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Huntington Library, HM 4837 . Previously published: J. W. Robberds (ed.), A Memoir of the Life and Writings of the Late William Taylor of Norwich, 2 vols (London, 1843), I, pp. 438-440 [in part].
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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Last night – dear William Taylor – I commissioned an Embassador to pay five pounds to Burnett. by this days post I learn that this was too late – & that the debt is transferrd to you. half will go in this letter – the other in course as soon as this is acknowledged – but do not you give me a mere line of acknowledgement. consider me as a lover of letter-reading, however deficient in letter writing from half a dozen causes.
About Burnett I had written you half a letter when a very absurd
explanation took place, which rendered that half useless. he has thought proper to quarrel with me. he complains that I did not behave
well to him in London – that my manners were always those of a superiour, always expressing a familiar contempt, that I had not visited
him enough. All I could reply was that I had never felt or expressed myself as to him but with affection. familiar I was indeed, as
became me with one of my oldest friends – that I did not visit him because, he being single, I made him visit me – that I saw no one
friend so often in London – that I went to no public sight or amusement without him, − that he dined with me whenever I could persuade
him, & that twice or thrice every week I did not remind him of. But this was only the effect of a
growing dislike towards me – not the cause. this is evident. he tells me that I & Coleridge never treated him properly. mark you this word treated is in a physico-mental sense – “Every human being – & now William
Taylor I quote his words – can influence the mind of another human being xxx whom he is
placed– near, & upon this great truth all the principles of education defend.” Well! it seems Coleridge nor I had directed his mind to profitable studies & we had never
advised him what to do. – upon this I reminded him of my constant cry – Burnett
employ yourself! – the advice I had given him from the time of his going to Yarmouth & the
specific plans which I had from time to time pointed out. But he was determined to quarrel with me, & replied that the advice had
not been given properly. I had not treated him well. I could not avoid answering that I had ever regarded him as
my friend – not my patient, & as for advice, if it had failed, it was not because the medicines were bad but because they were not
taken. he desired not to see me while he was here. his mind he confessed was not in a state to judge deliberately – but his feelings
could not be mistaken, if when he was well he found out that he was wrong in judging of me as he did – he would then let me know – I
begged him to take care how he fostered this dislike, told him that by the time he had found it out, the habit of hatred would be
confirmed – & besought him very earnestly not to estrange himself from his oldest friend than whom he had none who loved him
better. you are come here George – said I – for your health. you say company, is
necessary for it – & yet you will not come to that house where you would be always most welcome. You will excuse me – said he replied – if I tell you these are mere words. I bore this xx lie
direct twice before I bade him remember I had some pride & some feeling as well as himself – then left him to his own ways.
Now indeed envy is at the bottom of all this. as for my own feelings upon the subject you will guess what they needs
must be. not anger, for old habits of affections are not so soon worn out – I am merely passive in this quarrel – ready to excuse it
upon any plea of diseased head or diseased digestion that he may make. but it has altered my mind towards him, & in spite of regret
I am fully awake to the extraordinary folly of his language & actions. he is as completely driven mad by his studies as ever
Quixotexx views of things” &
“principles of conduct different from common men.”
All this will give you pain. I tell it you as the friend of both. when you write to him – if you mention the subject at all, say of me that I am sorry he has done this – that I [MS illegible]rly deny any intentional disrespect (God knows I never felt it) – & that at any time I shall rejoice to shake him by the hand
I am still unsettled – disappointed of Maes Gwyn & looking out for some
country dwelling within reach of Bristol. you are unhappily too far east – too far from all other friends – & from all chances of
seeing them by the accidents of life. Else – with enough common opinions & mutual regard to form a fit base for intimacy – &
with enough disparity always to keep conversation wakeful – you & I should be good neighbours, & in the best & sacredest
sense of the word good friends. there is yet another bar to the possibility of this. I am but loosely attached to English ground &
will strike as few roots into it as I can. here in the west the intercourse with Portugal is far easier, there I must go in about two
years – & there if possible I would willingly fix my final abode, & spend my life too speaking
Portugueze & writing English.
Weak eyes still annoy me & keep me idle. I can only write Poetry – which is hard when prose pleases me better.
MadocFame
few consider but of a worse counsellor bad as she is – malesuada Fames.
God bless you. in spite of Norfolk weather I am in good health. the spirits always stand at the same point. six months ago I thought I was as happy as man could be – but little Margaret shows me I was mistaken. my love to Harry.
My name has got into the papers as translator of Amadis.r will claim the book & explain the mistak[MS
torn]