British Prime Minister 1812-27 and Secretary of State for War and the Colonies 1809-12. A few light stains, not affecting the signatures, and the upper left corner very slightly and neatly clipped. About VGCoote Manningham (1765-1809) British Major General who served in the French Revolutionary Wars and also played a significant role in the creation and early development of the 95th Rifles of which he was Colonel in Chief..

ZAHIR SHAH MOHAMMAD: (1914-2007) King of Afghanistan 1933-73. D.S., in Afghan Persian, as King, one page, 4to, n.p., 23rd October 1960, in Dari. The partially printed document, completed in manuscript, awards an advisor and member of the Ceremonial and Security office with a Second Star medal. Signed by the King to the lower left at the foot. With blank integral leaf. Some creasing and with a tear to the right edge, not affecting the text or signature, G

ROCKINGHAM MARQUESS OF: (1730-1782) British Prime Minister 1765-66, 1782. A good, rare D.S., Rockingham, one page (vellum), large oblong folio, n.p., 8th September 1762. The partially printed document, completed in manuscript, is addressed to John Burton and appoints him 'to be Ensign in that Company of the Militia Battalion of Foot, raised and to be raised within the Wapentake or Hundred of Agbridge [i.e. Agbrigg] and Morley, Part of the West Riding of the County of York, Commanded by Sir George Savile Baronet' and orders that he carefully and diligently discharge his duties 'by training and disciplining the Persons to be arm'd and array'd in the said Company according to the Rules, Orders and Directions of the….Acts of Parliament'. Signed by Rockingham at the foot alongside a good red wax seal. Some very light, extremely minor age wear, VGA fine example of one of the rarest of all signatures of British Prime Ministers.

[PILGRIM FATHERS THE]: WINSLOW EDWARD (1595-1655) English Separatist and New England political leader, one of the Pilgrim Fathers who travelled on the Mayflower in 1620. One of several senior leaders on the Mayflower, Winslow was a signatory of the Mayflower Compact, one of the most historic documents in American history. An extremely rare D.S., Edw: Winslow, one page, folio, Haberdashers' Hall, London, 17th March 1651. The manuscript document is issued by the Committee for Sequestration and Advancement of Money and relates to Oliver Saul of Penrice, Cornwall, and discharges him of an earlier assessment by which he was ordered to pay £200. Signed by Winslow at the foot and countersigned by several other commissioners including Richard Moore. With the original manuscript certificate signed and issued by Martyn Dallison, also dated 17th March 1651, neatly attached as a second page in the upper left corner with a small red wax seal. Autographs of any of the Pilgrim Fathers are of the utmost rarity and highly desirable. Some light staining and minor age wear to the edges, and with a small area of paper loss to the lower left edge and corner of the primary document. About VGProvenance: Previously with Roger Collicott Books and acquired by the English history collector David Stather (1940-2022) for his library.

[FOUNDING FATHERS THE]: WITHERSPOON JOHN: (1723-1794) Scottish-American Presbyterian minister and educator, a Founding Father of the United States who was a signatory to the Declaration of Independence on 4th July 1776, being the only active clergyman and the only college president to sign the Declaration. An extremely rare series of autograph manuscript notes, unsigned, one page, 8vo, n.p. (Scotland), n.d. (January; 1763). Witherspoon's notes are written to the verso of a printed page removed from an almanac, and provide an account of his activities as a Church of Scotland minister, in part, 'Sabbath Jan[uary] lectured on the ordinary Ps[alm] 145.13 to the Lord, Mr. Simpson preached for me….Afternoon, preached on 1. Sam[uel] 25.6 And thus shall ye say….Tuesday Jan[uary] 4. Preached the sermon before the Society for Reformation of Manners on Jer[emiah] 5.26 For among my people are found crooked men. No sermon this week on Thursday……Thursday Jan[uary] 13 Mr Baines preached in the Laigh church….' With a contemporary annotation in an unidentified hand to the verso, 'autograph of the Rev. Doctor John Witherspoon'. Some light age wear and a few minor stains, the left edge a little irregularly torn. About VGThe page was evidently removed from an Almanac printed in Scotland (as it provides the high water information for Leith) and states that January begins on Saturday. This information, coupled with Witherspoon's references to Laigh Kirk church in Paisley, of which he was the minister from 1758-68, means that the notes can be reasonably dated to 1763.

CASTRO FIDEL: (1926-2016) Cuban revolutionary and politician who served as Prime Minister of Cuba 1959-76 and President of Cuba 1976-2008. Autograph Manuscript draft of an interview written and signed by the Spanish journalist Enrique Meneses (1929-2013), two pages, 8vo, n.p. (Cuba), 9th January 1958, in Spanish. The text states, in part, 'In an exclusive interview granted by Fidel Castro to Enrique Meneses for “Le Figaro” of Paris, the rebel leader answers the declarations…..of 8th January. Castro: To whom should I hand over the weapons that we have taken from the army? To the same army that has been fighting us for a year?......Those that we have captured from the army will be handed over when all possibility of dictatorship is discarded. We do not aspire to any political position, so we do not represent any danger of dictatorship. When the armed forces are reorganised and the dignified military have them under their control, when all fear that a military junta will replace Batista is discarded; the July 26 movement will hand over its weapons to those armed forces. Meneses: What do you think of the acceptance of Manuel Urrutia as provisional President? Castro: We are very happy that everyone agrees that Urrutia is the ideal person to preside over the Repubic…..Carlos Prio no longer counts for anything in Cuba. The revolution is in the hands of the new generation and not in those who want to chain their destiny to a disgraceful past. Meneses: Do you think that without the help of the rest of the opposition you will be able to defeat Batista? Castro: It will take longer but we will achieve it. The days when the troops came to look for us in the mountains are over. Today we have to go and look for them……here it is already safer than in the rest of the Republic. This is free Cuba'. Signed by Meneses at the conclusion and countersigned by Fidel Castro with his name alone in fountain pen ink. Some light overall creasing, minor age wear and a few stains, otherwise about VGEnrique Meneses (1929-2013) Spanish journalist, writer and photographer. In 1958 Meneses became the first reporter to live, for four months, with the Cuban revolutionaries in Sierra Maestra, at which time he met and interviewed Fidel Castro and Che Guevara. His reports on the Cuban revolution which appeared in French publications caused a worldwide sensation. The present document dates from just a few months before the military dictator Fulgencio Batista (1901-1973) fled from Cuba in the early hours of 1st January 1959. News of the fall of Batista's government was met with a jubilant reaction by Cubans and Fidel Castro and his army rolled victoriously into Havana on 8th January 1959. 

MANCINI HENRY: (1924-1994) American film composer, Academy Award winner. A.M.Q.S., Henry Mancini, one page (manuscript paper), oblong 8vo, n.p., n.d. In bold black ink Mancini has penned two bars from his iconic jazz composition The Pink Panther Theme (1963), signing his name immediately below and with an inscription to the upper edge. VG

MELIES GEORGES: (1861-1938) French Film Director, a Pioneer of cinema and innovator in the use of special effects. Rare D.S., G. Melies, one page, 4to, Paris, 12th November 1912, the partially printed document being a receipt issued on Melies' attractive printed stationery. The manuscript receipt, in French, is for the sum of 370 Francs, being the payment of royalties due from the sales, in New York, of some of Melies' films. Also bearing to the front a red ink stamp of the Melies cinema manufacture over a tax stamp. Three binding holes to the left border, not affecting the text or signature. VG

GOUNOD CHARLES: (1818-1893) French composer. Autograph Musical Manuscript Signed, Ch. Gounod, three pages (including title page), folio (manuscript paper), n.p., November 1870. Gounod has neatly penned over sixty bars of music, for piano, with lyrics, to the Christian hymn There is a green hill far away. Signed and inscribed by Gounod to the title page, 'A Madame Louisa Brown, There is a green hill far away…Ch. Gounod, 9bre/70'. Loosely contained in a custom cloth bound folder with gilt stamped title (front cover detached). Some age toning and wear and with some small tears and areas of paper loss to the slightly brittle edges, not affecting the music or text, G Gounod's musical setting to Cecil Frances Alexander's text of the hymn There is a green hill far away was published in 1871. The composer considered it 'the most perfect hymn in the English language'.  Louisa Brown, and her husband Henry, resided at Higham House in Blackheath, London, and were lifelong friends of Charles Gounod and his family. Their daughter Agnes studied music with Gounod and on her marriage in 1882, the composer created Marche Nupitale for organ solo as a wedding gift to the bride.

MASSENET JULES: (1842-1912) French composer of the Romantic era. A.M.Q.S., J. Massenet, one page (manuscript paper), folio, Paris, 1892. Massenet has penned an extensive quotation, of five ensemble staves over thirteen measures, with musical directions for piano, which he identifies as being from Scene III of his ballet Le carillon, signed by Massenet at the foot and inscribed in his hand 'Page extraite du ballet "Le carillon" de M. M. de Borday & Van Dyck'. With a few heavy stains, affecting the quotation (which remains perfectly legible), but not the signature, and with some light overall creasing, small tears and areas of paper loss to the right edge and the central vertical fold professionally reinforced to the verso. About G

FRENCH COMPOSERS: Small selection of Autograph Musical Manuscripts signed by various composers comprising Georges Falkenberg (1854-1940) French music teacher, pianist and composer, autograph musical manuscript signed (twice), eight pages (including title page), folio (manuscript paper), n.p., n.d., being a working manuscript, in ink and pencil, of Hymne funebre pour piano (Op.14), signed to the title page and again to the head of the first page of music; Adhemar Decq (1850-1925) French composer and organist of the Romantic period, autograph musical manuscript, unsigned, six pages (including calligraphic title page), folio (manuscript paper), n.p., n.d., being his Fantaisie Caprice pour piano (Op.80), inscribed to the head of the title page, 'A mona mi et collegue M. Letang'; Charles Neustedt (1838-1908) French composer, autograph musical manuscript signed, four pages, oblong folio (manuscript paper), n.p., n.d., being a copy of Maitre Ambros for piano (Op.184) by Charles-Marie Widor, signed ('Ch. Neustedt') by Neustedt at the head of the first page; and Adolphe David (1842-1897) French composer, autograph musical manuscript signed, A. David, three pages (including the title page), oblong folio (manuscript paper), n.p., n.d., identified as being the second interlude of La Statue du Commandeur, with two other similar manuscripts signed by David, one identified as Valse Naïve for piano, and the other Impromptu Caprice (Op.44). Some overall age wear, light staining and other faults, generally about G, 6

GEVAERT FRANCOIS-AUGUSTE: (1828-1908) Belgian composer and musicologist. A.L.S., Fct. Gevaert, four pages, 8vo, Ghent, 9th August (1864), to a friend, in French. The composer states that his correspondent should have received a telegram from him two days ago, adding 'Il y a une demi-heure, je le complete par quelques explications qui ne seront pas superflues, apres tous les retards qu'a subi l'envoi de tou role' (Translation: 'Half an hour ago, I supplemented it with a few explanations which will not be superfluous, after all the delays which the sending of your role has undergone'), explaining that he has come to Ghent to spend a fortnight with his family and avoid the distractions of Paris in order to 'ecrire les dernieres notes du Capitaine Henriot' (Translation: 'write the last notes of Captain Henriot') and informing his correspondent that, before leaving Paris he had called at their home, only to find that the manuscript had arrived too late for them to take it with them to the Pyrenees, remarking 'Ton domestique male avait naturellement garde le rouleau par devers lui, je le lui redemandai pour te l'expedier tout de suite, mais en le parcourant des yeux je m'apercus qu'on avait totalement omis de copier la romance du 1er acte et qui le petit brouillon meme que je t'en avais donne etait disparu' (Translation: 'Your male servant had naturally kept the manuscript in his possession. I asked him for it again to send it to you immediately, but as I scanned it with my eyes I realised that we had completely omitted to copy the romance of the 1st act and that even the little draft that I gave you had disappeared'). Gevaert continues to state that when his correspondent receives the package with the manuscript he hopes that they will be as happy with the tune of the 2nd act as he is, commenting that he finds the final allegro very effective, and remarking 'Aussitot que tu aurais bien lu et un peu etudie ce morceau ecris moi deux lignes et dis moi si tu es de mon avis. Le final du 2e acte et la Romance du 3e ne se trouvent pas encore dans l'envoi que je te fais a part ces deux morceaux tou role est complet. Quant a ces deux derniers morceaux je prens l'engagement serieux de te les expedier d'ici (Gand Belgique) avant le 20 de ce mois' (Translation: 'As soon as you have read and studied this piece well, write me two lines aand tell me if you agree with me. The finale of the 2nd act and the Romance of the 3rd are not yet in the package that I am sending you, apart from these two pieces, your role is complete. As for the last two pieces, I make a serious commitment to send them to you from here (Ghent, Belgium) before the 20th of this month'). In a postscript the composer also remarks 'Les travaux de l'opera comique n'ont pas l'air d'avancer beaucoup: on pretend que l'ouverture ne se fera pas avant le 10 7bre' (Translation: 'Work on l'opera comique does not seem to be advancing very much: it is claimed that the opening will not take place before the 10th September'). Some light age wear and minor dust staining and one small, neat tear to the lower edge of a fold. About VG

MENOTTI GIAN CARLO: (1911-2007) Italian composer and librettist. Autograph Musical Manuscript, unsigned, five pages, folio (manuscript paper), n.p., n.d. The manuscript score, with words, is entitled Il fringuello cieco ('The Blind Chaffinch') and is a composition based on Giovanni Pascoli's allegorical poem about the existence of God, neatly penned in dark fountain pen ink, with musical directions, on 12 stave manuscript paper. Some light age toning and minor age wear to the edges, otherwise VG

RUBINSTEIN ANTON: (1829-1894) Russian pianist, composer and conductor, founder of the Saint Petersburg Conservatory. A.L.S., Ant: Rubinstein, one page, 8vo, Leipzig, n.d. (December 1854), to Julius Rietz (‘Dear Conductor’), on the blind embossed stationery of the Hotel de Baviere, in German. Rubinstein states that he has had a letter from Madame Alvars confirming that she received his message regarding her performance, continuing however to inform Rietz that ‘she has not heard anything from the director, so she does not know whether she should come, or not’ and asking Rietz to ‘Be so good as to let me know whether I should write to her that she is certain to participate, or not’, and concluding ‘I hereby send you back your album. I could not make it more compact than two pages, but there’s still time for the manuscript’. With integral address leaf in Rubinstein’s hand (small area of paper loss to one corner where the seal was originally broken). A letter of good associations. VGJulius Rietz (1812-1877) German composer and conductor who, in 1848, succeeded Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (who had died in the previous year) as conductor of the Gewandhaus concerts in Leipzig. Melanie Lewy (1823-1856) Austrian harpist, wife of the English harpist and composer Elias Parish Alvars. Melanie Alvars performed with the Gewandhaus Orchestra only once, in a subscription concert held on 7th December 1854, at which she played two works by her late husband. Rubinstein performed there exactly one week later, marking the very first time that he performed with an orchestra in Germany.

‘the care and diligence in averting and rejecting the plans of the malicious should always be praised’  PIUS III: (1439-1503) Pope of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 22nd September to 18th October 1503. At just twenty-six days, Pius III had one of the shortest pontificates in papal history. An exceptionally rare D.S., F[ranciscus]. C[ardinalis] de Piccolomineis, as Papal Legate to Rome and the Papal States, one page (vellum), slim oblong folio (32 x 12 cm), St. Peter's Basilica, Rome, 5th June 1464, in Latin. The manuscript document, issued in the name of Pope Pius II, and penned in an elegant script, states that the recipient's letters 'in which you have indicated to us certain suspicions cast by you….and also an account of what has been reported of Jacopo Piccinino' have been read, commenting 'We, beloved child, think that suspicions of this kind are vain, but we praise you for being cautious' and further continuing 'the care and diligence in averting and rejecting the plans of the malicious should always be praised, and We who are the ones who protect and defend you as we desire….Therefore, concerning the Corsicans who are trying to enter into your state, we ordered the governor of our Patrimony to seize them and punish them according to their demerits'. The document also states, 'As regards Piccinino, although he has received the….stipend from the King [Ferdinand I of Naples] and his Serenity needs his services for the establishment of his kingdom and his state, and as we have been informed he does not wish to let him go, nevertheless we shall not fail to protect you where necessary…..Our beloved son Antonio [Piccolomini], Duke of Amalfi……will soon arrive, who will station a part of our army in the territory of your country….' Adding that the Duke has been commanded to defend and protect their land and subjects if necessary. Autographs of Pope Pius III, the nephew of Pius II, are of the utmost rarity and the present document is also of historical significance for its references to Jacopo Piccinino and Antonio Piccolomini. Some light overall damp staining and two very small holes to the body of the document, the text remaining clear and entirely legible. Some traces of former mounting to the verso and with the (slightly indistinct) circular red stamp of the College heraldique de France to the verso. About VGThe recipient of the present document is unclear, however one valid candidate would be Marino Marzano (1420-1494) Italian nobleman, Grand Admiral of the Kingdom of Naples, and an ally of Pope Pius II. Pius II (1405-1464) Pope of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States 1458-64. A Renaissance humanist, and member of the House of Piccolomini, Pius II had achieved fame as an author in Latin before becoming Pope. Jacopo Piccinino (1423-1465) Italian condottiero, nobleman and feudal lord. In 1450 Piccinino became a General in the Venetian Army and in 1463 participated in the dynastic wars which tore apart the Kingdom of Naples. In 1465 he was called to Naples to receive the position as viceroy of Abruzzi and serve as leader of King Ferdinand I of Naple's troops, however he was treacherously arrested on the King's orders and condemned to death.Antonio Piccolomini (1435-1492) Duke of Amalfi. Italian soldier and politician. Brother of Francesco Piccolomini, the future Pope, and a nephew of Pius II from whom the Duke received numerous favours and investitures. Appointed Lieutenant General of Men-at-Arms of the Kingdom of Naples, at the time of the present document the Duke was engaged in eliminating the last resistances of Jacopo Piccinino and participated in various military campaigns involving the Kingdom of Naples.Ferdinand I (1424-1494) King of Naples 1458-94, one of the most influential and feared monarchs in Europe at the time and an important figure in the Italian Renaissance. Pius II had convened the Congress of Mantua in 1459 in order to plan a war against the Ottoman Turks, Christendom's common enemy, and in January 1460 the Pope proclaimed the official crusade. However, by November 1463, little progress had been made and the Pope, in an effort to organise the crusade himself, invited all of the Christian nobility to join. The Venetians immediately agreed, as did George Kastriot Skanderberg, leader of the Albanian resistance, who declared war on the Ottomans on 27th November 1463. The Pope did not succeed in securing the support of estranged France; the Duke of Burgundy breaking his promises; Milan was engrossed in an attempt to seize Genoa; and Florence cynically advised the Pope to let the Turks and the Venetians to wear each other out. Pius II was aware that he was nearing his end, and his malady most likely prompted the feverish impatience with which on 18th June 1464, less than two weeks after the present document was issued, he assumed the cross and departed for Ancona to conduct the crusade in person. Provenance: Previously contained in the archives of the College heraldique de France, a leading organisation in the studies of noble genealogy that was created in 1841 by Claude Drigon, Marquis of Magny (1796-1879). Its large collections, estimated to be 350,000 documents (including 60,000 charters from the 11th - 14th centuries) were dispersed at auction at the Hotel Drouot in 1935-37.

LA PALISSE JACQUES DE: (1470-1525) French nobleman and Marshal of France, created Grand Master of France in 1511. La Palisse gave his name to Lapalissade, a comical truism. An extremely rare D.S., Thabannes, as Lord of Chabannes, one page (vellum), slim oblong 4to (34 x 8 cm), n.p., 15th May 1507, in Middle French. The manuscript document is in the form of a receipt in which La Palisse acknowledges having received from Jehan Serpin, Receiver General of His Majesties Finances in Burgundy, 'La some de Six vings livres tourn. pour le Revenu du grenier a sel de Semur en brionnois' (Translation: 'The sum of sixty pounds tournois for the income of the salt cellar of Semur-en-Brionnoais') La Palisse's signature is a little faded although still reasonably legible. Small area of loss to the lower right edge, one neat cut, a couple of very small, minor holes and some light dust staining, about VG

LEPAUTE JEAN-ANDRE: (1720-1789) French clockmaker who held the brevet horlogers du Roi. A rare manuscript D.S., Lepaute, one page, oblong 8vo, Paris, 14th April 1765, in French. The document is a receipt issued by Lepaute to Monseigneur le Duc Dancequne (?) for the sum of one thousand livre in full payment for a clock. With a further note in Lepaute's hand at the base confirming that he will resend the Duke the invoice for the same sum. Also bearing a short note, signed with initials, in an unidentified hand. With blank integral leaf. Some very light, extremely minor age wear, VG 

[CARTER HOWARD]: (1874-1939) English archaeologist and Egyptologist, discovered the Tomb of Tutankhamun in 1923. A partially printed document, completed in manuscript in an unknown hand, issued by Sotheby & Co., one page, 8vo, New Bond Street, London, 4th April 1940, addressed to Miss. P[hyllis] Walker, Carter's niece and legatee. The document is annotated 're Howard Carter (dec'd)' and informs Walker of the results of an auction, the four lots selling for a total of £48.5.0, adding 'A statement of account, showing the price realised by each lot, and a cheque for the balance (after deduction of all charges, etc.) will be sent to you at or about a month from this date'. An unusual piece of ephemera relating to the sale of Carter's antiquities. VG Howard Carter left the majority of his London property and belongings to Phyllis Walker, stating in his will that 'I strongly recommend to her that she consult my Executors as to the advisability of selling any Egyptian or other antiquities included in this bequest'. When Walker and the Executors examined the contents of Carter's flat they discovered a small number of antiquities which had originated from the tomb of Tutankhamun. 

CARTER HOWARD: (1874-1939) English archaeologist and Egyptologist, discovered the Tomb of Tutankhamun in 1923. Manuscript D.S., with his initials H C, (and also signed Howard Carter at the head of the first page), two pages, folio, Cairo, 4th October 1930, in pencil. The document, marked Draft, is addressed to Mr. J. T. West of the solicitors Messrs Frere, Cholmley & Co. in London, and provides a statement of Carter's income received in Egypt from 1st April 1928 to 31st March 1929, detailing the individual sums received in various months from British and American newspapers, annuities, interest from the National Bank of Egypt etc. Rare. VG 

GOBERT PIERRE: (1662-1744) French portrait painter, the preferred painter of the great ladies of the court during the reign of King Louis XIV. D.S., Gobert, one page (vellum), oblong 8vo, n.p. (Paris), 30th January 1705, in French. The manuscript document is issued by Gobert in his capacity as painter-in-ordinary to the King and his academy and acknowledges receipt of the sum of fifty pounds from an un-named individual in payment for the first six months of the current year, and making reference to an earlier payment of one hundred pounds that had been made on 16th April 1703. Signed by Gobert at the foot and also bearing two countersignatures. With an official circular stamp to the head. Some light staining and minor age wear and one small hole. About VG

‘I have made my will and I leave you my Pucelle manuscript, more complete than the printed version’ VOLTAIRE: (1694-1778) Francois-Marie Arouet. French Enlightenment writer, historian and philosopher. An excellent Autograph Letter, unsigned, two pages (with a postscript of four lines to the third page of the bifolium), 4to, n.p., n.d. (annotated 18th January in another hand; 1760), to Comte Francesco Algarotti, in French. Voltaire informs his correspondent that he has looked through some Swiss newspapers for an article, but has not found it, remarking 'je m'en souviens cependant qu'on parle avec eloges de votre ouvrage, le Newtonisme est comme du fu Algarott, ce que je disais que vous etiez deja mis parmi les anciens etoit de moi'i' (Translation: 'I remember however that people speak with praise of your work, Newtonism is like fu Algarotti, what I said that you were already placed among the ancients was mine'). Voltaire continues to write concerning politics, 'La belle chose que de gouverneur les hommes! de se tourmenter pour les faire entendre raison sans que rien ne vous en revient! Ce pays soupirait apres un renouvellement d'alliance avec quelques cantons voisins; nos grands politiques y avaient echoues, il n'y avait plus question a mon arrivee ici; je l'ay fait sans peine; et pour recompense, ceux qui avaient manque deja l'affaire, m'ont suscite (tant qu'ils ont pu) des tracasseries par envie, la passion, ou si vous voulez  folie, la plus universelle est la vanite, et il y en a plus ici que nul part' (Translation: 'The beautiful thing of governor men! To torment themselves, to make them listen to reason without anything coming back to you! This country longed for a renewal of alliance with some neighbouring cantons; our great politicians had failed there, there was no longer any question of my arrival here; I did it without difficulty; and as a reward, those who had already missed the case, aroused in me (as much as they could) annoyances out of envy, passion, or if you want madness, the most universal is vanity, and there has been more here than anywhere') and also explains that he had arranged a ceremony for the Canton de Soleure, explaining 'ils ont trouve moyen de renverser mon projet simple, pour y substituer l'ancienne ceremonial helvetique; je dois etre a la tete de quatre ambassadeurs, avec une suite de noblesse dont peu peuvent pretendre etre gentils hommespeu s'en est falu qu'on ne m'a mis sur un grand cheval de Lonage pour faire mon entree a Soleure, car j'ai bien deux bonnes vaches pour me donner de la creme et du bon beurre frais, mais je n'ai pas un cheval a monter' (Translation: 'they have found a way to reverse my simple project, to substitute the old Swiss ceremonial; I must be at the head of four ambassadors, with a retinue of nobility that few can claim to be nice me. I was put on a big Lonage horse to enter Soleure, because I have two good cows to give me cream and good fresh butter, but I don't have a horse to mount'). In the postscript Voltaire makes a curious statement, 'Outre la grande ceremonie, je dois boire environ 300 .....santes a la Suisse, je me donne deja pour noye et enterre, j'ai fait mon testament et je vous laisse ma Pucelle manuscrite, plus complete que l'imprimee' (Translation: 'Besides the great ceremony, I have to drink about 300….health to Switzerland, I already give myself up for drowning and burying myself, I have made my will and I leave you my Pucelle manuscript, more complete than the printed version'). With integral address panel in Voltaire's hand (small area of paper loss caused by the original breaking of the seal). A letter of good content and association. Neatly tipped to the left edge within paper wrappers and contained in a plain card folder from a 19th century English collection. VGCount Francesco Algarotti (1712-1764) Italian polymath, philosopher, poet, essayist, anglophile, art critic and art collector, an expert in Newtonianism, architecture and opera, and a friend of Frederick the Great, Voltaire and other leading authors of his time. 

ROUSSEAU JEAN-JACQUES: (1712-1778) French Writer and Philosopher. An interesting autograph manuscript, two pages, 4to, n.p., [Paris], n.d. (c.1745), in French. The two full pages of manuscript, in Rousseau's hand, are from his unpublished work relating to the history of women and laws which he prepared between 1745-51 for his benefactress Louise Marie Madeleine Dupin. Rousseau writes his text in the right column of the page, the left reserved for additional notes `L.5. p.380, L.6.p.427´. Bearing beneath a two lines annotation in the hand of Madame Dupin. Rousseau refers to the texts taken from the works of Father Helyot, History of religious and military monastic orders which was published in 1718, stating in part `Il y a en Allemagne des Abbayes don't les Abbesses sont Princesses de l´Empire, comme celles d´Heppack, d´Himmeltron et de Guttenfel. L´abbesse de Lindaw pretend à la souveraineté de cette ville en vertu d´une charte de Louis le débonnaire. Il est certain que cette ville a été sujette aux Abbesses pendant quelque temps. Les chanoinesses de Lindaw ont été autrefois très puissantes. L´Abbesse devint non seulement Princesse de l´Empire, mais elle avait encore son maire du Palais qui demeurait à Vasserbourg, et il marchait ordinairement en si grand equipage qu´elle fut contrainte d´ordonner qu´il ne viendrait à Lindaw qu´avec 12 chevaux. Lorsque l´Abbesse sortait du monastère pour quelque cérémonie on portait toujours devant elle une épée nue…´ ("There are Abbeys in Germany whose Abbesses are Princesses of the Empire, such as those of Heppack, Himmeltron and Guttenfel. The Abbess of Lindaw claims the sovereignty of this city by virtue of a charter of Louis the Debonaire. It is certain that this city was subject to the Abbesses for some time. The canonesses of Lindaw were in the past very powerful. The Abbess not only became Princess of the Empire, but she also had her Mayor of the Palace who lived at Vasserburg, and he usually travelled with such a large equipage that she was compelled to order that he should come to Lindaw only with 12 horses. When the Abbess left the monastery for some ceremony, a naked sword was always carried in front of her.… '') With right and bottom edges very slightly trimmed, otherwise G Louis the Debonaire (778-840) also known as Louis the Pious, or the Fair. King of the Franks and co-Emperor with his father Charlemagne. Louis was the only surviving son of Charlemagne. At the time Rousseau wrote these pages, between 1745 and 1751, he was working as secretary to his benefactress Louise Marie Madeleine Dupin 

ROUSSEAU JEAN-JACQUES: (1712-1778) French Writer and Philosopher. An interesting autograph manuscript, two pages, 4to, n.p., [Paris], n.d. (c.1745), in French. The two pages of manuscript, in Rousseau's hand, are from his unpublished work relating to the history of women and laws which he prepared between 1745-51 for his benefactress Louise Marie Madeleine Dupin. Rousseau writes his text in the right column of the page, the left reserved for additional notes. Rousseau refers to inheritance, identifies it as taken from `Novell. Const. art. 187´, stating in part `Nous avons dit cy dessus qu´une femme mariée sans dot et répudiée sans cause devait avoir la 4eme partie du bien de son mari jusqu´à la concurrence de cent livres d´or. Nous établissons ici la même chose, savoir que la femme hérite de la 4eme partie des biens de son mari mort, qu´il laisse des enfants ou non.… De même qu´un mari qui n´a rien donné propter nuptias, ne doit rien avoir du bien de la femme s´il ne lui a été légué par testament…´ (''We said above that a married woman without a dowry and repudiated without cause should have the 4th part of her husband's property up to one hundred pounds of gold. We establish here the same thing, this means that the wife inherits the 4th part of the property of her dead husband, whether he leaves children or not.… Just as a husband who has given nothing propter nuptias, must not have anything of the property of the woman if it has not been bequeathed to him by will… '') Very small age tone, mostly to the bottom edge, with right and bottom edges very slightly trimmed, otherwise G   At the time Rousseau wrote these pages, between 1745 and 1751, he was working as secretary to his benefactress Louise Marie Madeleine Dupin.  

CHATEAUBRIAND FRANCOIS-RENE DE: (1768-1848) French writer, politician, diplomat and historian. D.S., Chateaubriand, one page, folio, London, 5th July 1822, in French. The partially printed document, completed in manuscript, features a steel engraving of the French coat of arms at the head and is issued in the name of the King [Louis XVIII], being an official diplomatic passport signed by Chateaubriand in his capacity as French Ambassador to the United Kingdom, requesting that the civil and military authorities of His Britannic Majesty, and all the friendly countries and allies of France, allow free passage for Monsieur Klaatoch, an employee in the Department of Finance in the service of the King of Prussia, on his journey from London to Berlin. Countersigned at the foot by Baron Elysee Decazes (1793-1846) Secretary to the Ambassador. Some light overall creasing, otherwise VG

HUGO VICTOR: (1802-1885) French novelist, poet and dramatist. An excellent, significant and attractive D.S., Vtr. Hugo, one page, large folio (33 x 41.5 cm), Paris, 27th August 1840, in French. The partially printed document (featuring an attractive printed border of decorative floral frieze work) is completed in manuscript and is the Passe-port a l'Etranger (Foreign Passport) issued to Hugo in the name of the King by the General Police of France (Department of the Seine) for the period of one year. The left margin is completed with various personal details and physical characteristics relating to the novelist, stating that he is aged 37, is one metre and seventy-two centimetres in height, has brown hair, a high forehead, chestnut eyes, a medium nose, a chestnut beard, and a round chin etc. The main body of the document states that Hugo, a native of Besancon and residing at 6 Place Royale in Paris, accompanied by his wife and their son, should be allowed free passage to visit Spain, the Sardinian States, Lombard-Venetia, Switzerland, the Duchy of Baden, Prussia and Belgium. Signed at the foot by the prefect of police and countersigned by two other officials. The verso of the document is filled with the various official stamps, visas and signatures of the officials of the legations, embassies and territorial authorities of the Duchy of Baden, Switzerland, Belgium, Spain, Sardinia, Prussia and Lombardy-Venetia, providing a valuable primary record of Hugo's travels during 1840 (the last entry at Forbach, Baden-Wurttemberg, bearing the date 29th October 1840). Some light overall age wear and with a few minor, neat tears to the edges, about VGHugo's passport for the year 1840 is of literary significance as it was from August to October of that year that the novelist, in the company of his mistress and travelling companion Juliette Drouet, made their summer trip to Belgium and then from Cologne to Mainz, on the banks of the Rhine, the landscape and history of which greatly fascinated the novelist. After an excursion to Frankfurt, the couple travelled to Heidelberg to visit the Rhine falls at Laufen, near Schaffhausen. During the trip Hugo kept a diary and made various drawings which would form the basis of his travel guide Le Rhin (1842), a work which marked the rebirth of romance in the novelist's works.

DUMAS ALEXANDRE: Pere (1802-1870) French novelist and playwright whose works include The Three Musketeers (1844). Manuscript D.S., A Dumas, one page, oblong 8vo, Paris, 1st February 1844, in French. The document is a promissory note in which Dumas confirms a payment of three hundred and ten francs to be made on the 20th to Monsieur Porcher. A note in another hand at the foot of the document confirms the receipt of two payments of 300 francs and 100 francs. Some creasing, and with some small tears and fraying to the edges, GJean-Baptiste Porcher (1792-1864) French theatrical agent who served as a banker to playwrights, including his friend Dumas.The present document was signed by Dumas in the month before the serialisation of The Three Musketeers commenced in the newspaper Le Siècle.

COLETTE: (1873-1954) French author, best known for her novella Gigi (1944). Autograph Manuscript signed, Colette, three pages (separate leaves), 4to, n.p., n.d., in French. The working manuscript, with various deletions and corrections, is entitled Perruche bleue ('Blue Parakeet') and is the story of a lady who has lost her dog and whose husband, to console his wife, buys her a blue parakeet, in part, 'Je ne veux pas un chien, je veux un bouledogue; un bouledogue avec un oeil ici et un oeil la, tres loin l'un de l'autre; avec un front de penseur, pas de nez ou si peu, le cou bien epais......enfin un bouledogue!......son mari partit pour Paris......Il posa son colis et deboucla l'enveloppe de toile. Sous un rayon de soleil apparut, debout sur un barreau de la cage, une perruche bleue....' (Translation: 'I don't want a dog, I want a bulldog; a bulldog with one eye here and one eye there, very far apart; with a thinker's forehead, no or very little nose, a very thick neck…..finally a bulldog!......Her husband left for Paris…..He put down his package and unbuckled the canvas envelope. Under a ray of sunshine appeared, standing on a bar of the cage, a blue parakeet…..'). Signed by Colette at the conclusion. Some light overall age wear and a few small pinholes to the upper left corner of each page. About VG

BEAUVOIR SIMONE DE: (1908-1986) French existentialist philosopher, writer, social theorist and feminist activist. A.L.S., S de Beauvoir, one page, 8vo, n.p. (Paris), n.d. (15th October 1984), to Jean-Jacques Lubrina. Beauvoir writes, in full, 'J'ai bien recu votre manuscrit. Mais le temps m'a manque pour le lire. Je m'en excuse. Je vais le faire sans faute cette semaine et vous en dirai ce que j'en pense' (Translation: 'I have received your manuscript. But I didn't have time to read it. I am sorry for that. I', going to do it without fail this week and let you know what I think'). Accompanied by the original envelope hand addressed by Beauvoir. VGThe manuscript which Beauvoir read and assisted with was for Jean-Jacque Lubrina's L'enfer des pompiers - Temoignage d'un ancient pompier de Paris (2011). Lubrina, born in 1938, was fifteen years old when he apprenticed as a pastry chef, and four years later joined the fire brigade in Paris, later working as a janitor, cook, night watchman, fire safety chief of department stores amongst other jobs. During his various employments Lubrina also studied philosophy, which he would also teach.

ZWEIG STEFAN: (1881-1942) Austrian novelist, playwright, journalist and biographer, himself a passionate collector of autograph manuscripts. T.L.S., Stefan Zweig, one page, 8vo, Wyndham Hotel, 42 West 58th Street, New York, 30th July 1940, to Mr. Ewen. Zweig thanks his correspondent for their letter and proposal that he should contribute to their music magazine, which Zweig regards as a great honour, further remarking 'For the moment I have unfortunately no manuscript which would be suitable for your magazine. But I have written down your address, and should I have anything for you one day, I shall certainly let you have it with great pleasure'. VGDavid Ewen (1907-1985) Austrian-born American musician, educator and author of a number of books about classical and popular music including biographies of Joseph Haydn, Arturo Toscanini, Irving Berlin and George Gershwin.

[JOYCE JAMES]: (1882-1941) Irish novelist and poet. An unusual partially printed document, completed and signed on behalf of Joyce in the hand of an administrative agent, four pages, 4to, Paris, 21st April 1939, in French. The official Reseau Telephonique de Paris (Paris Telephone Network) document is Joyce's contract to have a telephone line installed at 34 rue des Vignes in Paris for an annual fee of six hundred and sixty francs, the head of the first page stamped Transfert ('Transfer') and a further stamp with manuscript insertions to the third page confirming that the document replaces an earlier commitment to have a telephone line at 7 rue Edmond Valentin and that the minimum duration of the subscription is still in place. The foot of the third page is signed on behalf of Joyce with the observation 'Lu et accepté' (Translation: 'Read and accepted'). A moving document relating to Joyce's last private residence in Paris. Some very light, extremely minor age wear, VGJames Joyce first came to Paris in July 1920 and would reside in the French capital for almost two decades, although the writer never bought a home of his own. Joyce's health problems afflicted him throughout his Paris years and despite over a dozen eye operations his vision severely declined and by the 1930s he was practically blind, making the telephone an important method of communication and explaining why he was unable to sign the present document.Joyce lived in an elegant apartment at 7 rue Edmond Valentin, close to the River Seine and Eiffel Tower, for five years from February 1935 until April 1939 before moving into a smaller apartment (although blessed with a lot of natural light) at 34 rue des Vignes on 15th April 1939. Finnegans Wake was published whilst Joyce was living in the apartment, which he would leave after six months in mid-October 1939. Following the fall of France in 1940 Joyce and his family travelled to Zurich to flee the Nazi occupation. On 11th January 1941 Joyce underwent surgery and fell into a coma the next day, awaking briefly at 2 am on 13th January before dying fifteen minutes later.

SCOTT WALTER: (1771-1832) Scottish historical novelist, poet, playwright and historian. Manuscript docket signed, Walter Scott, to a slim oblong 8vo portion removed from the base of a legal document, Selkirk, 16th July 1823. Scott writes in his capacity as Clerk of Session and Sheriff-Depute of Selkirkshire and requests that a statement be provided regarding an allegation against Mr. Clarke and a property, including details of 'whom & on what form the same was pledged to him'. With several lines of text in other hands to the recto and verso. Some light age wear, dust staining to the left edge and a few small tears and creases, only very slightly affecting the text but not the signature, G

DODGSON CHARLES LUTWIDGE: (1832-1898) Lewis Carroll. English author, poet and mathematician whose works include Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865). A very fine, rare manuscript poem, unsigned, one page, oblong 8vo, n.p., 18th February 1884. The poem, penned in Dodgson's characteristic violet ink, is dedicated 'To a young Lady, of whom I was in doubt whether she expected to be called “Miss so-and-so” or “So-and-so” without the “Miss”' at the head, with the two quatrains beneath, reading, in full -'Take not amiss this missile dread:Nor maim my mystic hope,Miscalling me a much misledMistaken misanthrope!My missive's meant to murmur this,With mute mysterious touch:-If I should merely miss the 'Miss',Would you, Miss, miss it much?'Autograph poems by Dodgson are extremely rare and desirable, and the present example (marked '[Copy]' alongside the reference number 46309, both in the writer's hand, and therefore presumably his own retained manuscript) is particularly inventive and humorous and with an interesting association, having been composed for [Miss] Elizabeth Hussey. A couple of very light, extremely minor creases, VGElizabeth 'Bessie' Ley Hussey (1852-1919) was the daughter of Robert Hussey (1803-1856) and his wife Elizabeth née Ley (1810-1896). Robert Hussey was the Regius Professor of Ecclesiastical History at Oxford, where the family lived until moving to Brighton following Robert's death. When Dodgson arrived in Oxford as an undergraduate at Christ Church in 1851 he took rooms with Jacob Ley, Elizabeth Hussey's brother. Dodgson is known to have photographed members of the Hussey family, including the young Elizabeth and her mother on 26th April 1864, some twenty years prior to writing the present verse. The present poem originally came to light in July 2014 at which time it was noted as being both 'unrecorded and unpublished', and it has not appeared on the market since being acquired by the present vendor almost a decade ago.  

ANDERSEN HANS CHRISTIAN: (1805-1875) Danish author, best remembered for his literary fairy tales. A fine pair of autograph fair copy manuscript verses signed ('H. C. Andersen') by Andersen, one page, large oblong 4to (approximately 13 x 10.5”, 32.5 x 26 cm), Paris, 26th April 1943, in Danish and French. To the left side of the page Andersen has penned his verse Soldaten ('The Soldier') in Danish, the four-verse work of four lines each, part of a song cycle, commencing 'Med daempede Hvirvler Trommerne gaae/ Ak, skal vi da aldrig til Stedet naae/ At hank an faae Ro i sin Kiste!/ Jeg troer mit Hjerte vil briste' (Translation: 'Our steps keep time with the muffled drum/ How slow it seems, and how long the march/ O, that he was at peace and everything done/ My heart is pounding'). To the right side of the page the author has penned a French translation of his verse, headed Le Soldat ecrite d'Andersen. Signed and dated by Andersen at the foot of the page. Manuscript verses by Andersen are extremely rare and highly sought after, and the present example is particularly charming. Some light staining and a few small, minor tears to the edges and with a vertical fold to the centre with neat splitting to the upper and lower edges and the whole reinforced with a thin strip of light tape to the verso. GHans Christian Andersen visited Paris on eight occasions during his lifetime and it was his second visit in 1843 (during which time he penned the present verses) that was perhaps the most important to him personally as he purposefully made it his ambition to meet French writers and artists, and thus succeeded in being accepted into the Parisian literary community. It is more than likely that the present verses were written at the request of one such member of the literary circles in Paris; we know that Andersen penned two similar verses on the same day, 26th April 1943, in the album amicorum of the poet and Romanticist Alfred de Vigny (1797-1863) and his wife Lydia.   

TZARA TRISTAN: (1896-1963) Romanian avant-garde poet, one of the founders and central figures of the anti-establishment Dada movement. Autograph Manuscript, unsigned, one page, 4to, n.p., n.d., in French. The working draft, with numerous deletions and corrections, appears to be at least one half of a larger manuscript (the head of the page numbered 2), the text stating, in part, 'Ou habite l'oubli? Dans le soleil de sable qui fuit entre mes doigts, comme cendre fulgurante tombe dans les mains du couchant, dans un corset dore lace de serpents noirs dont c'est (la) prison perpetuelle' (Translation: 'Where dwells oblivion? In the sun of sand that flees between my fingers, like dazzling ashes falling into the hands of the setting sun, in a gilded corset laced with black snakes of which it is (the) perpetual prison'). Some light overall uniform age toning and one extremely small area of paper loss to the lower edge, otherwise VG

APOLLINAIRE GUILLAUME: (1880-1918) French poet, playwright, novelist and art critic. Autograph Manuscript, unsigned, one page, 8vo, n.p., n.d., in French. The fragment of manuscript, torn from a larger sheet, features five lines of text in Apollinaire's hand, in full, 'Nouvelle du mort, eparpillement du corps, stagnation de l'ame en idee fixe eue au moment de la mort' (Translation: 'News from the dead, scattering of the body, stagnation of the soul in fixed idea had at time of death') beneath which he has drawn a line and written the nickname Schinderhannes. To the verso appears fourteen partial lines of text in Apollinaire's hand, being a fragment of a draft of an article with references to politics, work, the rich and the poor. Very slightly irregularly torn edges, otherwise VGJohannes Buckler (c.1778-1803) German outlaw who orchestrated one of the most famous crime sprees in German history and earned the nickname Schinderhannes. Apollinaire dedicated a poem to him in his collection Alcools (1913).  

‘The present end on the bull piece is OK if anything should happen to me as things sometimes do’ HEMINGWAY ERNEST: (1899-1961) American novelist, Nobel Prize winner for Literature, 1954. An excellent A.L.S., Ernest Hemingway, three pages (separate leaves), 4to, Finca Vigia, San Francisco de Paula (Havana), Cuba, 2nd June 1960, to Edward K. Thompson. Hemingway thanks his correspondent for their letter and informs him 'Finally finished 108,746 words of first draft….It is being typed and will start correction, cutting and any necessary re-write', adding that he will have to go to Spain 'to get what I need for the end and to check certain things nobody will write or tell me on the telephone' and explaining 'They have put through a really severe decree about tampering with the bulls horns making the breeders responsible even if it is done after the bulls leave the ranches', suggesting that if the decree is enforced he does not believe that Luis Miguel will fight in Spain during the summer. Hemingway returns to the subject of his piece, 'When I have the present MSS in shape (we you) can decide how long the Antonio - Luis - Miguel piece originally contracted for should run now…..Bill Lang said you would like to see all of it rather than have me cut the part that was contracted for. This is OK with me as long as it does not change the fact that the article was contracted for and that I am giving more than I contracted to deliver. This must be worked out as I only took an advance to bind the contract. This is not meant to sound stuffy', also remarking 'The present end on the bull piece is OK if anything should happen to me as things sometimes do' and concluding 'Please check with me if you want to use any work sheets or MSS. Photostat as Bill Lang suggested so nothing will be run that, out of context, might make me trouble in Spain with work still pending there'. Accompanied by the original envelope. A letter of good content for its literary references relating to Hemingway's fascination with bullfighting. A few small, very minor staple holes and rust marks to the upper left corner of each page, VGEdward Kramer Thompson (1907-1996) American writer and editor who was employed as the managing editor of Life magazine from 1949-61. Will Lang Jr. (1914-1968) American journalist, a bureau head for Life magazine and friend of Hemingway.Luis Miguel Dominguin (1926-1996) Spanish matador who, in 1959, became engaged in a bullfighting rivalry with his brother-in-law Antonio Ordonez (1932-1998) which was chronicled by Hemingway. In 1959 Hemingway had been commissioned by Life magazine to write a series of bullfighting articles which were supposed to be no more than 10,000 words. The manuscript grew much larger and Hemingway sought the assistance of A. E. Hotchner in order to reduce the work to 40,000 words (it eventually became 30,000 words and was published in three consecutive installments by Life during September 1960). Scribner's also agreed to a full-length book version of almost 130,000 words which was published posthumously in June 1985 under the title The Dangerous Summer.

‘In particular the products having been used for my first experiments and which had been presented by Marie Curie in 1899, have almost completely lost the ability to emit alpha rays’ BECQUEREL HENRI: (1852-1908) French physicist, the first person to discover evidence of radioactivity. Nobel Prize winner for Physics, 1903. An interesting Autograph Manuscript Signed ('Henri Becquerel'; in the title), two pages, folio, n.p., n.d. (c.1903), in French. The manuscript, featuring numerous corrections and deletions, is entitled 'Sur le rayonnement penetrant du Polonium, Note de M. Henri Becquerel' (Translation: 'On the penetrating radiation of Polonium, Note by Mr. Henri Becquerel') and makes references to his experiments of 1899 and 1901, focusing on Polonium, whose radiation (which he names 'beta radiation') differs from his first observations, stating, in part, 'J'ai reconnu recemment.....dans le rayonnement du Polonium, a cote de la radiation observable caracteristique de ce corps, l'existence d'un rayonnement penettrant produisant des effets secondaires sur les metaux qu'il rencontre et qu'il traverse. J'ai montre egalement que la radiation caracteristique observable est identique aux rayons alpha du radium, qu'elle est caracterisee par des radiations possedant la meme deviabilite....laquelle est inverse de celles des rayons cathodiques, et enfin - qu'elle s'affaibilt  avec le temps comme le rayonnement des corps actives.....En particulier les produits ayant servi a mes premieres experiences et qui avaient ete presentes par Marie Curie en 1899, ont perdu presque totalement la faculte d'emettre des rayons alpha. Ces produits etant deja.....affaiblis en 1901....servi a mettre en evidence l'existence d'effets secondaires, effets dus a la radiation persistante. En repetant les memes experiences avec les produits......plus actifs, quoique affaiblis certains.....Je me demandais alors si les particules persistantes....la radiation alpha.....elles ne subsisteraient pas independamment de celles-ci; j'ai alors recommence les experiences de 1901 avec les amas produits que je cumule car inertes de par la diffusion des rayons alpha, et j'ai obtenu des champs semblables a celles de 1901. J'ai alors recommence les experiences de 1901 avec les anciens produit que je.....cette observation.....faits important 1. l'independance entre le rayonnement penetrant et les rayons alpha, et 2. la permanence, de....penetrants, et ce fait permet de ranger definitivement le Polonium dans la classe des corps radioactifs, au lieu de le considerer comme corps acheve dont l'intensite disparait avec le temps. Ainsi dans le meme corps il peut exister deux types de conditions independantes….Il convient de supposer que.....du Polonium, les rayons beta.....il semble donc que les 3 types de radiations que.....et des rayons......a admettre une dependance entre les rayons alpha, beta et y du rayonnement actifs et l'independance qui vient d'etre etablie est de nature a considerer que produisent certains.....sur la cause de la radioactivite' (Translation: 'I have recently recognised…..in the radiation from the Polonium, alongside the observable radiation characteristic of this body, the existence of a penetrating radiation producing secondary effects on the metals which it encounters and which it crosses. I have also shown that the observable characteristic radiation is identical to the alpha rays of radium, that is characterised by radiations possessing the same variability….which is the opposite of those of the cathode rays, and finally - that it is weakened with time like the radiation of active bodies….In particular the products having been used for my first experiments and which had been presented by Marie Curie in 1899, have almost completely lost the ability to emit alpha rays. These products already being….weakened in 1901…..served to highlight the existence of secondary effects, effects due to the persistent radiation. By repeating the same experiments with the products…..more active, although some weakened…..I wondered then if the persistent particles…..the alpha radiation….would not remain independently of these; I then repeated the experiments of 1901 with the product clusters that I accumulated because they are inert due to the diffusion of alpha rays, and I obtained fields similar to those of 1901; I then started again the experiments of 1901 with the old products….important facts 1. The independence between the penetrating radiation and the alpha rays, and 2. The permanence of penetrants, and this fact makes it possible to classify polonium definitively in the class of radioactive bodies, instead of considering it as a finished body whose intensity disappears with time. Thus, in the same body there can exist two types of independent conditions….It should be assumed that….of Polonium, beta rays….so it seems that the 3 types of radiation that….and rays…..to admit a dependence between the alpha, beta and y rays of the radiation assets and the independence which has just been established is of a nature to consider that some produce…..on the cause of the radioactivity'). A working manuscript of excellent content for its discussion of polonium and radioactivity, which was presented to the Academy of Sciences. Some light age wear and three tears to the upper edge, only very slightly affecting one word of text, otherwise VG

WINDAUS ADOLF: (1876-1959) German chemist, Nobel Prize winner for Chemistry, 1928. Manuscript D.S., Adolf Windaus, one page, 4to, n.p., 12th June 1948, in German. Windaus responds to a researcher's questionnaire entitled World Inquiry, with their questions, in English, at the head of the page, '1. Were your scientific debut easy or difficult? 2. Did means of living (another profession or a private income) enable you to make yourself known in science? Or did you live solely through your work of laboratory? 3. What work (or what discovery) made yourself more famous? Which do you consider as your masterpiece?'. Windaus provides his answers beneath, in full, '1) I entered science without any difficulties. I passed my doctoral examination in Freiburg at the end of 1899 and, thanks to the efforts of my teacher Kiliani, was able to habilitate in Freiburg in 1903. 2) Due to the early death of my father, I was economically independent and not dependent on income from my job. 3) Elucidation of the antirachitic vitamin. Investigations on the irradiation of ergosterol and the chemical processes involved'. A few very minor, light creases to the upper edge, VG 

NICOLLE CHARLES: (1866-1936) French bacteriologist, Nobel Prize winner for Physiology or Medicine, 1928. Manuscript D.S., C Nicolle, one page, oblong 8vo, Tunis, 16th December 1930, in French. Nicolle responds to a researcher's questionnaire entitled Enquete Mondiale ('World Enquiry') at the head, with the researcher's manuscript questions beneath, '1. Vos debuts litteraires furent-il heureux ou difficiles? 2. Des moyens d'existence (un second metier ou une fortune personelle) vous permirent-ils de vous faire un nom dans les lettres ou ne vecutes-vous que de votre plume? 3. Quel ouvrage vous fit-il le plus connaitre? Lequel considerez-vous comme votre chef d'oeuvre?' (Translation: '1. Were your literary debuts happy or difficult? 2. Did the means of existence (a second job or a personal fortune) allow you to make a name for yourself in letters, or do you only live from your pen? 3. What book did you know the most about? Which do you consider your masterpiece?). Nicolle provides his brief answers beneath, in full, '1. Je ne saurais dire. 2. etant surtout un homme de sciences. 3. On ne me l'a pas dit et je me mefie de mon jugement' (Translation: '1. I cannot say. 2. Being above all a man of science. 3. I haven't been told and I'm suspicious of my judgement'). Rare. Some very light, extremely minor age wear, VG

MULLER PAUL HERMANN: (1899-1965) Swiss chemist, Nobel Prize winner for Physiology or Medicine, 1948. Manuscript document, unsigned, one page, 4to, n.p., 12th July 1952, in French. Muller responds to a researcher's questionnaire entitled Enquete Mondiale - La distraction des savants (Translation: 'World Survey - The Distraction of Scientists') at the head, with the researcher's manuscripts questions beneath, '1. Etes-vous distrait? Exact a vos rendez-vous? Patient et perseverant dans vos projets? Entete dans vos recherches? 2. Pouvez-vous citer un cas personnel et frappant de distraction arrive dans le cours de votre vie? 3. Eut-il des consequences pour vous?' (Translation: '1. Are you distracted? Exact on your appointments? Patient and persevering in your projects? Stubborn in your research? 2. Can you cite a personal and striking case of distraction occurring in the course of your life? 3. Did it have consequences for you?'). Muller provides his brief answers alongside some of the questions, replying 'De temps en temp' (Translation: 'From time to time') and 'Persévérant et meme entete dans mes projets et recherches' (Translation: 'Persevering and even stubborn in my projects and research') to the first, and simply 'Non!' to the second. Some light creasing and minor age wear, mainly to the edges of the lower half of the page, otherwise VG

[MINERALOGY]: A manuscript D.S. Maximinus Fuxius, in the third person, by the Benedictine monk Maximin Fluxus, director of Natural History at St. Maximin's Abbey in Trier, Germany, two pages, 8vo, n.p., 7th March 1778, in Latin. Fuxius certifies that Mr. Thyrion, a professor of chemistry and member of the Academy of Sciences, was sent to him by Count de Milly-Montant, a Parisian collector, to buy German ores of silver, lead, copper and iron for the sum of 426 livres. The geologist further explains that the price was determined not only by the intrinsic value of the minerals, but also due to their scientific value and curiosity. With a further manuscript statement signed by a notary of Trier at the conclusion, attesting to Fuxius's declaration, dated October 1778 and with a blind embossed paper seal affixed alongside. With blank integral leaf. Some light overall dust staining, otherwise VG 

DOLOMIEU DEODAT GRATET DE: (1750-1801) French geologist after whom the mineral and the rock dolomite were named. A supporter of Napoleon Bonaparte during the French Revolution, Dolomieu was captured and held as a prisoner of war in Italy from 1799. Following Napoleon's successful invasion of Italy, one of the terms dictated by him in the peace treaty of Florence in March 1801 was the immediate release of Dolomieu. An extremely rare autograph manuscript signed, with his initials G D D, two pages, 12mo (6.5 x 9.5 cm), n.p., n.d., in French. Dolomieu's manuscript notes, comprising thirty-seven lines written in a small, although perfectly legible, hand is entitled 'Les Erreurs reconnues sont des verites acquises' (Translation: 'The errors recognised are the truths acquired') and states, in part, 'et leur decouverte est d'autant plus utile qu'elles ont été de nature à séduire beaucoup de gens. Les erreurs vécues empechent l'esprit de s'occuper de nouvelles recherches: on croit savoir et c'est le plus grand obstacle a savoir reellement…….La verite recherchee par les hommes est comme le feu qu'ils produisent avec des matieres combustibles; plus elle s'etend, plus elle a de tendance a s'etendre de nouveau. On fait un pas vers la decouverte de la cause d'un phenomene quelconque lorsque l'on trouve que les causes auxquelles on l´attribuait n'ont aucun rapport avec lui. Comme il n'y a point d'effets sans causes, lorsqu'on decouvre un plus grand nombre de faits qui, quoique contemporain d'un phenomene, n'ont point de rapports avec lui, on se rapproche de la connaissance de la cause qui pourra l'expliquer. Cette methode d'approche de la verite, qu'on peut dire negative et d'exclusion peut reussir finalement quoiqu'elle puisse etre longue. Mais elle est essentielle a employer surtout dans les recherches geologiques' (Translation: 'and their discovery is all the more useful in that they have been of a nature to seduce many people. Errors experienced prevent the mind from dealing with new research: we think we know and this is the greatest obstacle to really knowing…….The truth sought by men is like the fire they produce with combustible materials; the more it expands, the more it tends to expand again. One takes a step toward discovering the cause of any phenomenon when one finds that the causes to which it was attributed have no connection with it. As there are no effects without causes, when we discover a greater number of facts which, although contemporaneous with a phenomenon, have no connection with it, we come closer to knowing the cause that can explain it. This method of approaching the truth, which can be said to be negative and of exclusion, can ultimately succeed, although it may take a long time. But it is essential to use especially in geological research'). An interesting and important text. Some very light, minor foxing and age wear, otherwise VG The text of Dolomieu's manuscript originates from a scientific work published in 1778-79 by Jean-Andre Deluc (1727-1817) Swiss geologist, natural philosopher and meteorologist who devised measuring instruments. Deluc's father was a supporter of Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Jean-Andre also wrote of conversations he had experienced with Voltaire and Rousseau in an essay on the General Principle of Mortality which he had published in 1798. 

GAUSS CARL FRIEDRICH: (1777-1855) German mathematician and physicist who made significant contributions to many fields in mathematics and science. A.N.S., Gauss, one page, folio, n.p., (Gottingen), n.d. (August 1829), in German. Gauss's four-line note appears at the foot of a manuscript letter signed by an unidentified individual, dated at Gottingen, 18th August 1829, submitting a patent prepared by the student Menze for review. Gauss observes 'I remark that to my knowledge there is no Schlusselburg in the Hannoverian [territories]. Schlusselburg at the [river] Weser is Prussian'. A further, shorter note signed by an unidentified individual appears beneath and states that Schlusselburg is located in Westphalia. With blank integral leaf. Some very light, extremely minor age wear, VG