Letter to <persName ref="#Hamilton_S">S Hamilton</persName>, April 9, 1823 Brooke A. Stewart Mary Russell Mitford Society: Digital Mitford Project University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center Elisa Beshero-Bondar Transcription and coding by Gracia Amos Date last checked: 2016-12-31 Proofing and corrections by Brooke A. Stewart Lisa M. Wilson First digital edition in TEI, date: May 6, 2015. P5. Edition made with help from photos taken by Digital Mitford editors Digital Mitford photo files: 9April1823Hamilton4f.JPG, 9April1823Hamilton4e.JPG, 9April1823Hamilton4d.JPG, 9April1823Hamilton4c.JPG, 9April1823Hamilton4b.JPG, 9April1823Hamilton4a.JPG, 9April1823Hamilton3d.JPG, 9April1823Hamilton3c.JPG, 9April1823Hamilton3b.JPG, 9April1823Hamilton2c.JPG, 9April1823Hamilton3a.JPG, 9April1823Hamilton2b.JPG, 9April1823Hamilton2a.JPG, 9April1823Hamilton1b.JPG, 9April1823Hamilton1c.JPG, 9April1823Hamilton1a.JPG Digital Mitford: The Mary Russell Mitford Archive Greensburg, PA, USA 2013

Reproduced by courtesy of the Reading Central Library.

Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License Digital Mitford Letters: The Mary Russell Mitford Archive Reading Central Library The letters of Mary Russell Mitford, vol. 4, 1819-1823 qB/TU/MIT Vol. 4 Horizon No.: 1361550 ff. 468 Letter from Mary Russell Mitford to S. Hamilton, 1823 April 9.

Single full sheet of paper, two surfaces photographed, folded in sixths. The single page bears the end of the letter one side, and (after being folded into six panels) exposes the address on the other side.

Address leaf lacks postmarks, bears only the address in Mitford's hand.

Sheet torn on left edge of page, there is a coin-sized hole in the middle of the page toward the left edge from where the seal was adhered.

No seal is present.

 Someone, apparently other than Mitford, who occasionally left notes in a spidery thin hand to explain or document details in Mitford's letters in the margins of her pages, noted in the manuscripts held at Reading Central Library. This may be William Harness or A. G. L'Estrange. This annotator left a note at the top of the first leaf that documents the recipient of the letter as S. Hamilton, followed by a single "dotted x" that refers the reader to the bottom of the page where there is another single "x" followed by "Editor of the Lady's Magazine". There is a second note at the bottom of the page reading "The Lady's Magazine" marked with a "dotted x". Red crayon or thick red pencil. Probably a different hand from Mitford's that marks many of her letters, sometimes drawing diagonal lines across pages, and sometimes writing words overtop and perpendicularly across Mitford's writing. A red line is drawn from top left to middle of the page on the address leaf. Someone, apparently other than Mitford, perhaps cataloging letters and describing them, who left grey pencil marks and numbered her letters now in the Reading Central Library's collection. This letter is numbered "7" in the top left of the first leaf.

Mitford’s spelling and punctuation are retained, except where a word is split at the end of a line and the beginning of the next in the manuscript. Where Mitford’s spelling and hyphenation of words deviates from the standard, in order to facilitate searching we are using the TEI elements “choice," “sic," and “reg" to encode both Mitford’s spelling and the regular international standard of Oxford English spelling, following the first listed spelling in the Oxford English Dictionary. The long s and ligatured forms are not encoded.

 Moved Reading Pen Annotator's top note into place in the add element in our encoding of the top of the first leaf. Checked for completion and corrected spelling errors. Can be proofed. Fixed a few transcription errors and updated and added links for S. Hamilton. Made a few transcribing suggestions and put in viaf link for S. Hamilton. Further proofing and transcription errors, especially with gaps and handNotes. Added si for Samuel Hamilton, and a note on the Julian review. Updated header to include the correct letter xml:id and idno, fixed minor transcription errors. Added header information.
To S. Hamilton EsqrEditor of the Lady's Magazine Three Mile Cross April 9th 1823. My dear Sir

I avail myself of the return of our friend Mr. Talfourd to send you another article for the magazine The Lady's Magazine--I have one half written, which you shall have by the middle of next week at latest--much sooner if I can find an opportunity--on the subject of the "Mayings" which the country people hold in the North of Hampshire--I mention this to you because perhaps on account of the subject you might like to keep room for it this month--It will be rather longer than the enclosed but not much.

I find that my Father explained to you the mistake respecting Foscari--Be assured that it was not intentional--I won't at all know what will be the event of that play--but as you say there is no hurry. I should at all events wish to keep open communication with Mr. Elliston if not for Here a tear in the paper obliterates the rest of the line. There is no evidence of what is missing from the end of the line. Here, "for" appears twice; this is how it appears in the letter, and is not a typo. This may be due to the gap at the end of the line where a word may be missing. The missing words could possibly be "that, then" or "it, then", given the context. for other tragedies--if ever I get courage enough to write more for really I have been so attacked as a woman (I do not mind fair criticism--or any criticism on the work) the Author has been so mixed up with her production, that it is like going into a field of battle to produce a successful play. This must account for & excuse to you the feelings of very unusual irritation under which you saw me--Do not judge of me by the temper I showed then--for really I am a very peaceful quiet person except when so terribly excited--& at present the nervousness having subsided I feel nothing but thankfulness--a deep & abiding thankfulness to all concerned in Julian--& am very far indeed from entering into any cabal against the Manager--As far as Macready would be from wishing to engaging me in one.--At present The Foscari will remain in the Theatre--perhaps they may return it--but if not it does not seem right to Mr. Talfourd or to me to withdraw it at present. The last No. of the magazine is very good indeed--I have shown it to several persons in this neighborhood as well as distributed the extra copies & have great hopes that it will be taken in by several families--I mean of course our magazine.--Can you at all tell who wrote the article on Julian in the London? Mitford is probably referring to the review of Julian in The London Magazine published in April 1823. The review praised the clarity of the characters and dialogue, but condemned the plot and acting. Overall, the review held more respect for Mitford's written publication than the stage performance of the play.I exceedingly wish to know--you know I suppose that my reason for wishing Foscari out of Covent Garden is that Mr. Macready (to whom I am under so great obligations) may not be called upon to play the Doge--Mr. Kemble I know wishes it performed & if they had Mr. Young next season I should not object--only I do not wish to be so ungrateful as to impose a part he dislikes on Mr. Macready--Of course this is between ourselves.--My Father begs his compliments dear sir

Very truly your's yours MR Mitford
S. Hamilton Esqre 30 Judd Street Brunswick Square