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Huntington Library, HM 4830 . 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. 348–353. [in part; dated 5 July 1800].
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 know not why distance by water should occasion neglect of letter-writing more than distance by land. but my English correspondents have proved the fact to me – & I in my turn, have given you sufficient reason to believe it. We were in Lisbon on May day, look at the date above & pardon & absolve him that doth truly repent.
First of my health, the immediate object of
this emigration. The effect of climate has been what I
expected & wished. night seizures I have none. the
irregularity of my heart is lessened, not removed, I eat
voraciously, & above all enjoy an everlasting sunshine
of spirits. Something of this is assuredly owing to the
total change of scenery & society, but the climate has
been the great cause. In England, summer & winter, I sit
by the fire, − I have never seen a fire since our departure
from Falmouth. the society here is not rather such as would depress than elevate
xxx <the> spirits
of a man accustomed to freedom of speech & intellectual
intercourse. literature here is none, & I am too fond of
tranquillity ever to utter a political opinion where every a true Catholic
uniformity of sentiment prevails. I hunger & thirst for
the intercourse of my friends, & yet feel the climate so
sensibly, that if only inclination were to be consulted, I
should perhaps pitch my tent here, & settle in a country
where the will of the sovereign is paramount & the
Inquisition consummates the church establishment.
The political situation of Portugal is far
more critical than when I last visited it. a foolish treaty
with Russia has offended Spain,d to his
nextdoor neighbours house. The folly of irritating Spain by
a treaty with Russia, after that Barbarian Paulthan
<from those which> would be excited by an order
commanding all English subjects to evacuate Portugal. a long
passage in a crowded transport would be a sad exchange way of returning
after I have planned a journey over the Pyrenees & a
visit to Paris.
Time will decide all these chances. perhaps
the Income Tax & the campaign in Italy
The strangest novelties here are a
mail-coach. & paper money. the history of both
characteristic of the statesmen. xxxxx the mail coach is priced so highly, that a
single person may go to Porto (the road it runs) in a chaise
somewhat cheaper. time only therefore is saved, for it
actually travels an English mail pace, 8 miles an hour. but
this high price excludes the main body of travellers from
profiting by the speed, & the little dealers must still
jog backward & forward on their mules. this therefore
will not last long. no vehicle can run profitably, faster than the usual posting pace of
the country. this is a royal undertaking. Immediately upon
issuing the paper money, they set the example of discounting
it: Only half the [MS obscured] you pay is a legal tender,
the consequences are xxx
xxxxxxxx a progressive depreciation, & an
advance in price upon every article. they chose to pay the
Sailors in paper, & when these fellows found out what
they lost by it, they rioted & shouted Bonaparte
I am preparing Thalaba for the press, designing to send it over for publication, & travel home upon its profits in the spring. you never gave me your judgement of
Send me Burnetts
direction, & give him mine that I may hear from him
sooner, for I much wish to hear from him. R S. with the Reverend Herbert
Hill, Lisbon. your letter should reach London on
Tuesday, or it loses the weeks mail & the Packet. We
have French & Italian news rather earlier than it
reaches England by way of Madrid. Berthiers
I must have some Poem in head when Thalaba is gone –
& it will be probably my hexameter Mohammed.