Lot 237

MacDiarmid, Hugh [Christopher Murray Grieve, 1892-1978]

Substantial collection of autograph letters signed and related material, 1920s-1970s

£1,375

Rare Books, Manuscripts, Maps & Photographs

Auction: 13 July 2022 from 10:00 BST

Description

the letters signed 'Chris', 'Christopher Murray Grieve', 'Christopher Grieve', or 'C. M. Grieve', various extents, the recipients comprising:
1. Miss A. Milne of Glasgow, 1927, on journalism, ('Once we know exactly who are taking the articles I have other ideas which may get at those papers which aren't, and for the development otherwise of a comprehensive service of articles on the whole range of Scottish national arts and affairs as a help towards colouring public opinion nationalistically and creating a new national spirit'), 3 pp., tear to final page;
2. R. E. Muirhead, chairman of the National Party of Scotland, 1929, on details of party politics, 4 pp.;
3. William 'Bill' MacLellan (1919-1996), publisher, 3 letters, 1946, on revising the proofs for 'A Kist of Whistles', 2 pp., and two dated 1954, on the liquidation of the Falcon Press and the publication of MacDiarmid's 'Joyce poem' (associated correspondence attached), 1 and 2 pp;
4. Peter Russell, 2 letters, 1957 and undated, on MacDiarmid's visit to China and meeting Christopher Logue in London, each 1 p.;
5. Jim Haines, 1961, enclosing a letter from South African poet David Wright, 1 p.;
6. 'Derek', apparently an editor at nationalist magazine Catalyst for the Scottish Viewpoint, 2 letters, 1968 and undated, 1 p. each, both enclosing articles for the magazine, MacDiarmid's autograph fair copies of both articles ('On Skian Dubh's Fifth Birthday', 7 pp., and 'Scotland Trapped in Cat's Cradle of Bureaucracy', 3 pp.) attached, together with an issue of the magazine (Summer 1968);
7. Edward Nairn (1918-2013), bookseller and publisher, 1973, on republishing works by MacDiarmid, 2 pp.;
8. Professor Alastair Fowler, University of Edinburgh, 2 letters, 1972 & 1975, on the publication of MacDiarmid's Complete Collected Poems, each 1 p.
Together with: various untitled autograph notes and jottings by MacDiarmid (6 discrete items, first lines including: 'An excellent recent case in point is that of the late Sir George Berry, the distinguished surgeon-oculist', 4 pp., unsigned; 'War, wine and women were said to be the only subjects for song' 2 pp., unsigned); and additional manuscript material by other authors relating to Hugh MacDiarmid: Eric Linklater (1899-1974), signed typescript article on Hugh MacDiarmid, 8 pp., rectos only; 3 letters addressed to MacDiarmid, from David Archer of the Parton Press, Paul Potts (1911-1990) and apparently F. Marian McNeill (1885-1973); and 2 letters from Kenneth Buthlay (1926-2009), scholar of Scottish literature, to William MacLellan (1 folder)