Selected English Letters (XV-XIX Centuries)
Produced by Dave Morgan, Bill Hershey and PG Distributed Proofreaders
M. DUCKITT & H. WRAGG
1913.
This anthology has been compiled with rather mixed motives. First, 'all for our delight'—a rule that editors sometimes observe, and occasionally acknowledge; then, with the desire to interest as large a section of the public as may be. Here is a medley of gay, grave, frivolous, homely, religious, sociable, refined, philosophic, and feminine,—something for every mood, and for the proper study of mankind. We do not hope to satisfy all critics, but we do not anticipate that we shall please none. Our difficulty has been that of choice. Many pleasant companions we have had to pass by; to strike from our list many excellent letters. Those that remain are intended to present as complete a portrait of the writer as space permits. Occasionally it was some feature of the age, some nicety of manners, some contrast in point of view, that obtained inclusion.
Into such an anthology the ordinary reader prefers to dip at random, looking for old friends or new faces, and has his reward. But if he is resolute to read letters in chronological order, he will also, we hope, find in our selection some trace of the development of the Epistolary art, as, rising through earlier naiveties and formalities to the grace and bel air of the great Augustans, it slides into the freer, if less dignified, utterance of an age which, startled by cries of 'Equality' at its birth, has concerned itself less with form than with individuality and sincerity of expression.
Three letters are included of which the originals were penned in Latin. In a few cases the spelling and punctuation have been modernized.
Our best thanks are due to Mr. J.C. Smith, whose kind criticism and inspiring suggestions have been of inestimable service to us in the preparation of this work.
SIR THOMAS MORE, 1478-1535— To Margaret Roper. 'Wyth a cole' from prison.
MARGARET ROPER, 1505-1544— To Sir Thomas More. Reply to the above.
Unknown
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SELECTED ENGLISH LETTERS
ARRANGED BY
PREFACE
CONTENTS
SELECTED ENGLISH LETTERS
MARGARET ROPER
TO SIR THOMAS MORE
ROGER ASCHAM
SIR FRANCIS BACON
SIR THOMAS BROWNE
TO HIS SON EDWARD
JOHN MILTON
TO A CAMBRIDGE FRIEND
TO LEONARD PHILARAS, THE ATHENIAN
JOHN EVELYN
DAME DOROTHY BROWNE
TO HER DAUGHTER IN LONDON
GEORGE, LORD BERKELEY
DOROTHY OSBORNE
TO THE SAME
TO THE SAME
TO THE SAME
TO THE SAME
TO THE SAME.
KATHARINE PHILIPS
ORINDA TO THE HONOURABLE BERENICE
JOHN LOCKE
TO WILLIAM MOLYNEUX
TO DR. MOLYNEUX
SAMUEL PEPYS
TO GEORGE, LORD BERKELEY
TO MRS. STEWARD
TO JOHN EVELYN
JONATHAN SWIFT
TO STELLA
TO DR. SHERIDAN
TO ALEXANDER POPE
TO JOHN GAY
JOSEPH ADDISON
TO ALEXANDER POPE
TO MR. SECRETARY CRAGGS
SIR RICHARD STEELE
TO MARY SCURLOCK
TO THE SAME
TO THE SAME
TO HIS WIFE
TO THE SAME
TO THE SAME
TO THE SAME
JOHN GAY
TO JONATHAN SWIFT
ALEXANDER POPE
TO WILLIAM WYCHERLEY
TO JOSEPH ADDISON
TO JONATHAN SWIFT
TO THE SAME
TO THE SAME
SAMUEL RICHARDSON
TO MISS MULSO
LADY MARY WORTLEY MONTAGU
TO THE COUNTESS OF MAR
TO THE COUNTESS OF BRISTOL
TO THE SAME
TO HIS SON
TO THE SAME
TO THE SAME
TO THE SAME
TO THE SAME
TO THE SAME
SAMUEL JOHNSON
TO MISS PORTER
TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE EARL OF CHESTERFIELD
LAURENCE STERNE
DEAR GARRICK,
THOMAS GRAY
TO THE SAME
TO THE SAME
TO THE SAME
HORACE WALPOLE
TO THE REV. WILLIAM COLE
TO THE MISS BERRYS
OLIVER GOLDSMITH
TO HIS MOTHER
TO ROBERT BRYANTON
TO HIS UNCLE CONTARINE
TO HIS BROTHER HENRY
WILLIAM COWPER
TO THE REV. JOHN NEWTON
TO THE REV. WILLIAM UNWIN
TO THE SAME
TO THE SAME
TO THE SAME
TO THE SAME
TO THE SAME
TO THE SAME
TO MRS. BODHAM
EDMUND BURKE
TO MATTHEW SMITH
EDWARD GIBBON
TO LORD SHEFFIELD
FRANCES D'ARBLAY
TO SUSAN BURNEY
TO SAMUEL CRISP
TO MRS. LOCK
GEORGE CRABBE
TO MARY LEADBEATER[1]
TO THE SAME
WILLIAM BLAKE
TO JOHN FLAXMAN
TO THOMAS BUTTS
TO THE SAME
MARY LEADBEATER
TO EDMUND BURKE
TO GEORGE CRABBE
ROBERT BURNS
TO MISS CHALMERS
TO MR. ROBERT AINSLIE
TO FRANCIS GROSE
WILLIAM WORDSWORTH
TO SIR GEORGE BEAUMONT
TO WALTER SCOTT
TO LADY BEAUMONT
TO SIR GEORGE BEAUMONT
SIR WALTER SCOTT
TO HIS MOTHER
TO MISS SEWARD
TO LADY LOUISA STUART
TO ROBERT SOUTHEY
TO J.B.S. MORRITT
TO THE SAME
TO LORD MONTAGU
TO J.B.S. MORRITT
TO MARIA EDGEWORTH
SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE
TO CHARLES LAMB
TO JOSEPH COTTLE
TO JOSIAH WADE
TO THOMAS ALLSOP
TO THE SAME
TO THE SAME
ROBERT SOUTHEY
TO JOSEPH COTTLE
TO JOHN MAY
TO EDWARD MOXON
=CHARLES LAMB=
TO SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE
TO THE SAME
TO THE SAME
TO WILLIAM WORDSWORTH
TO THOMAS MANNING
TO THE SAME
TO THE SAME
WILLIAM HAZLITT
TO HIS SON
LEIGH HUNT
TO THOMAS MOORE
TO JOHN MURRAY
TO THE SAME
TO THE SAME
PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY 1792-1822
JOHN KEATS
TO RICHARD WOODHOUSE
TO PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY
THOMAS HOOD
TO THE MANCHESTER ATHENAEUM
ROBERT BROWNING
ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING
CHARLOTTE BRONTË
TO A FRIEND
TO A FRIEND
TO THE SAME
TO A FRIEND
TO THE SAME