ALS,; 17 Calthorpe Street [London], no date, ca. 1840. 4.5 x 7+”. 3pp.+ address leaf. To Mr. Darton

In full: “Dear Sir,I do not suppose that any of the accompanying little manuscripts are in your way or that they will suit you but as I consider you and Mr. Clarke as friends who would give me your opinion, perhaps you would kindly tell me who publishes Tracts or penny books.
Subjects for tracts often occur to me and I think it an object to make them amuswing as well as improving – without which they will not be read by persons not already impressed with the importance of religion – and I should therefore whilst in town like to find out who publishes Tracts. (truncated) I shall hope to have the pleasure of calling on you & Mr. Clark before I go which must be very shortly. I remain, dear sir, your truly M M Sherwood"  The final leaf is mounted to a stiff card, a very good excample. From Wikipedia: Mary Martha Sherwood (née Butt; 6 May 1775 – 22 September 1851) was a prolific and influential writer of children's literature in 19th-century Britain. She composed over 400 books, tracts, magazine articles, and chapbooks. Among her best known works are The History of Little Henry and his Bearer (1814), The History of Henry Milner (1822–37), and The History of the Fairchild Family (1818–47). While Sherwood is known primarily for the strong evangelicalism that coloured her early writings, her later works are characterized by common Victorian themes, such as domesticity."The estimated date is based on the fact that quite a number of Sherwood’s books were published by Darton and Clark between 1840 and 1850, including several penny chapbooks. Many of her books were reprinted in the United States by the Sunday School Union and American Tract Society. . (Inventory #: 58613)