Letter from Marie Corelli, Glasgow, to Charles Henry Bovill, 1904 September 25 : autograph manuscript signed.

Concerning the fight to save old Shakespearean houses on Henley Street in Stratford-upon-Avon; asking Bovill to "lift your voice in strong and indignant protest against their impending destruction;" accusing Archibald Flower of being inconsistent and devious in his position towards the preservation of the houses; saying that Flower wishes to appear to be on the side of "the literary and artistic men, such as Sidney Lee and Lionel Cust" but is actually supporting the other side, represented by a local doctor and one of the trustees of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Dr. Mason; adding that two new trustees have been elected and they too are hostile to the idea of saving the houses, under Flower's influence; writing "The idea is that to pull the houses down will somehow spite me! This is absurd - it will not spite me at all - it will merely show that I was right as to the petty and parochial spirit which the 'local' Trustees display;" urging Bovill to write an article; saying that a meeting about the houses is scheduled for October 5th and "unless a very warm protest is made by the press, they are doomed [...] A local builder has already made an offer for the valuable 14th century oak in them!"; saying that she is on her way back to Stratford-upon-Avon and asking Bovill to write her there.