Item 10a.39 - Manuscript by Edward Bulwer [afterwards Lord Lytton] purportedly describing proceedings of the Union Society

1 vol., c 208 x 137 x 70 mm, 31 ff., 2 endpapers at both front and back; 1 folded sheet, loose.

This manuscript appears as lot 137 in the catalogue of an auction sale by the American Art Association held in New York on 20-21 Dec. 1920, described as 'from several private collections including a portion of the library of the late H. S. Marlor of New York City.

Gift of Henry Gage Spicer, Mar. 1937; a letter from Spicer to H. M. Adams, Librarian, dated 16 Mar. accompanies the volume.

Lettered in gilt on spine: 'Union Society of Trinity College, Cambridge - 1824'. Stamp on verso of second front endpaper, 'Morrell. Binder. London'. Note on first page: 'A few days before the first meeting of the Union Society in Mich[aelm]as term 1824 a small written pamphlet was found in the reading room. The following is a copy'. The following 7 ff., headed 'Union Society. From the Editor', give an account of the debate on the question ‘Is the American or British Constitution most favorable to public Happiness?’

The next section is prefaced: 'The publication of Anticipation [the preceding tract found in the society’s rooms] caused considerable indignation and conjecture as to the author. It was taken away in about a week. Mr. Townsend declared his intention to call out the author if he could discover him. About the middle of November another pamphlet was dropped. It follows.' The following 12 ff. contain the debate on bringing the author of ‘Anticipation’ before the Bar of the House; the last page of this section is a mock list of 'Works preparing for publication', such as '"Puffiana, or Every Gentleman his own Trumpeter", by W. M. P. Esq. Trin. Coll. "Trumpeter unus erat"'.

The final section is prefaced 'Trial of the Man Without a Name, for Administering Poison to the Honble G. O. Townsend'; 7 ff. describing this mock-trial follow.

In the course of the debates the names of W. M. Praed, B. H. Kennedy, and Alexander Cockburn, as well as Bulwer himself, appear.

American Art Association Illustrated Catalogue of a Highly Important Collection of Books, Manuscripts, Letters from Several Private Collections, Including a Portion of the Library of the Late H.S. Marlor of New York City: To be Sold ... on Monday and Tuesday, December 20th and 21st [1920].