I am now after a succession of visitors left awhile to myself, – a good deal the better for the course of exercise into which I have been led, & somewhat the worse for the large subtraction these made from time which would otherwise have been bestowed upon my ways & means. By the time this evil is remedied, the good I suspect will be undone, – good however it is as long as it lasts. – My farthest stretch from home has been to M^r Boltons, on Windermere,

whither I went to meet Canning, & where I found Heber also. Heber has since been here, – & upon looking over these Sp. & P. books pronounced them a better collection than any which he had seen, except his own, – much better than Murdochs.

If the channel which you are now trying should prove a good one, there are several books which I shall be desirous of obtaining, – among these the Agiologio Lusitano of Cardoso,

– the Sermoens do P. Antonio das Chagas,

– & the Obras de S. Teresa,

– of which Mal-lavado

used to have copies in abundance.

Among the many reasons which make me regret that you would never be persuaded to travel thus far, one is that I should so have liked to show you the progress which is made in the history of Portugal.

It is in more forwardness than any work that I ever yet committed to the Press, & as soon as the Pen. War is finished,

to the printer it will go. I have a continuous narrative from the C. Henrique down to the accession of Sebastian.

A great deal is to be added in transcribing it from materials good part of which are ready. The Cardinals reign

& the subsequent events till Philip obtained possession of the Kingdom

are written & large collections made for the xxxxx following period, – you would be well pleased to see the order in which all this is, – & the battle array of my shelves, where so many of your old acquaintance are stationed in good company.

John May enjoyed his visit greatly.

– Dr Bell is here, – he rode off this morning with Edith-May, & is just returned after a circuit of one & twenty miles with her, – part of it the wildest road in this country. He went as usual without a servant, they had to lead their horses themselves, & he opens the gate with all the alacrity of a boy. So youthful an old man I never before saw.

I have not heard from Harry concerning the Yankee books

which I desired him to enquire about. Randolph of Roanoak

has been here. But I had the vexation of missing Telford, who arrived with Sir Henry Parnell

while I was at M^r Boltons. This was a great mortification inasmuch I owe Telford every kind of friendly attention, & like him heartily.

There is only one proof more of the first vol. to reach me, containing some additions which I have grafted in their proper place by cancelling two leaves: the new matter is very curious, & was drawn from Sir Hew Dalrymples papers.

Whether Murray will delay the publication till the winter I cannot tell. I shall have made a memorandum concerning M^r Withers copy

& it will be duly sent you. Harry may take the presentation copy to Court if he thinks proper; & I should think it <be> worth it <xxx> his while to show himself upon the occasion. I wait only for some promised papers from B. Frere to begin with the second volume, – that is, with the printing of it, – a large portion of the volume will be transferred from the Ed. An: Register

without much alteration.

When you are prowling at the booksellers, – or looking over their catalogues, lay hold of Nalson’s Collection

from the beginning of the Rebellion if you see it, as I think you may, at a low price. There are two volumes, small folio. It is a Collection made by Charles 2^ds

command, to counteract the xx impression which Rushworth

by his insidious omissions intended to produce & has in fact produced. Nalsons is much better as far as it goes. I have been working upon a copy which I borrowed from Lowther. the book is probably now at a low price, but in all likelihood it will be very considerably raised by what I shall one day say of it.

A Baltimore review

of the Life of Wesley

has just been sent me, wherein it is affirmed that beyond all doubt I constructed it upon the plan of – Homers Iliad. And this is said seriously. Goodenough it is said will be made Dean of Ch. Ch. whenever they can promote the present Dean

– who can only thus be got rid off: – so that in his case promotion is to be the reward of misconduct. I wish Westminster were in the hands of a man who would look into the mischievous system pursued in College

– where the boys thro the slavery which they endure at first & the tyranny which they exercise afterwards rather lose ground than gain it. Dr Wordsworth told me he was equally surprized at the examination of the juniors (those just elected) & of the seniors, – the former appearing to such advantage, the latter so much below what they ought to have been. I explained to him the cause. A good Master might easily remedy it. – Love to my Aunt & the boys –