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BRYDGES, Sir Samuel Egerton (1762-1837), antiquary and bibliographer. Characteristic A.L.s., immensely long and rambling, to Robert Southey at Keswick, sending literary, historical, genealogical, antiquarian, and political obiter dicta, notes, and gossip, and including a melancholy retrospective review of the Lee Priory Press. One large sheet (16½ x 20½ inches), closely written in four columns on both sides and folded to form 16 pages, 8vo, including address panel. Geneva, 28 and 29 October 1830.

'The Lee Priory Press was a most expensive establishment--in defiance of precautions taken with the printers that I wd. run no risk: but the drunken fellows contrived to worm out of me and Barrett serious sums in the nine years it lasted; and the ingratitude and villainy of Johnson (whom it was necessary to dismiss) was frightful; after which he had the audacity to involve me in a Chancery suit to make me a partner in the concern in order to saddle me with the debt, tho of course I never took a sous out of the produce, and positively refused to have any thing to do with the costs--only lending a room--and a warehouse above for the sheets--and furnishing copy--all which was done at the importunate and repeated request of the printers--not without great reluctance I hear that Johnson has completely falsified the story in some book, which I have not seen--printed while I was abroad.'