British Library Add. 28099 ff.125-26¹

James St

Decr 2 1814

My dear Ellis

Your summary of criticism is quite as favourable to us as I could reasonably expect. Waverly is Croker's.² I would have laid a heavy hand upon it, had he been in England, but he is captious & capricious, and I cannot do without him: so, in doubt of consequences, I suffered his interminable quotations to pass. Badham,³ as you perhaps guess, is mine: the man made me rather angry, by his dishonesty. I had also a hand in Kett⁴ - but was restrained from saying as much as I wished, on Heber's account; who had hinted that if ^(Kett) should fall in my way he hoped he would be as leniently handled as truth would admit, for his active services in furthering his own view upon Oxford.

Majoris [?habemus] - I greatly rejoice in your kind purpose of reviewing Sismondi's pamphlet⁵: the subject of it, too, is not only interesting and important at the moment, but will have an air of novelty in our pages. A month we can allow - Will that be sufficient? Our last No. was too long delayed; and it would be most desirable to hasten the appearance of the present.

With respect to the Northern Book that can await your leisure - I own that I greatly wish for a review of it from you & pour cause: but this shall be as you please, and when you please.

I have written to Canning⁶ - but the wicked winds have laid, I fear, an embargo on any dispatches. I see no objection in pressing the Edin. Reviewers into the service, at the expense of a trifling alteration or two. The Art. Will form a decent introduction to the woe to come; for surely he will not leave these people to triumph, or to believe that they triumph, in their impudence and falsehood - fiani no potent amigo mio. Portugal would not be a bower of roses to any other man; but he will overawe the rascally ill-disposed government, and find leisure to turn his thoughts towards us.

... this letter is written under the influence of a vile fever, and the potent stimulation of roasted apples and barley water ...