A letter written by Virginia Woolf to her brother-in-law in 1908 is valued at $10,000-15,000 ahead of a sale at Bonhams New York.

It dates to early in her career - prior to the publication of her first novel, A Voyage Out, which was released in 1915.

Virginia Woolf was one of the most important novelists of the 20th century

She talks about the development of her writing, explaining: "I should like to write a very subtle work on the proper writing of lives. What it is that you can write, & what writing is.

"It comes over me that I know nothing of the art; but blunder in a rash way after motive, & human character... I should choose my writing to be judged as a chiselled block, unconnected with my hand entirely."

A handwritten letter from George Washington is also offered.

It dates to March 1, 1782, a year before the end of the revolutionary war, and is written in reply to a request by a Colonel Dayton to execute a deserter.

Washington agrees, but does not give a date - meaning Dayton would have to submit a separate request.

Washington was largely against the practice of executing deserters and avoided implicating himself where possible.

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