1. [Aiken, Henry David] Demos, Raphael.

Collection of Five (5) Manuscript Letters from Greek-American Philosopher, Raphael Demos to Philosopher Henry David Aiken. Besides very few personal matters (Aiken rented a Lice-infested house from Demos), the letters are lengthy and full of content regarding philosophical questions. Demos thanks Aiken for his “thoughtful comments about my article on ‘Society and the Individual’ and Demos reflects on Aiken: “Now as to your point that goodwill is addressed to me which is capable of joys and sorrows and not just an angel – I will distinguish between respect and goodwill. Angels, because rational, have intrinsic worth, and so claim respect certainly. Value and respectability don’t imply capacity for feeling. But goodwill does imply that the recipient is a striving, failing, succeeding, up-ended individual, who has sorrows & grip – not just an angelic being. While the Greek identify man with his rationality, it is noticeable that common sense proceeds otherwise; when the Radcliffe girls say their Professor is so human, they don’t mean he is intellectual, they mean the opposite – that he has non-rational impulses and feelings…..” / The collection of letters originates from the personal collection of Henry Aiken and also comes with a scathing letter from American Philosopher Arthur Edward Murphy in which Murphy writes to Aiken about Raphael Demos and does not hold back in his evaluation of Demos and his Philosophy: “I just saw your remarks re Demos in the Journal. Very well done ! I think Demos is not very bright, however, and it is perhaps better not to give him too much publicity. I don’t think he will convert any one except for those already suffering from dithers & blithers. And it is a waste to refute him. Intelligent people don’t have to be convinced. And bigots like R.D. can’t be convinced. Strictly speaking, before Demos creates an obligation in others… he ought to say in plain unemotional prose what he means by such concepts as ‘God’ & ‘evidence’. It is perfectly possible that if we knew how he uses these terms, we would agree that what he says is trivially true. This discussion is presumably in the domain of logic. But discussion on that domain when one of the parties refuses to make explicit the rules of his game can never terminate in illumination. Nevertheless, I think you handled him neatly & have done yourself no harm as general opinion is concerned. He is a perfect horrible example of retrogression. Ugh ! A perfectly low grade person morally & intellectually nonregarding as a seer & defender of orthodoxy…… Have you seen Lazerowitz’s [Morris Lazerowitz] paper in Mind on Universals. It is highly provocative. I would like to discuss it with you….”.

Westport Point (Massachusetts), c.1944 – 1967. Octavo. 13 pages of letters by Raphael Demos to Aiken / [Plus:] 1 page of a manuscript letter by Arthur Edward Murphy to Aiken about Demos. Very good condition with only minor signs of wear. Original Letters or anything published by Raphael Demos or Arthur Edward Murphy, are very rare !

2. [Aiken, Henry David] Sheffer, Henry M.

Manuscript Letter signed from eminent american logician, Henry M. Sheffer, to Philosopher Henry David Aiken, congratulating Aiken of being accepted to Harvard: “…..the Harvard Board of Overseers may not have O.K.‘d your appointment yet. However, I consider it final and official. Letme congratulate both you and Harvard on your joining the Emerson Hall First Floor Department. It will be a great pleasure to see you here again next Fall….”. Sheffer then continues ominously: “Then we can talk about a number of things one does not wish to put on paper”.

Cambridge (Emerson Hall), April 17th, 1946. Octavo. 1 pages. Softcover. Very good condition with only minor signs of wear. Original Letters or anything published by Sheffer, is exceedingly rare !

3. [Pacific Content] – [Luke, Harry Sir / Lukach, Harry] Arthur Richards, 1st Baron Milverton.

Eight – page – Manuscript letter (MLS) to Sir Harry together with a 27-page manuscript-evaluation of local personnell at Government House (Fiji) as well as local politicians and possible agitators in Fiji and the British Western Pacific Territories from Arthur Richards, 1st Baron Milverton, in his capacity as Governor of Fiji and High Commissioner of the British Western Pacific Territories. This letter and the manuscript evaluations were sent by Richards on July 10th, 1938, on Stationery from Government House (Fiji) in order to inform Luke of the special situation of the posting before Sir Harry would take over the post (from 1938 – 1942). Very intriguing insights into colonial portraiture of possible troublemakers in the colonial service, excellent service men, clerks, and also recommendations for promotions etc. Arthur Richards evaluation of Sir Alport Barker, owner of ‘The Fiji Times & Herald’ is exemplary for the opinionated report to Sir Harry and one of the remarkable reports on ‘European Members of the Legislative Council on Fiji and the British Western Pacific Territories: ‘Aplort Barker – Has been an elected member for about twelve years, ex-mayor of Suva, owns the Fiji Times = Herald – Member of Executive Council / Has a small-minded, narrow outlook partly the result of physical disability. Lame from early days owing to infantile paralysis. Very anxious to get a knighthood. He has an intimate knowledge of local affairs and is often useful. He could be more useful if he were not so petty and spiteful.Very sensitive of slights, real on imaginary. / Apolosi [that was Apolosi Nawai] – Arthur Richards describes him as follows: ‘Apolosi – A man of the people. Fijian agitator & leader. The John the Baptist of a possible future. An ignorant misguided man with a great natural flair for speaking. Can sway words + is to some extent feared by the Chiefs because of his influence. The papers on him are worth reading. He is at present banished to Rotuma but the term expires at the end of 1939, when despite filaria + increasing age (he is well over 50) he will be a man to be watched. / Arthur Richards goes on to report on the ‘Council of Chiefs (Fiji)’’ where matters of interest to the Fijian people are discussed, resolutions are passed and answers are given’ – He informs Sir Harry that ‘The Council has been postponed until Oct. 18th [1938] to enable you to preside. The position of Governor carries immense prestige with the Fijians’. Richards also informs Luke that ‘no ladies, except the Governor’s wife should be present at the opeimus’. In total Arthur Richards talks about c. 32 people in his evaluations and he also gives Sir Harry Luke some information on the Coconut Estates on Fiji, Mines, Suva Yacht Club etc. He goes on to talk about Sir Harry Luke’s arrival and swearing in as governor and taking the oath ‘the whole being relayed over the wireless’ / ‘I assure you that the whole of Fiji + much of the Western Pacific will be listening in, so make a good speech.’ / Magnificent, confidential report between two important representatives of the British Empire during a very sensitive period of world history.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Suva (Fiji), Government House, 1938. Octavo / Quarto From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.

4. [Education of Sir Harry Luke] – [Luke, Sir Harry] Lukach, Harry Charles / [Claude Delaval Cobham (British Colonial Official in Cyprus (Larnaca)] / [Guy le Strange (British Orientalist).

Manuscript letter by british colonial officer Claude Delaval Cobham to Harry Lukach, [later Sir Harry Luke] in which Cobham reflects on a manuscript Luke had sent him for analysis: “My dear Lukach, I return the Ms. I lent it to Guy le Strange who showed it to Ellis [possibly Sir Ellis Hovell Minns], of the B.M. [British Museum] [who are] both skilled analysts”. Cobham continues about the manuscript: “It is a kind of Hagiology, but written by a Druze – hence the [?] of the mad Khalife Hakim bin amr allah as a Saint, and spells Salih, which is a Druze Mack. There are similar Mss. in the B.M. library but Ellis [?] not a Druze one – but they are of no great interest or Value. The writing is neat and very legible….I hope you are well and enjoying yourself. I start, I think, on Thursday for Coblenz and S. Blasien [that is St. Blasien], returning at the very end of August. Yours very truly – C. Delaval Cobham”.

S. James, July 27 (no year but c.1906). Small Octavo. 2 pages filled on one bifolium / Plus Letter from British Museum to Harry Charles Lukach regarding Admission to the Reading Room (19th of July 1906). Excellent letter by British Colonial official in Cyprus, Claude Delaval Cobham. Important letter which states the early influence of Luke in his love for Cyprus because by the time this letter was written and Luke had a relationship with this important scholar, Cobham had already written the important “Excerpta Cypria”. The ALS by Cobham came with a letter by the Director of the British Museum to H.C.Lukach regarding admission to the Reading Room of the B.M.

5. [Private Materials Sir Harry Luke] – [Luke, Sir Harry / Lukach, Harry] Ashbee, Charles Robert.

Manuscript letter Signed (MLS) by english architect and designer Charles Robert Ashbee to Sir Harry Luke, condoling him on the death of Luke’s father H.C.Luke. Ashbee reminisces: ‘I recall a charming hour I once spent with your father when on leave from Palestine – during your first year in Palestine [1921] – I brought him some message or other – the message is forgotten….the memory of the pleasant personality abides. Come to us again some day – Yours always, C.R.Ashbee – Godden Green – Near Sevenoaks).’

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Godden Green, 1930. Octavo. 1 page in original envelope. From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.

6. [Ecclesiastical Content] – [Luke, Sir Harry / Lukach, Harry] / Archbishop of Canterbury, Randall T. Davidson / Davidson, Randall Thomas (1st Baron Davidson of Lambeth, GCVO, PC).

Typed Letter Signed (TLS) from the Archbishop of Canterbury, Randall T. Davidson, to Harry Luke, then Assistant Governor of Jerusalem: ‘Dear Mr.Luke, I thank you very cordially for your ‘Handbook of Palestine’. I am sure that such a book has for some time been wanted – a book a little different from the mere guide-book. You have now met the need, so far as I can judge, most effectively. I am yours very truly Randall T. Canterbury.’

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Canterbury, Lambeth Palace, 20th of October, 1922. Octavo. One page with original envelope. From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.

7. [Ecclesiastical Content] – [Luke, Sir Harry / Lukach, Harry Charles] / Bell, George Kennedy Allen (Bishop of Chichester, later Dean of Canterbury) / Mar Ignatius Elias III (Patriarch of Antioch and Head of the Syriac Orthodox Church) / Davidson, Randall T. (Archbishop of Canterbury / Douglas, John Albert (Dean of St.Luke’s) / R.F.Borough (Chaplain in Constantinople).

Collection of significant Documents and exchange of letters regarding “Intercommunion between the Anglican Church and Orthodox Syrian Church”. The documents and letters show a string of stunning developments during the last days of the Ottoman Empire, between Mar Ignatius and the Archbishop of Canterbury in which the tensions between Churches, the charged atmosphere of the outgoing Ottoman Empire and fragility of the Patriarchate in Jerusalem are manifested in these communications. Striking also the clarity with which is determined that all parties have to avoid to anger the Turks and avoid having the Turks think that Mar Ignatius “is trying to form some political alliance with the British”. See all documents listed below and some highlights mentioned here: Typed Letter Signed (TLS) with manuscript annotations by the later Dean of Canterbury, George Bell, sent to Commander H[arry] Luke while Luke was in Venice during October 2022. The letter is accompanied by two Typescripts of letters between the Archbishop of Canterbury (then Randall Davidson) and Mar Ignatius as well as a highly confidential Memorandum which outlines the very delicate topic of Mar Ignatius asking the Archbishop if he would be “prepared to authorise and arrange that the Syrian Orthodox (Jacobites) in America and elsewhere who were outside the ministrations of their own clergy should be [could be] mininistered to by Anglican Priests”. According to the Memorandum, compiled and sent by Rev. John Albert Douglas, Vicar of S. Luke’s, to “Commander Luke” in October 1922, the highly conflicting topic of “Intercommunion between the Anglican Church and Orthodox Syrian Church”, started “in the autumn of 1920” and the correspondence before us presents the culmination of a two year long, significant correspondence between Lambeth Palace (Archbishop of Canterbury) and the Syrian Patriarchat in Antioch (Mar Ignatios – Elias III). Harry Luke was sought out as intermediate after it became clear that Mar Ignatius had either misunderstood items in the communication or was stalling and the Memorandum suggests that Luke, “possibly with Archdeacon Waddy” should call to Mar Ignatios and “remind him what it was and why it was that the Archbishop of Canterbury wrote to him”. The mediation, hoped for from Luke, was at time clearly based on Luke’s experience in the region and the letter from George Bell suggests he is hought to be the solution to this delicate matter. The Typescript of the Letter from Randall Davidson to Mar Ignatius is of great importance due to the Archbishop and Mar Ignatius firstly establish in no uncertain terms the righteousness of either faith. Randall Davidson, satisfied by this, agrees that “It is now my privilege in consequence of these communications to authorise these recognised members of the Orthodox Syrian Church who, being prevented from access to their own clergy, desire to receive the Holy Communion, or to have their children being baptised, or their marriage solemnized, to avail themselves of the ministration of our clergy”.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Canterbury / Jerusalem / Camberwell [South London], June – November, 1922. Octavo / Quarto. Eight Documents [Letters and Typescripts]. From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.

8. [Maluf, Brother Francis] Wild, John / Aiken, Henry D.

Typed Letter signed from american philosopher John Wild to Philosopher Henry David Aiken, informing Aiken: “I missed you especially two weeks ago when I attempted to defend a realistic view of ethics in terms of the concept of natural law. I am not sure, but I think you might have been in agreement with some of the points I tried to make as over against Lewis’ Kantian subjectivism and Demos’ [Raphael Demos] extreme Platonism….”. Besides some further niceties, John Wild talks in this letter intensely about Christian Arab Philosopher Francis Maluf, from Mashrah, Lebanon, who could be in John Wild’s mind the perfect “section man for your Phil A course”. Wild continues to praise the syrian, Maluf, who had been “teaching Mathematics and Physics in a war job out of Worcester and who has been keeping up his interest in philosophy by attenting courses around here, organizing discussion groups and other intellectual activities which amaze me by their versatility and intensity”. John Wild continues: “He has been offered a permanent job at the University of Beirut in Syria to teach Philosophy there (he is a friend of Malik’s) but if possible wants to stay around here for another year to study and learn before he goes back.” [Maluf had converted to catholicism in 1940 and was later known as Brother Francis Maluf.

Cambridge, April 15th, 1945. Octavo. 2 pages. Softcover. Very good condition with only minor signs of wear. Original two-page-letter with original envelope.

9. Foster, Vere [Henry Louis / Lewis] / [Emily Albinia “Alba” Foster] / [Georgiana Duchess of Devonshire / Elizabeth, Duchess of Devonshire].

Amazing Vere Foster-Collection including Educational Materials and as a centerpiece the “Presentation Copy of “The Two Duchesses” with Autograph / Manuscript – Letter by Vere Foster to his niece, Emily Albinia “Alba” Foster. With a stunning, unpublished, two-page-letter, revealing several important details about the immediately favorable reviews and reception of the book [″in the Daily Telegraph”] and Vere Foster’s disdain about some criticism from one J.Donohue [which led to an alteration in the second edition of the book]. Vere Foster is also expecting a review to appear in the “Athenaeum” but reports “the Athenaeum has nothing yet”. Vere Foster apologizes to his niece for the delay in sending the book and explains that he had left 12 “parcels″£ with Blackie’s agent and gave instructions to send them but a few days later found they had been “untouched”. / The Two Duchesses – Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire / Elizabeth, Duchess of Devonshire – Family Correspondence of and Relating to Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire / Elizabeth, Duchess of Devonshire, Earl of Bristol (Bishop of Derby), The Countess of Bristol, Lord and Lady Byron, The Earl of Aberdeen, Sir Augustus Foster Bart, and Others, 1777-1859. [See Full list of items which are part of this collection, on our website under the topic “Libraries & Collections”].

First Edition. London / Glasgow and Dublin, Blackie & Son Limited, 1898. Octavo (15 cm x 22 cm). Pagination: Frontispiece, IX, [3], 497 pages with 18 Illustrations (including frontispiece and one Vignette of the two Duchesses opposite page 1). Hardcover / Original, publisher’s green cloth with gilt lettering on spine. Very good condition with some minor signs of wear only. This is an astonishing find for the Vere Foster Research Community and the letter gives significant insight into the importance the publication had for him, its reception as seen by Vere Foster and it solves the riddle why an altertaion was necessary for the second edition [which Vere Foster explains in a brief note to the reader at the beginning of the second edition]. The heartfelt inscription to his niece Albinia Foster is also of great importance and to our knowledge the only presentation-copy of this book on the international market for the several decades we can look back at auction records.

10. Headlam, Maurice / [Arland Ussher].

Irish Reminiscences [Association – copy between Maurice Headlam and Arland Ussher, not only signed and inscribed in length by Maurice Headlam but also including two 4-page-manuscript letters by Maurice Headlam to Arland Ussher, reflecting on Ussher’s publication “The Face and Mind of Ireland”].

First edition. London, Robert Hale Limited, 1949. Octavo. Frontispiece – Photograph, 244 pages. Hardcover with original dustjacket. Very good condition with only minor signs of wear. Inscribed and signed on endpaper. Two manuscript letters loosely inserted. Manuscript entry, correction/explanation/annotations by Maurice Headlam to Arland Ussher on page 166 and page 175.