Hall Caine Collection by CAINE, Hall (1853-1931) - 1931

1931. No binding. Good. Sir Thomas Henry Hall Caine CH KBE, usually known as Hall Caine, was a British novelist, dramatist, short story writer, poet and critic of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. He was secretary to Dante Gabriel Rossetti. Caine's popularity during his lifetime was unprecedented.

Collection contains 26 items dating from 1889-1931, specifically, 14 Autographed Letters Signed, 2 Typed Letters Signed, 1 B&w photo signed and 9 Ephemera.

14 Autographed Letters Signed (ALS);

• ALS to the publishing house of T. Fisher Unwin, 3 January 1889, thanking them for sending him a copy of Wordsworth's Grave, which Caine describes as "true & noble poetry from end to end," and writing: "I counted Mr. Watson among my friends long ago but I have lost all trace of him."

• ALS fragment, 1 p., n.d. [1889?], with an excellent account of visiting Wilkie Collins in London, "He talked of Dickens & Reade & Hugo. All his contemporaries are dead & the world was growing lonesome. It was very touching.").

• ALS to Mr. Mundy, n.d., apologizes for not answering, leaf of his book is somewhere, off to Paris, will see to it on his return.

• ALS to the Rev. Dr. E.F. Strickland, 7 March 1890, welcoming Strickland's wife for a visit and hoping for her health and happiness.

• ALS to Mr. Warren, 12 March 1890, regrets that they won't meet, "I trust that you are both well. If you ever spend a holiday in the Lake District we would be glad if you will call & see us....", mentions Wilson Barrett.

• ALS addressed Dear Madam, 4 October 1890 or 1894, telling her that she will find a certain poem ("Kitty Alone") in Halliwell-Phillipps's Nursery Book.

• ALS addressed Dear Sir (Professor William Dallam Armes), 23 December 1890, with envelope, "I take great shame to myself that I have never before acknowledged your letter of so long ago, the copy of the Critic & the sonnet... If you think it would give the author even a moment's gratification I should like you to tell him that he seems to me to have caught the movement and the [argument] dexterously... Therein lies you disadvantage as book-men, but in your glorious world and the setting sun you have advantages and fresh nature a fresh humanity which I ... would give all the museums on earth and all the books in Christendom to possess as a birthright."

• ALS to Morris Colles, 11 January 1894, acknowledges receipt of cheque for £375.

• ALS on The Daily Telegraph stationery, n.d. "My dear Mr. Bang, Will you be good enough & tell me if you think the enclosed a good & efficient translation of the letter to Mr. Maeterlinck of which I enclose a copy? My chauffeur will wait for your reply. The letter ought to be posted to-night." Few tears by the file holes to the left edge of the letter.

• ALS addressed Dear Sir, 11 May 1921, re being sick with influenza for six days. TLS to H. Gordon Jacobs 10 April 1931, apologizing that due to ill health, he is unable to invite Jacobs for a visit to his home in The Isle of Man.

• ALS addressed Dear Sir, n.d., "... I have written more than you are likely to need, but please make your own selection of passages....", asks to be informed when his article will appear.

• ALS to Mr. Tucker, Monday, saying that it would be a good idea to cover the mountains in snow in the picture and the scene from the study windows, Ralphie is delighted with the box of sweets.

• ALS to Ruth Savage, 17 July 1993, "With great pleasure, & with warm remembrances to your mother & father."

• ALS to Oscar Raphael, 6 April 1905, with envelope, expressing his condolences on the death of Raphael's mother.

2 Typed Letters Signed;

• TLS to H. Gordon Jacobs, 10 April 1931, cannot invite Jacobs to his home in the Isle of Man, been much out of health.

• TLS (form letter) to the Lord Bishop, 13 December 1905, marked "Private": "I send you one of the earliest copies of the 'Queen's Carol', the book that is to be published in a few days, with the permission and authority of Her Majesty, in the interests of the Queen's Fund for the Unemployed; and as the representative of the company of Authors, Artists and Composers who have made this tribute to the Queen's womanly appeal on behalf of the poorest of her people, I write to ask you if you can help us by sending (on the enclosed telegraph form) [no longer present] half a dozen words which we may publish under your name. Everybody concerned in the publication of the book has given his services gratuitously. . . . It is for you to say whether our book deserves this success...."

1 B&w photo signed;

• Signed b&w photo postcard, Greeba Castle, Isle of Man.

9 Ephemera

• 3 unused postcards: "Hall Caine, Novelist and Member of the House of Keys", "Mr. and Mrs. Hall Caine, Greeba Castle", and "Greeba Castle (Sir and Lady Hall Caine on Steps)".

• 3 small cigarette cards: Ogden's Guinea Gold Cigarettes, card #88 "Hall Caine / Author of `The Manxman', `The Christian', etc." (blank on back); John Player & Sons, card #9 in series of 50 entitled "Straight Line Caricatures" (mini-biography on back); and 2 copies of Godfrey Phillips Cigarettes, card #11 in series of 25 entitled "Personalities of To-day" (mini-biography on back).

• Signature: "With kind regards, Yours very truly, Hall Caine".

• Newspaper clipping from the 23 July 1898 issue of the Chicago Record with biographical information about Caine.

• Caricature from Life magazine, n.d.

Collection is on consignment with LDRB.