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Bodleian Library, MS Eng. Lett. c. 24. 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.
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I shall not get this bad news out of my intestines, where it has made a lodgement, if I do not give some vent to my
vexation. It is very clear to me that M Wellington committed a gross
blunder in besieging 2000 men at Burgosconfess look the evil in its face, I cannot but see that we have lost the
opportunity which the Russian war afforded us for delivering Spain; – lost it, I verily believe, irrecoverably. Buonapartes system may
xx receive its death blow in the North, – this is possible enough; – but any success in that quarter will come as a
God-send to us, – advantageous it would be in the highest degree, but the country would have no part in the honour.
The loss of reputation sustained in Spain at this time is an evil so great in itself, & so fearful in its
consequences that I can hardly bear to think of it. The old game I fear will now be played over again; the next step in retreat will be
to the Portugueze frontier, & then for a defensive campaign, which will equally exhaust the blood & the endurance of the
Spaniards, & our resources – & worst of all, our hope.
I do not like M Wellesley, – but if my voice could make him
Premier Premier he should be tomorrow. The mere fact of keeping such sending such a fellow as Lord Cathcartxxxx damn any
administration.
It will not surprize me if xxx before Xmas the only remaining advantage of the Victory of Salamanca
Zounds!
________
Grosvenor I will talk of something else, doggedly. I received the remaining half notes.
If you could see Mr Evangelicals application of Thalaba you
would never be able more to ask think of any scriptural shadowings in the conduct of the poem.
With regard to the sacrifice of Isaac,xxxxxx scriptures:
xxxxxx that an opinion which appears to me utterly untenable, & of the most mischievous consequences. I
believe therefore in the general truth of the scriptural history, – as I do in that of any other authentic historical work,
– & of course disbelieve altogether such parts as come to me with a character of incredulity. This is heresy.
The sacrifice of Isaac is said to be typical. There is something very delightful to a fanciful & ingenious mind in
the discovering types & symbols every where: but any person who knows how the Romanists have done this will always
suspect such xx hidden significations.
I do not know that I believe the story, nor have I thought it of sufficient importance seriously to ask myself whether
I do or not. – If I did believe it entirely, I should be equally ready to praise Abraham for an act of faith in his obedience, – or to
have praised him for a more enlightened rational piety, if he had suspected the voice which ordered the sacrifice, to be a
delusion or a temptation.
There is however a parallel in the two cases. Thalaba is not commanded to kill Laila.Prophet voice from above speaks it tells him that she must die for him, or he for her. He could not be
the being which I have conceived him to be, if he had made any hesitation.
___
I am busy about the Poor for Gifford, & hope to be in time
for this number.