Beschreibung:

REYNOLDS, JOHN HAMILTON Ten autograph letters signed (nearly all "J H Reynolds") to his publishers Taylor and Hessey (seven addressed to Dr. John Taylor two to Hessey, and one to both), all London, 19 June 1816 - 19 August 1821, and n.d. Together 21 pages, 8vo-4to (mostly 8vo), slight to moderate marginal fraying or mildewing to 5 letters with loss of a few words in one, another letter with some holes with partial loss of a few words, some light dampstaining, a few wax seal impressions present. A fine correspondence: Reynolds (perhaps best remembered for The Fancy , 1820, and for being a close friend of John Keats discusses his own writings in detail in five of the letters (in one of these he also gives his opinion of the poetry of James Montgomery); in another letter he mentions William Hazlitt Among other authors Taylor and Hessey published were De Quincey, Hazlitt, John Clare, and, of course, Keats. "Tuesday night," n.d.: "I have my Tragedy now -- And I sent it to you for your reading. The Theatre thinks it wants Spendour & noise: -- Is not this hard -- that an Author must sacrifice his faculties to 'inexplicable dum [ sic ] shew & noise' -- ere he can be admitted behind scenes. If, on the perusal you like it, can you let me have 20 Guineas on it..." "Thursday Night, n.d.: "...I do not like this opening lecture [by William Hazlitt] so well as any of those I heard, -- but it is full of kernel. Hazlitt past the Evening with me last night comfortably enough, but I was far gone in pain & weariness, and could hardly keep up the game of convesation..." 4 May 1818: "At length I send for your perusal the first Canto of a Poem [ The Fancy ?], which I mentioned to you nearly two years ago: -- It will at any rate prove to you that I have not wholly lost the power of continuing a work which I had once begun. During the time of its composition, many changes have taken place in my views, my fortune & my mind: -- I was at first a mere Idler in the Town, in no very good health, & with no prospect before me. -- I began this Poem in what I call the morning of a bettered life, -- amid scenes which were most likely to afford me good imagery, -- and under an inspiration which ought not idly to die away..." n.d.: "I do not expect that you should or would risk a farthing upon me, for it really strikes me that Poetry in these days is as dangerous a speculation as Hops -- But I cannot go Elsewhere till I hear from you, -- I shall print one or two little specialties at the end to make the book -- booky ..." With typed transcripts. (Milne)