Donne, John

The first with significant literary references ("...There is come out a most poeticall proclamacion against Duells [probably Francis Bacon's Charge ... touching Duells], with a booke annext to it, for direction in such accidents ... And as they do pride thereby, that wee shall not thinke of killing one another, soe I must pride by your favour that you spend none of your thoughts, upon selfe killing, for I must intreate you to forbeare that Booke [presumably his own Biathanatos], tyll I have the honor to be with you..."), the second referring to poetry and commenting on the (false) news of the death of Tobie Mathew, the second letter incomplete, the first letter dated 12 February [1614] and the second thought to have been written in early summer 1612, 2 pages, folio (295 x 193 mm), c.1620s; browning, neat repairs. [with:] two typed letters signed by the scholar I.A. Shapiro and other documents relating to the letters (6). Blue cloth folder with morocco lettering-piece.

Puttick & Simpson, 19 December 1855, lot 1436, J.H. Anderson — Rev.  T.R. O'Flahertie — Roger Barrett of Chicago. acquisition: Maggs Brothers, 1998

Gosse, I, 309-10 and II, pp.33-34

This leaf was once part of a bifolium that contained in total five letters by Donne, all unique. The conjugate leaf is now in the London Metropolitan Archives. It has been suggested that Donne's correspondent was a member of the Brydges family.