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. 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 wonder at the long interval between the half notes.
Tom went with us, meaning to return here, – he has however fallen over head &
ears in love, & remains at Durham. From all his goings on there, & his staying behind it seems as if he were very much in
earnest, notwithstanding the mortal objection of want of fortune on both side. The Lady is about 30, singularly interesting, & with xx very much respected for her excellent conduct during many
family difficulties. Tom was so incessantly at the house that it is not possible
his attentions could have been overlooked, & hardly possible that he could have been there so much unless they had been encouraged,
– which considering worldly circumstances is sufficiently strange. I suppose he will write to me ere long & explain his views. She
was engaged to a young man who died, & his family then settled 100£ a year upon her, as a mark of their respect. This
<annuity> I should suppose would cease if she married. As to prudential calculations however Tom is xxxx able to make them for himself, & as I believe he might search the
world round without making a better choice, I shall be more disposed to excuse him if he acts imprudently, than to volunteer advice
which when it is unwelcome is generally unavailing.
Thus far last night. To days post has brought me a letter from Tom
telling me that Sarah Castle has promised to be his wife, – that he should like
to bring her to Keswick for the present, – is not certain that he can prevail upon her to
change her name immediately, – but in either case should like to show her the lakes. His plans he shall be better able to detail when
we meet. – This is all his letter – & I must conclude yours to answer it.
I want you to get subscribers for a half guinea volume, – containing letters & poems by Wm I. Roberts, – once employed in Worralls bank
Kehama