Parkinson (William)

A group of 7 autograph letters signed by the 19th century illustrator ('William Parkinson') to Florence Warren Foster, all written in a witty style and accompanied by original ink sketches illustrating what Parkinson writes. One letter reads "London is undoubtedly very gay and bright just now. Everywhere the most brilliant colours meet the eye. The air is redolent with the music of the dance [a good sentence this!] and night is heavy with the sent of roses. Even I seem to have caught something of the spirit of the time, and though it is true my conveyance is not the stately London, the natty Brougham or even the swift-flying Hanson, I do occasionally join in the season's festivities, but as an outsider- strictly as an outside. 'Well, all right, never mind all that' I hear you say. 'Why have you never answered my letter from Whittington?' Why that's just it . It's because of all this gaiety that I have been unable; yet not only the gaiety, something else- Work!! From 5 in the morning to 7.30 at night are my hours. Of course when I say ‘from 5' I mean in the sense in which tailors say 'Suits from 3 guineas'. I always find they are very far from myself"; in another letter Parkinson writes "Will you do something to please an old friend? We are going to have a small garden party on Saturday July 17th with -possibly- a small dance in the afternoon, in my new studio. The whole thing will be a failure if you do not come. It is years since you have been near the place and you ought to make up for past neglects...The affair is intended as an official opening of my studio and if you absent yourself I shall take it as signifying that you have no interest in the future of the aforesaid building and its hardworking occupant”; another letter thanks Florence for her invitation and reads "We will come in a vehicle and we will hope that it will not fall through. Of course should it be a quite too awful night we might be unable to come but I hope for no such disaster"; 24 pages in total, some creasing and folding marks, 8vo, London, 23 December 1884-22 September 1888; with a letter by Willie Maxwell expressing his sympathy on Florence's loss (8)