Lot 154: JAMES, ALICE

AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED, TO JOSEPH CONRAD praising his critical acumen in describing the novels of her brother-in-law Henry James ("...How wonderful of you to say the intimate, perfect word of that patient, much misconceived writer. It is so apt, so real, that I sit almost bewildered that it should never have been said...") and saying how much her sons enjoy his work, 3 pages, small 4to, headed stationery of 994 Chestnut Street, California, 13 July 1921, docketed by Conrad ("19/8/21 JC"), small fold tears, slight smudge on final page

Christie's, New York, 7 February 1986, lot 176

Alice Howe James, née Gibbens (1849-1922), was the widow of William James. The phrase that captured her imagination was Conrad's assertion that "the fair truth of human delicacy can be found in Mr. Henry James's novels" in his 1905 essay "Books", which had just been reprinted in Notes on Life and Letters.