RF in Pisa to PE in Naples. Annoyed at the obstacles PE has met with re Herculaneum. News of friends. Interested in mss of Herodotus and Catullus. Offers to anything for PE in Florence.
(To PE in Florence.) PE has apparently been having difficulties in getting cooperation in Naples - William (Richard) Hamilton, Sir William a Court and Lord Spencer have tried to improve this. Gossip about the recent elections. Sudden death in Oxford of wife's younger brother. The convictions of Francis Burdett and Henry Hunt (re Peterloo massacre). As laureate Southey has been writing a carmen funebre in English hexameters - he is pleased with it, but 'fortunately has some hesitation about publishing it.' Success of Scott's Ivanhoe - comments on its defects, but five different dramatisations appeared simultaneously on the London stage within six weeks of its publication. Monastery, however, which has just been published, is much inferior. Wife has just avoided a threatened miscarriage (? - has frequently miscarried before). Subscription for William Page's widow and family (OW and HM - died 20th September, 1819), though confined to OWW, has raised
PE in Florence (intending to return in autumn). Mss. of Stobaeus. Niebuhr has (illicitly?) improved and reprinted a palimpsest publication of Mai. Visit of Bekker and Brandis to Oxford - working on Aristotle, and thwarted by Mai in Milan and by del Furia in the Laurentian (Florence). Praise of Bekker's collations. Blomfield unlikely to continue with Aeschylus after his appointment to the living of (St Botolph's) Bishopsgate.
(To PE in Florence.) Wife weak after a premature confinement. Brother Henry has just seen two carriages in Lyons said to belong to the Queen, but actually to the servants of Lady Bute; the Queen is probably pretending to journey to England in order to get a better settlement. Government weak -only kept in power by dislike and fear felt for their opponents.
Apologises that PE has not heard from the family since January. His mother tripped over an ottoman a month ago and bruised her hip - much better, though still not able to walk. Family and other local gossip. Sister Nancy has some ducks. Recently blooded for a headache, and now better. (Sister-in-law.) Family health issues (hers and Mary's). PE's books have arrived. Preparations for coronation and her indifference to it. The house in Sloane Street has been let out, and other legal matters. Her brother is in Ealing on half pay, having failed to get a Mediterranean appointment.
John Crawford in Rome to PE in Florence - has bought a paper from Amati (Carlo - professor of architecture, commentator on Vitruvius?), and is forwarding via an acquaintance. Hopes PE's labours at Oxford will be more useful than those on the papyri.
Thanks PE for letter from Florence dated 10th June. . Expressions of tender feelings from all of them. Mary has had a return of her headaches - would be cured sooner if she were more sedate. Nancy (Ann) is in good health, but not happy at being urged to go into company - sister-in-law is rather happy that she is not charmed by the gaieties which delight other young people. She hears universally good reports of John. PE has talked of a visit to Paris the following year, and Mary is afraid that he might meet a French woman and marry her. Has temporarily started taking a daily paper, because of a scandal involving a lady bidding open defiance to all the accusations against her. News of various friends. Her nephew Ben Hallowell is to leave Charterhouse for Trinity College Cambridge. Her brother is rightly concerned - 7 children, and not one provided for. A friend (Mrs G) is facing two charges - her enemies are perjuring themselves. Has had an accident, and fears she will always have a limp.
P B Duncan to PE in Paris, asking for help in commissioning an artist to paint some classical subjects (inc. the Parthenon). News from Oxford - death of Sir Christopher Pegge (regius professor of physic), disposal of some livings, suicide of Marquess of Londonderry (Lord Castlereagh - overwork and criticism from opponents brought on a nervous fever - his family removed his pistols and razors, but he managed to pierce his carotid artery with a small penknife), and the King has gone to Scotland (Walter Scott welcomed him to Edinburgh with a ballad).
