Devon 1149/F100. 4 pp. Date at top: Oct. 27, 1811.

James St
Buckingham Gate

Octr. 27th. 1811

My dear Sir,

I write to you at Exeter though in the hope that your perfect recovery had enabled you to return ere this to Oxford.

—I am sorry that we are so late this time; this is owing in part to my ill health, & partly to disappointments; we must, however, make every possible exertion to be out by the end of December, with our 12th No.

I earnestly hope that the little omission & addition which I thought myself obliged to make to the excellent article of your friend,¹ will not offend him. He is probably aware that we must sacrifice something to our plan, & that many things which I would gladly offer under my own name, I cannot venture to produce in a review, where I have many palates to please, and many ticklish tempers to study. When you tender him the little modicum which is inclosed, & which is pressed upon his acceptance in consequence of our inviolable plan, I will beg you to express my thanks for his kindness, and my admiration of his talents.² I sincerely hope that he will favour us will his ideas of Miss Seward's Letters &c. for this No. or with any subject that may strike his fancy.—³

If you do not admire our friend Davison, I shall admire at you. Is it not truly excellent? I am quite charmed with it, & so, I believe, is every body. Hallam, who was once the great support of the Edin. Rev. told a friend of mine that he had seen nothing on the subject, that could be compared to it. I hope that he, like you, is at Oxford; though I write this day to him at Barnstable.⁴

I flatter myself that you will not dislike our appearance this time, upon the whole. We have been very well received Murray tells me—and the Edin. Rev. is certainly declining very much in its sale. I hope you will find nothing to give you offence in the 1st Article— I did my best with it; but unfortunately, I am but a tyro on the subject, and had no one to advise with—Your letters, however (for I saw Heber's) were of signal service to me.⁵

I do not mean to hurry you; but I shall be happy to receive your favours as early as your convenience will allow, that we may get forward a little. I will take care to furnish you with proofs.⁶

The little Article on Oxford was furnished by Mr. Allan,⁷ Heber's friend—I was once about to trouble you with the proofs, but I feared to tax your kindness. However, I looked over it as carefully as I could, and it does not read amiss—Hereafter, I hope to have something more worthy of the subject, upon a worthier book—

With the sincerest regards

I am ever, my dear Sir,

your truly obliged &

faithful servt.

Wm. Gifford