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Huntington Library, HM 4818 . Previously published: J. W. Robberds (ed.), A Memoir of the Life and Writings of the Late William Taylor of Norwich, 2 vols (London, 1843), I, pp. 245–248.
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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I thank you my dear friend for the trouble you have taken in settling Henry & the interest you discover for his welfare. Maurices letter is a very handsome one, I wish I could answer it to my own satisfaction,
but it is a difficult task to express obligation that one cannot repay. Perhaps at Midsummer I may be near enough to house him, as I am
xxxxxxxxx xxxxx have some thoughts of passing a few weeks at Cambridge when our time is expired
here, for the sake of the Libraries.
I am anxious to know what prospect of success Burnett has at Brentford. the plan is so far better than his former ones as it does not leave him at once to his own resources. reviewing too is a good way of breaking him in to work; the subject is given & the task required, no time need be lost in beating about the bushes to start something to pursue. Yet this new prospect offers little or nothing more to ambition than his present situation. however it will employ him, & employment is what he wants.
I should ascribe the review of Amos Cottles Edda,what leisure some three years hence, to build up a Runic song, - but I must clear
the ground first. my head has at present the materials for three great works in it, each deserving a whole & undivided attention.
The Kalendar, of which I hope this year to publish one volume.
You know the Mohammedan tradition of the Garden of Irem. A female Arab & her son, a boy of about twelve years old,
have escaped the destruction of their tribe & are wandering at night in the deserts. they find themselves in the Garden, & one
Adite still existing in it, who when his nation were destroyed, had for some deed of goodness been saved from their damnation, &
left to live in that utter solitude till he thought himself prepared to die. at times Azrael appeard to him & enquired if he was
ready, but tho tortured by lonely existence still he dared not meet his judgement. As he concludes his tale the Angel of Death stands before them & offers death xx to the woman & the
Adite. She is a devout Mussel-woman I suppose it must be. & encourages the Adite. Azrael raises his sword & the drops of
bitterness fall on them. the design of this is to impress strongly with devotion the boy, reserved for a great exploit, the destruction
of the Dom Danael.
A wandering tribe find him. he grows up among them, & forgetful that he has been marked out for the especial service of the prophet, attaches himself to Oneiza. some miracle summons him – he is sent to learn preparatory knowledge for his journey from Harut & Marut at Babel – & from the Simorg.
The Magicians lay snares for him. he is entrapped by Aladeules, the account of whose Paradise Purchas gives from Marco
Polo.of which
Perouse discovered.txxx
<till> the adventure was accomplished.
I have a very vague idea of what passes under the roots of the sea. however when all is accomplished a voice from
Heaven bids Thamama ask his reward. he resigns himself like the Argive brethren
Pray make my respects to your mother.