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. 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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According to the family Bible my brother Thomas was twenty on the 1st of December last. he has been five years in the service.
certainly it is his intention to continue <in> it till he gets a
Lieutenancy. his future plans, future circumstances must determine, & no
person has any business to enquire into them. As for his political opinions, I
am not his conscience keeper, nor do I think it a question to be <asked
or> answered, till St Dominic
My dear Grosvenor do not suppose that I am insensible of your friendly intentions. but whoever the person may be who thus qualifies his hints of patronage, I think his questions somewhat unnecessary & impertinent. Tom is a good sailor, he is a young man in whom I know no fault, not even a failing; I love & respect him, not because he is my brother, but because I know no one more entitled to respect & love. Assuredly every additional interest is desirable – but I trust he has enough, to need but little, any assistance so proffered.
And now Grosvenor I will write to you upon this subject, for I have been thinking of your friend in power all the last page. I thank you. write to Tom – he will be gratified by hearing from you, & his answer will be the only proper data for you to act upon. I answer but only for myself in this world.
As for news of myself – I have none – except indeed that an event
of some importance happened to me on Friday, when I had a tooth drawn. I am well
– tho I believe approaching still nearer to the true skeleton proportion. Edith is better than when she left
London – but not in health. She is very thin & very weak. more I have not to
say. I have no love of epistolizing; in this I am altered. in other points I am
the same – & among those others, I
yrs truly, as it is in the beginning, is now, & ever shall
be.
My direction is to Cottles.