A remarkable collection of touching personal letters written by Joseph Grego (aged 19–24) to his younger brother, Hubert Charles Grego (aged 11–16), during his school years—believed to be at Cumberland House, a boys’ boarding school run by James Mallinson. The volume includes 300+ charming illustrations / cartoons integrated throughout the text, along with four tipped in. Several letters to their mother and additional correspondence sent from abroad are also included. The writer Joseph Grego began his career at Lloyds before moving into the world of art as a collector, journalist, and respected authority on Gillray, Rowlandson, Morland, and Cruikshank. Amongst his publications, he was instrumental in the 1873 edition of James Gillray’s Works and edited Rowlandson the Caricaturist (2 vols., 1880). Although he gathered extensive material for a biography of Morland, it remained unfinished. A skilled draughtsman, Grego designed theatrical costumes, etched the work of others, and developed a method of reproducing eighteenth century colour prints so accurate they were often mistaken for originals. He served as a director of Carl Hentschel Ltd. and Kegan Paul & Co., and was associated with the Graphic Company. In 1897 he contributed to the Victorian Era Exhibition at Earl’s Court, where his Dickens collection was described as “the fullest collection of Dickensiana ever gathered into one focus.” His vast holdings were dispersed after his death via sales at Christie's and Puttick and Simpson's. All in all a fabulous set of family letters elevated by some excellent often humorous illustrations. Provenance - Hubert Grego died in 1889 and Joseph in 1908, both unmarried. Their sister Louisa (“Louie” from 1901 onward) inherited Joseph’s estate. She married George Bruce Johnston in 1902, and their son, Roy Grego Bruce Johnston, was born in 1905. Roy married Margaret Evelyn Palmer (“Evelyn”) in 1929. Included with the book are letters from 1978–79 between Mrs. Bruce Johnston and the Folio Society regarding her submission of the volume for potential publication.