Raja Rammohun Roy, Autograph Letter Signed (Rammohan, Ram Mohan, Mohun)

Two pages with integral blank leaf. Letter is sent from 48 Bedford Square (the residence of Joseph Hare, with whom Roy was staying) and is dated May 7th 1832. Roy is trying to arrange a meeting with a Rev Aspland, and writes, 'I beg to name Friday the 18th on which I am happy to find myself disengaged and hope to have the pleasure of meeting you at your friends, Mr Ebenezer Johnstone's, at 4 o'clock if perfectly convenient to him'. He signs off 'I remain with great respect, Yours most obediently, Rammohun Roy.' On the intergral blank leaf a previous owner has written that he acquired the letter on 7th March 1838 from his young friends the Misses Johnstones. Paper is watermarked J Whatman, Turkey Mill 1831. Together with a small lithograph of Roy with facsimile signature, and a cut signature of Roy's son, Raja Ram Roy, dated July 11th 1837.***Roy was an Indian religious, social and educational reformer who has been called the father of modern India. Roy came to London in April 1831 with a party that included his foster-son Rajaram Roy. He stayed at 48 Bedford Square, the home of his host Joseph Hare. The visit had been arranged by David Hare, Joseph's brother, who had extensive business interests in Calcutta. In September 1833 on a visit to Bristol, Roy was suddenly taken ill and died. Joseph Hare lived at no. 48 Bedford Square from 1824 until about 1841. In 1849 the building became Bedford College and since 2017 has been home to the old-established firm of rare book dealers Maggs Bros. Letters by Rammohun Roy rarely come onto the market. We can only trace one autograph and one letter at auction in the last 40 years.