SIGNED MANUSCRIPT LETTER FROM SIR WILLIAM PETTY TO JOHN EVELYN.

Dated March 24, 1674/5 .. Single page ink autograph letter with signature of William Petty, endorsed on verso by John Evelyn. At the lower margin is an ink note "Sir William Petty, to John Evelyn by whom it is endorsed, W. Upcott". This letter was taken from an old card folder with items connected with Samuel Pepys. The folder was put together by Willam Upcott (1779–1845) a well known librarian and author, who also collected large quanties of books, manuscripts, letters and other ephemera. Upcott revised for the press the first edition of John Evelyn's Diary, brought out by William Bray in 1818, and for the edition of 1827 he collated the copy with the original manuscript at Wotton and made corrections. In 1825 he further edited Evelyn's Miscellaneous Writings. The sheet is approximately 190 x 150 mm, 7½ x 6 inches, a narrow strip of paper pasted on verso at lefthand margin, neat note at lower margin by William Upcott, otherwise in very good condition. "Sir, I gather by circumstances that Sir Richard & yourself were this day at my house about dinner time, whereas I was yesterday at your lodgings & my servant afterwards left word that I desired the honour of your company this evening at supper. If I have been the occasion of any mistake, pardon it & ………………. with the pleasure of your company this evening. I am Really Yours W. Petty." We were unable to decipher 3 words. Sir Richard was Sir Richard Browne ambassador to Paris and father-in-law of John Evelyn. There is an entry in Evelyn's diary about Evelyn dining at the house of Sir William Petty on the 22 March and giving a description of his character. See Margaret Willes, The Curious World of Samuel Pepys and John Evelyn, the Introduction for information on Upcott. MORE IMAGES ATTACHED TO THIS LISTING, ALL ZOOMABLE, FURTHER IMAGES ON REQUEST. POSTAGE AT COST.