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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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I write because Horace Bedford is going to Bath & can so far frank the letter.
Kings did not go by Losh as you imagined but by Mrs Keenan
Burnett is here. it was a mistake
of Jiblettsnot like Tressan in his french abridgement has
too much modernised the language & Frenchified the feeling of the book.x is by no means obsolete – not more so than the
Bible, & this best suits the character of
the book. I prefix an Essay on Romance. for this they offered me, with my name
to the Essay only, 100 £. It would have been imprudent to
let my name appear – because the notion that I am of a man of business may help me on in the world. they then offered
60 £ when the book was done, & when 750 were sold the remaining 40. £. I
have bargained for 30 £ more if a second 750 sell. the definitive answer is not
yet come – but I have no doubt they will accede to the terms. Rees said so, & only the formality
remains of Longmans assent. Now as
my name is not to be publickly known, neither should it privately. I am trying
to persuade them to have vignettes, which if I can effect I would beg King to design, & take the fair
price for them which the booksellers usually pay. & so sure am I that with
the subjects which I should chuse, a print in the title page would encrease the
sale of the book, that if they will not otherwise accede, I will propose to them
to risque a ten pounds of my own certain profit. There is a farther view in this
job. if the book sells which is highly probable from its name & excellence,
they will go thro the whole army of Romances in the same manner – indeed this is
meant as an experiment with that in view.rs Lovell also – whom, if the book sells & the
plan proceed I could thus enable comfortably & respectably to maintain
herself. you see another reason for anonymousness.
I have talked more with Carlisle about the probability of your brother Johns&
xxx friends are necessary, & money enough to be able to wait for
practise.
Poor Thomas had no partner. he managed all my Uncles church affairs, granting leases &c – which must now be put into the hands of a stranger, instead of a friend. the money which he had in his hands will of course be paid by his Executors – but God knows when – nor can I draw for it upon them.
Elmsley is just called to walk with
me to Brixton – where this must go to
the Postman. so perforce I conclude. We shall see you in a month – & I hope
we sha may find Mrs D. well. I
think she will be amused & interested with the progress of Amadis which is
truly a delightful book.