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Berg Collection, New York Public Library. 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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You will probably be surprized at the contents of this letter. you were however I believe aware that the when & where of my departure from England were to be determined by advice from Lisbon, whither I had written stating to my Uncle the nature of my disorder, & the advice which had been uniformly given with regard to its remedy. My Uncles reply leaves me no choice, even if I were desirous of deferring my embarkation – for he has engaged a house for me & arranged every thing as to furniture & establishment – so that we are now in all the hurry of preparation. designing if possible to set out for Falmouth on this day fortnight.
We have two trunks at Burton which I shall
be obliged to you to forward by Joy,o 10. Stokes Croft.
Bristol. they are I believe under the tent bed-stead. both
of black leather. the one small, & once neat – with
brass nails & a brass-nail S on the top. the other large
& shabby with no brass nails – of a coarser black
leather & wagon-worn.
Our cottage will not remain untenanted – my mother I apprehend will pass her summer there, with some friend.
I design to employ myself in Portugal with
collecting materials & information for the compleat
History of that kingdom.of the execution
will interest me, & the end be important.
Portugal is so small a country, that a few easy journies will make me well acquainted with it, & enable me to understand every field of battle, & every siege; an important advantage, not easily attainable in any other country. how I go on in health, & in occupations you shall of course from time to time be acquainted with.
It is very satisfactory to me to have my
destination settled, & also that it is settled in this
way. I left Lisbon with enough regret – & with enough
attachment to place & persons, to render the return
there an object of much pleasant anticipation. besides, tho
xx my tongue be not – my
ears are ready at the language, & a little serious
application in the country will make me no despicable
Portugueze. & I can already talk a very understandable
lingo. the voyage is the most unpleasant business – I
anticipate high wind & low spirits – & my inside –
with the very recollection of past sickness, threatens me,
& omens intestinal insurrections.
This morning I am going with Rickman to ramble
all over Redcliff church
My Mother & Edith desire to be remembered. God bless you. I could have wished to shake you by the hand before my departure, if it were possible.