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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 is a long time since you have heard from me, – a little uncertainty about my own movements has been one cause,
ever-calling employments another, to which you may add interruptions & Lakers, & lastly that like the author of the long
Psyche I too am <have> sometimes to make slow way thro the lake of my own laziness.rs
Wilson have had is come to me tho at present in a very mild form, & under the most favourable termination, (that is
to say if it goes off without closing the eye & bursting) it will be four or five days before I ought to inflame my system by
the jolting of a journey. It is a mere trifle at present, in no degree affecting the sight, – nor am I sensible of it, only if I
life lift the lid.
Of my employments Roderickth book, but the way opened before me on
Friday evening, & I began the 12th this morning. As soon as I return it will certainly go to press, &
I expect to make some progress in at Streatham.
Ballantyne & I are at issue & I withhold from him the conclusion of the
volumeupon on the pretext of loss upon that share. – he himself having originally promised to repurchase the share at the
original price whenever I might chuse to give it up, & to give me at the publication of each volume, his bill for my profits
at 12 months date. The fraud is gross & palpable. I am about to lay the case before W
Scott & request him to interfere. Exposure in that quarter is what Ballantyne will not like.
Murray offers me 1000 guineas for the history.
I wrote to Burdon
Murray has the exordium to the history, which he will annex to the advertisementthe <a> work
which belongs to me & me alone. I expect more from the credit it will give me than from its immediate profit. The notoriety of
the subject will make me know by those who know me not at present, & I think it will enable me ever after to put my own price
upon any thing. – Murray says he never published any book which gave such general
satisfaction as Nelson. he has sold 1200 copies.
I am afraid there will be a hollow peace patched up at Praguein left in a deplorable state, & moreover will have
great efforts to make for xxx xxx recovering the revolted colonies. I have little doubt of her succeeding in this,
& heartily hope she may. And this is a subject upon which I have framed a very unbiased opinion upon competent documents. The
horrors in Spanish America are the spawn of our American war.a more Irish ferocity. Some Anglo-Americans have been at the head
of the prison-massacres of the Europeans! Nathan is really so vile an animal that I could find in my heart almost to wish he did
not speak English.
I had a hearty shake by the hand from Ponsonby about the Chesapeake.Chesapeake
had been captured by HMS Shannon on 1 June 1813.xx better-timed,
better-placed, – or better-personed if I may use such a word.
For your promotion, – you must wait patiently till the Gods send it. I make no doubt of getting it at
last some time or other. Croker I shall of course see in turn. Meantime make
yourself easy about your expences an odd 30 or 40 £ in the course of the year will set all to rights, & this I shall be very
well able to supply. The Bank of Faith never fails.