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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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As I wrote to poor unfortunate George you would not be surprized
at not receiving an answer in reply to your last letter.xx in the course of
the night that some serious injuri consequences might have ensued.r Lunellsxx x concerning the
court – for disagreable as it would be to himself to be convicted, I verily believe it would produce more serious evil to me just at
this time. – Who would ever think of drawing such a piece of ill luck as this in the lottery of life? However if Georges Counsel does his duty, there can be little fear. He must be prepared to prove
the history of in what manner he past the evening, & to show that he was sober. If it were not for the unaccountable
circumstance of the key, the case could hardly be brought into court. – Was the door found unlocked the next morning, or is it
pretended that he stopt to lock it? I cannot help suspecting roguery. It is so absurd to suppose that he would have chosen a place to
commit the crime in which so naturally not only lead to suspicion, but to proof against him, – & that any stranger should have a
key seems inexplicable. – I wrote to him about money, & wish I could manage better about it. However you will be able to get my
draught draft cashed, & the discount is not worth a thought. I used to draw upon Ballantyne at three days sight, but he has taken advantage of the failure of these
Northern banks to make me draw at three months.x a great present inconvenience, –
that I should ultimately have reason to regret it is not so certain.
The books may wait for the seeds. I shall be very glad to receive the picture. Get a frame for it, like your own, or
handsomer if you see a pattern more to your taste. Edith has at last got a
picture of me to her mind. Downman
The Senhora is getting in order, but not very rapidly. Dawexxxx he consults with us about all his designs
& alterations, & we flatter ourselves that we have given him good advice. Dr
Bell went away this morning. I wish most sincerely you had seen him, his very looks would delight you, – & to hear him
speak of his system would xxxx make you nauseate the quackeries & nonsense of Lancaster.
I thought ere this to have sent you the Omniana,types which xxxxx xxxx such types that Longman is actually ashamed of the book, & well he may be. I fear he is in a bad way, & if this is the case Robert Lovell will be adrift before the end of his apprenticeship.