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. Previously published: Myron F. Brightfield, John Wilson Croker (London, 1940), pp. 209–210 [in part].
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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It was but yesterday that I enquired of Murray whether I might avail myself of your name to frank up copy for the
printer. Your friendly letter encourages me to do so now – without waiting for permission.
You would certainly have seen xx me had I been in London; but here I am, & here I shall be quill-driving
till the end of April,delightful <congenial> to me, & if my own inclinations alone were
to be consulted I should lay aside all other avocations & devote myself exclusively to the completion of my Portugueze
histories.
The sole temptation which I have for proceeding with the poems which I am perpetually building in the air, is to
gratify a few persons who love me, & a few (they are very few) of whose approbation I am ambitious. As for reputation hereafter, if
what I have done will not secure me that, it were idle to hope it from any thing which I shall ever do. In other points, I hope, by
Gods blessing to continue to learn as long as I live: but as a poet I be am full-grown xxx the quantity of my
poems may be increased – doubled – quintupled – decupled, if there were a demand for the article, – but their value must be determined
by assay – not by weight, & nothing that I can now produce will alter that.
The probable extent of my poemxxxxxx <submitting> my own opinions in such matters, I am yet very sincerely
desirous of hearing criticism while it is possible to profit by it, & if you will do me the favour to look over these papers when
you feel inclination & have leisure, with a fault-finding eye, – the poem will probably be the better for it. They are in the hands
of Mr Bedford’s brother, & he will convey them to you at any time that you
may signify such a wish.
I am much beholden to you for the plans. The book which they are to illustrate is Murray’s planning, not mine. The very nature of the subject prevents me from ever feeling
myself upon terra firma. However I have done my best & hope it will answer his expectations.
I can wish nothing better for Scotts poem