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British Library, Add MS 47890. 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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It was not my intention to have written to you by this packet – but my Uncle has this moment put this draft for my mother into my hand, & desired me to inclose it to you. he will send more as soon as he can. – One of the many pleasant circumstances attending my mothers residence with her sister, is that her letters are all in danger of being read.
Waterhouselet the
encounter a voyage willingly. Whenever I return I shall
daily feel that some source of information is become
inaccessible, & that those documents which are now
within an hours walk – wer
are at an unreachable distance.
You would be astonished at the tranquillity
of this city – which is literally at the mercy of the
French. Tis the old fable of the Boy & the Wolf – &
the Wolf is coming at last.
Why has not my Mother
written to give us news of Tom? we fully
expected some account by the Packet that followed the news
of his being wounded.Beltona in this action, and
listed as wounded, e.g. in
A very short time must determine our destiny – perhaps a few days – a few weeks certainly. We shall probably see your primrose tree in blossom – for strawberries & cream at Ashton – patience till next year. – & you must correct the title page of Thalaba, for which however I sent unmistakeable directions. I could willingly ask a few questions how it goes on – & when will it be out – , & I am somewhat vexed that the Letter was lost in which you acknowledged the receipt of the last splice – as you probably said whether to your taste it was spliced well or not.
I have no time to fill my sheet – if the
French do not come I must I believe make up one great –
brave resolution – like that of having a tooth drawn. I am
literally like the syllogism – ass between two bundles of
haycan not then know not whether
to go or stay. meantime all my supplies of letters are cut
off. no body writes in expectation of my return. Summer is
come – & I am sure of a long passage – from a fortnight
to three weeks. Oh my poor inside! this voyage Danvers is
like death – one goes & another goes & we who stay
on shore pity them with the true & self-originating pity
– because it is what we must all come to!
God bless you & your mother. We
talk of you daily & almost hourly – & we shall
doubtless soon see you. Edith is not
well. we are unhappily like Jack Sprat & his wife.
I shall arrive at Bristol something like
Noah