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Berg Collection, New York Public Library . Not previously published.
These letters were edited with the assistance of Carol Bolton, Tim Fulford and Ian Packer
For permission to publish the text of MSS in their possession, the editor wishes to thank the Beinecke Rare Books and Manuscript Library, Yale University; Berg Collection of English and American Literature, The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations; the Bodleian Library Oxford University; the British Library; Boston Public Library; the Syndics of Cambridge University Library; the Syndics of the Fitzwilliam Museum Cambridge; Haverford College, Connecticut; the Historical Society of Pennsylvania; the Hornby Library, Liverpool Libraries and Information Services; the Houghton Library, Harvard University; the John Rylands Library, Manchester; the Kenneth Spencer Research Library, University of Kansas; Luton Museum (Bedfordshire County Council); Massachusetts Historical Society; McGill University Library; the National Library of Scotland; the Newberry Library, Chicago; the New York Public Library (Pforzheimer Collections); the Pierpont Morgan Library, New York; the Public Record Offices of Bedford, Suffolk (Bury St Edmunds) and Northumberland, the Master and Fellows of Trinity College, Cambridge; the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne; the Trustees of the William Salt Library, Stafford, the Wisbech and Fenland Museum; the University of Virginia Library.
A research grant from the British Academy made much of the archival work possible, as did support from the English Department of Nottingham Trent University.
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You will think that I have forgotten you, & forgotten also the stray books & chattels which have been so long
trespassing upon your hospitality. The truth is that these very things have been the cause of preventing me from dropping you now &
then a letter, because I have been always looking on to fixing myself, & hoping soon that I should write to request that
they might be dispatched. That time is come at last. My resolution is taken to become a settled resident here at Keswick, – & as I have been here three years & a half on trial, nobody can say the
resolution is a hasty one. I will therefore beg you to consign whatever you have of mine in the shape of books, papers, prints &
portraits to the care of Rickman: who will forward it forthwith to me by sea, by
way of Whitehaven. From this I except a certain portrait of myself (the framed from side face) – which if you think it
worthy of retaining a place in your parlour, is very much at your service, & will serve to remind you of one who neither has
forgotten, nor wil can forget, many friendly acts of hospitality & good neighbourhood, & many pleasant hours, for
which he is indebted to you.
Since we met in London I have had an increase to my family, which now consists of a daughter Edith, nearly three years old, & a son, Herbert, nearly six months, – both strong, hearty, & fine children – who furnish me
with abundant amusement. Edith is very much improved in health since she was in
Hampshire; – nursing agrees wonderfully with her, & she is grown fat & strong. I myself am th as usual – first
cousin to a skeleton, – but my skin – & bones x continue to enjoy the same good health & good spirits. I go on as I
begun, & am perhaps a closer student than ever; – my main occupation at present is upon a great work respecting South America, –
for which I possess very ample & very important manuscript documents.r Colemanshall <may> before the end of the year, I will make a bend out of my way for the sake of seeing Burton & my old friends there. – Perhaps you may one day be disposed to travel Northward –
whenever that is the case we shall be very glad to make you feel that you are right heartily welcome, – & to show you the country
better than guides can do. Your old acquaintance Lloyd (who has not forgotten to
enquire after you) is settled near Ambleside, – & we have for our summer
neighbour a gentleman of whom you may perhaps know something as he was formerly member for Yarmouth in the Isle of Wight – & is I
believe either a Hampshire man, or somehow connected with the county – colonel
Peachy.
Your little girl must by this time be grown a great one: – I suppose what you know of Catholicism does not induce you
to side with ministry on the present question.x not have the slightest relaxation in the existing laws against Roman a religion, the most
monstrous in its pretensions, the most impudent in its assertions, & the most fatal in its tendency that ever human craft imposed
upon human credulity. Few persons perhaps understand it better than myself, for I have studied its history, & seen its effects in
countries where it flourishes in all its glory. Indeed I have long resolved on writing the History of the Monastic Orders, & have
long been collecting knowledge & materials for this purpose: whenever I have leisure this will be the work which I shall pursue,
& sure I am that it will give the people of England a very different idea of the Catholic religion from what at present they very
generally entertain.
I see the Christ-Church news in the Monthly Magaziner Bingley is a useful man, – he is sometimes a little credulous about animals, &
should have uniformly given references to the authors from upon whom he relies – but his books is a very
interesting & very valuable one, – & he must be a great acquisition to your society
Edith desires to be kindly remembered to you – your Mother – & Mr Coleman. – My brother Tom is still a Lieutenant, & now in
the Pallas Frigate,