THIS TIME AND LAST TIME
PONSONBY
(Arthur A.W.H., 1871-1946, M.P., Liberal and Labour Politician and Peace Campaigner, from 1930 1st Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede)
Pair of Autograph Letters Signed to Mrs Barbara WEST,
(elder daughter of the architect Percy Richard Morley-Horder, 1870-1944, wife, 1930, of Roger Rolleston West, DSO), saying "I go on pegging away on the simple & uncontestable theme that any settlement before carnage begins on a large scale must be better than a vindictive treaty after a 'knock out blow' ... We have the war 'for peace' (1914, 'the war to end war'), the war 'for liberty' (1914, 'to make the world safe for Democracy' i.e. 8 Dictators in Europe!), an atrocity book (1914 the Belgian atrocities) etc etc.", but he points out "two new features. The obvious reluctance on either side to plunge into the thick of it and more significant still, instead of the ... accusations of being a traitor and pro-German ... last time, I get letters of complete agreement and 'What are we fighting for?' again & again", while "Peace societies" now "have to devote their attention to conscientious objectors. The Peace Pledge Union has 140,000 members and is having good meetings without opposition", yet "'the knock out blow' becomes the one & only object" of the Government (under Neville Chamberlain). he gathers "from letters that a good deal of the orthodox war spirit reigns in the Court House" (12th November 1939), in the second letter "Even a journey for the day to London is an adventure" with uncertain trains and Air-raid warnings, "the House of Lords was very draughty as the windows on one side were all blown out", his speech on 20th August "was not reported" but parts were circulated "and I received a number of sympathetic letters ... A day or two ago we went over to E. Meon. Your father ... talked in the most interesting way on every conceivable subject - less about the war" than about "Gardening ... he gave us some of his wonderful apples", about "the recent biography of Roger Fry, architecture, building, archaeology, Marie Corelli, etc. etc. No one can be better company ... I thought your mother looking younger & better than ... for a long time ... Your father is interesting himself ... in a little stone tablet we want to put up to Elizabeth in Lynchmere church", (14th October 1940), together 4 sides 4to, Shulbrede Priory, Lynchmere, Haslemere, 1939 -
small defect in one blank lower corner
Item Date:
1940
Stock No:
56712
£250
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PORTLAND
(William Bentinck, 1st Earl, 1649-1709, Privy Councillor to William & Mary)
Portion of Exchequer Document signed,
assigning his interest in "the withinmentioned order & tally to Francis Eylet Esq, John Smith of Beauford Buildings of St Andrews ...", 1 side oblong 8vo., with other comtemporary assignments on the verso, no place, 2nd August
trimmed
Item Date:
1704
Stock No:
2652
£65
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PORTLAND
(Third Duke of, William H. Cavendish Bentinck, 1738-1809, Prime Minister)
Fine Autograph Letter Signed to Wm. Sherbrooke Junior
saying he has "obeyed your Commands as far as it was in my power. The Advertisement can not appear till tomorrow morning when it will be inserted in the London Courant & will be published in all the Evening Papers of that & the next day which with the insertion of it in the papers printed both at Nottingham & Leicester & a proper dispersion of Hand Bills in the different Market Towns in the County will render it sufficiently publick. You may depend upon my attendance at Ollerton & most earnest endeavours to procure as large & as Respectable a meeting as the Circumstance of the times will admit & I doubt not the exertions of every Gentleman in the Country for the same purpose by encouraging the well disposed fortifying the timid & obviating the objections of the ... & those who are adverse to this only remaining means of serving the Country. As I see unreasonable events every day I do not wonder at the Sherif'fs Refusal or the effects you apprehend from it, but depend upon the Justice & Excellence of Our Cause in conjunction with the Activity of its Supporters, but We must be active & depend upon it. Faith without Good Works is nothing worth ...", 1 side 4to., London, 6th August
Item Date:
1803
Stock No:
41667
£475
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PORTSMOUTH
(John, 1742-1797, 2nd Earl)
AN in the third person to Mr. Grenville,
saying he "had not the Favour" of his note "till last Post, or would have acknowledged it sooner", 1 side oblong 8vo., Hursbourne, 10th January
trimmed from the end of a letter
Item Date:
1764
Stock No:
15200
£25
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POULETT
(Sir John, 1663-1743, 4th Baron and 1st Earl, 1st Lord of the Treasury 1710-1711)
Signature on fragment of a Treasury document,
29th August
Item Date:
1710
Stock No:
51653
£25
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