80. Robert Bloomfield to the Earl of
Buchan, 16 February 1802*
City Road, London Feb 16 1802
My Lord
Your solicitude so kindly exprest for my success and reputation,
demands acknowledgments and thanks such as do not allways come readily to the
nib of my pen, but lie skulking about my Heart in various shapes and colours,
refusing to be brought forward but by force; and then, like many other forced
fruits are apt to come, from my hand, very imperfectly and without relish. I
cannot write formal epistles.
I thank your Lordship for your Letter; [in BL copy only: and if you had not known that I should thank you
heartily I should not have been honour'd with it.] and will henceforth
when the spirit moves me poetically or otherwise, obey the impulse and transmit
the news of the moment. Your Lordship's invitation to the shades of Dryburg is noble. I have ardent wishes
on that point, and have some reasons rising up against their completion, two of
which are,—Burns is dead!! or I
might have seen him—I am married—
The Five Thousand small copies of my 'Rural Tales' are nearly
sold, and the publisher talks of a second edition [BL copy only: very soon].
Somtimes I have seen the clouds move majestically slow, leaving
one small opening through which the Sun looks down upon a Field, and even seems
to dwell upon one forward Field-flower with peculiar fondness, But he leaves
it—and shines upon another.—
The Sunshine of Fortune when vertical, may perhaps require an
Umbrella, but if it is given to Prudence to hold, I hope
she will suffer me to be warm and to retain both heat and light whenever the Goddess thinks propper to
withdraw.
I have a letter from Sir J. B. Burgess, and some other tokens of approbation from other
quarters.
We have two guests in the house whose value we overlook too often
untill they leave us—Health and Happiness. The Buds are in some places allready
out, but the wind now rushing from 'Nova Zembla, or the Lord knows where' will
damp their ardor. I love news from Scotland, but I wish the wind would blow from
France.
Your Lordships Most Humble and Obed Servant
Robert Bloomfield
Address: To Earl Buchan.
