The San Francisco call., 1905-06-04
Americans Are Believed to
Have Secure Most Import
ant Ones in Collection
PURCHASED BY AGENTS
Autograph Manuscript of the
"Bonnets of Bonnie Dun
dee" Brings a Good Price
spsc..l pl.psteA to Tn. c.lL

LONDON, June 3.-Seloom mas more
Interesting collection OF autograph let
ters and documents been sold In Lon
don than that disposed OF recently at
Sothebys on behalf Of Its owner
Francis Capel-Cure, Of Badger Hail.
Shropshire. And. as usual, though prac-
ticalIy all the important purchases were
made by agents, who did no. reveal
for whom they were acting, 1t Is De-
lieved that the most attractive lots
were secured by Americans.
About the most interesting item In
this sale was the original autograph
manuscript OF Sir Walter Scotts Bon
nets OF Bonnie Dundee" ten verses OF
eight lines each. which Scott intro
ouced into his drama. The Doom OF
Devorgoil," but altered slightly before
publication. For this manuscript s4z5
was paid. The complete collection
realized more than $4,000 and included
an autograph letter OF Frederick the
Great, an early letter OF DR.. Johnson,
dated Lichheld, 1892, and letter writ
ten by Napoleon 20 his mother respect
ing his brother, Jerome. For this slSo
was paid The famous letter from LORD
Nelson to Lady Hamilton was knocked
down for $2o5. For letter written
by Benedict Arnold to the Earl OF Shell
war, Sl05 was obtained. There were
also French letters OF uncommon inter-
est-one from Marie Antoinette TO
Necker. one from Rousseau to the Coun-
tess de Bouffiers and one from Foltalre
90 Alsarotti. The Queens letter SOLD
for $500. There was also the original
warrant signed by Lord Burghley and
. Sir Walter Mildmay to John Popham,
Attorney General, for his services In
connection with the trial OF Darlington
and in the matter Of Mary Queen OF
Scots" This was dated 1885 and was
bid in for s165.
MAX NORDEAU IMPROVING.
It seems that the illness from which
Dr. Max Nordau has been suffering for
the past two months or more was
good deal more serious than was gen
orally imagined. Now, however, the
author Of Degeneration" is able to get
out and he has left for Carlsbad to re-
cuperate.
Anthony Hope has a grudge against
commas. II seems that these marks OF
punctuation get into Mr. Hopes books
or rather into his proof sheets-in much
greater numbers than the novelist
thinks desirable and that he has
world OF trouble in getting them out
Hope may be said to have gone to
headquarters TO register a protest re-
gsrding the matter. for he dealt with
his grievance at the annual dinner OF
the London Association OF Correctors of
the Press. The author told these COR
rectors that they were too liberal with
commas and declared that IL he sub
rnitted 10 them as despots in many mat
tiers he stood for freedom in that one.
Stfll another is TO be added 10 the
man. books that have been written
about Dickens unfinished novel, The
Mystery OF E6Win Brood In a forth
- - l.
Mystery OF Edwin brood" J. Cumming
Walters, prominent student Of Dick
ensian matters, will tell how he he
Iieves the mystery would have been
solved had dickens lived to complete
his romance.
IBSEN TO WRITE NO MORE.
''Tbscn has definitely decided to write
no more says a private letter from
Christiania- My correspondent adds.
however, that he has been assured by
Ibsen's physician. the eminent Dr. Bull.
that the dramatist's physical condition
is at present quite satisfactory-better,
IN fact. than has been the case for a
long time He sleeps, eats and rises"
said the physician, with the regularity
Of clocltwork." Ibsen is too weak,
however, TO walk much. but sits as
usual in his big arm chair at the fam
Gus corner window watching the crowd
.snensvejen. He is keenly interested in
the present crises between Norway and
Sweden, and quite recently remarked:
wherever there is big noise there is
also sure to be life. health and vigor."
Although but few months have
passed since the death OF Jules Verne,
no less than three French cities have
settled on means OF keeping his men,
ory alive. The first place to do so was
ChaEtenay, a manufacturing village
close TO Nantes. where Verne spent =
portion OF his youth. On the day after
his death IL was resolved that one of
the streets in chantenay should hence
forth be called Jules Verne street"
A fortnight larer the town council OF
Nantes arranged to set up tablet on
the house where he was born. to give
his name to a square. and 10 open a
public subscription for a suitable statue
60 HIS memory At Aniens the authori-
ties have decided to rename the Boule-
varde LoDgueyiile. where the famous
writer resided at the time OF his death.