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University of Rochester, Rare Books Library, A.S727 1:1. 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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The reason why I have not written to you before, since my return from London, is a very simple one – I beseech you let
it also be satisfactory. You gave me a splendid copy of your Life of Michel Angelo.
The Printer goes on slowly with Espriella, nor do I hurry him.have said what good the Academy does; if any –; what
merit is due the King &c. The merits of Mr Alderman Boydell & the history of his Shakespeare is also another subject which you
will handle far better than I – or to speak truly – which I could not handle at all.
My brother Tom arrived yesterday – from sea, & my spirits have
not yet recovered their usual temperate tone. – for it disjects me to see him looking prematurely old – to think that in fourteen years
he has only been nine months on shore – & that we three brothers who are now in one house have never been together till now during
the whole of that time, – & very possibly when we separate again – as in a few weeks we must – never may meet
again together again. Family ties, when they are good for anything, grow stronger as we grow older, & as fewer are
left us. We then feel how different they are from other friendships, be those friendships never so sincere, – I will never breed up a
child either to the navy or army – nor send one to the East Indies. It is very well for birds, whose love is only instinct, to
part be turned adrift as soon as they leave the nest, – but it as an evil thing for a family to be scattered.
I was very desirous of getting some live land-crabs for Carlisle – & Tom took on board a fine cargo, – but in spite of all
possible care the last died when they were off the Isle of Wight.
We have the measles in the house – & my daughter is
expected to sicken in about a week. Till it is over I shall be more uneasy than is quite reasonable upon the doctrine of chances: – the
disorder is <something fatal> & I remember losing a sister to it. In about [MS torn] months I expect an addition to my family
– of which I am very glad.
Tom called on Rickman &
was told he was too ill to see him – I rather suspect it must have been Mrs R
that was ill
You have probably heard that an Uncle of mine is dead, who if he
had made no will, must have left me a rich man. Certainly rather than xx have been born rich, I would always continue poor;
but if wealth had fallen in my way now I think it would have done me no harm. However it was no disappointment as I expected
nothing.
This is my idle season; tho it must be a short one – for I cannot afford much idleness. I am finishing Espriella, &
making a very curious book called The Chronicle of the Cid,xxxx before printed in so
singular a way. Remember me at Stockwell.xxxxx Man – to Miss Scriggenway.