A thousand thanks, my dear Sir, for your kind & delightful letter. I felt that I had not deserved it—for I must have appeared sadly inattentive & undeserving by being three days in town without waiting on Mrs. HaydonMary Hyman Haydon
The daughter of the Rev. Benjamin Cobley, the Rector of Dodbrooke, Kingsbridge, Devon, she was widowed with two children when she married Benjamin Robert Haydon on 10 October 1821.—ghb—But you know how it happened—On the Friday I was not [sure] that you had not moved in the first place when Pope set out in quest of you, & in the second it was necessary that I should keep myself perfectly quiet to attend an appointment with Mr. C KembleCharles Kemble | Born: 1775-11-25 in Brecon, South Wales. Died: 1854-11-12 in England.
British actor, the younger brother of John Phillip Kemble and Sarah Siddons. Although he was considered by some to be as fine an actor as his sister and brother, he mostly appeared in secondary rather than leading roles. Father of Frances Kemble. One of the co-proprietors of Covent Garden Theatre . He served as Examiner of Plays in the early nineteenth-century, reviewing plays for licensing by the Lord Chamberlain.—lmw
at two oclocko'clock—Saturday you were as I knew [out] —Sunday as I knew coming—besides which I was actually confined to the house on both of those days from the necessity of not missing a friend whom I was obliged to see after my interview with the ManagerWilliam Charles Macready | Born: 1793-03-03 in London, England. Died: 1873-04-27 in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England.
English actor, one of the most prominent tragedians of his era. He appeared at Covent Garden and Drury Lane Theatres in London and also toured the United States. He appeared in Sheridan Knowles's William Tell, Byron's Sardanapolus, and Bulwer-Lytton's Money (1840), as well as in many Shakespearean roles. He also managed both Covent Garden and Drury Lane Theatres. In his role as actor-manager, Macready was a correspondent and collaborator with Mary Russell Mitford. The first play on which they worked was Mitford's Julian. Mitford dedicated to Macready the print edition of Julian: To William Charles Macready, Esq., with high esteem for those endowments which have cast new lustre on his art; with warm admiration for those powers which have inspired, and that taste which has fostered the tragic dramatists of his age; with heartfelt gratitude for the zeal with which he befriended the production of a stranger, for the judicious alterations which he suggested, and for the energy, the pathos, and the skill with which he more than emhodied its principal character; this tragedy is most respectfully dedicated by the author. Macready retired from the stage in 1851. —lmw
to make sure that I might not by altering to please him displease Mr. MacreadyWilliam Charles Macready | Born: 1793-03-03 in London, England. Died: 1873-04-27 in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England.
English actor, one of the most prominent tragedians of his era. He appeared at Covent Garden and Drury Lane Theatres in London and also toured the United States. He appeared in Sheridan Knowles's William Tell, Byron's Sardanapolus, and Bulwer-Lytton's Money (1840), as well as in many Shakespearean roles. He also managed both Covent Garden and Drury Lane Theatres. In his role as actor-manager, Macready was a correspondent and collaborator with Mary Russell Mitford. The first play on which they worked was Mitford's Julian. Mitford dedicated to Macready the print edition of Julian: To William Charles Macready, Esq., with high esteem for those endowments which have cast new lustre on his art; with warm admiration for those powers which have inspired, and that taste which has fostered the tragic dramatists of his age; with heartfelt gratitude for the zeal with which he befriended the production of a stranger, for the judicious alterations which he suggested, and for the energy, the pathos, and the skill with which he more than emhodied its principal character; this tragedy is most respectfully dedicated by the author. Macready retired from the stage in 1851. —lmw
—& on Sunday Evening I was so unwell as to be obliged to make [up] my friend to disappoint myself by breaking my appointment for Monday morning—& it was very well I did so—for [gap: 1 word.] when the morning came I was fit for nothing but to be [backed] off home. In fact a country lady who lives almost literally in the open air, in green fields or flowery gardens, is terribly out of her element in LondonLondon, England | London | England | 51.5073509 -0.12775829999998223 Capital city of England and the United Kingdom; one the oldest cities in Western Europe. Major seaport and global trading center at the mouth of the Thames. From 1831 to 1925, the largest city in the world.—lmw in hot weather—All the time that I was in [Norton] Street I felt just as I suppose that Patriarchal Larch — [tell] of hotland must have done, when crammed into a garden hot & coddled amongst the myrtles & orange trees of the page 2
Duke of [ AtholeAtholl ] 's [4] Mitford does not make a direct indication as to which Duke of Atholl she is referencing; it is assumed that she is speaking of the Duke living at the time of writing.—ms greenhouse [5] Mitford is likely comparing the European larch to smaller trees to emphasize feeling out of place in the hot cityscape of London.—ms. But I am so sorry not to have seen the two [charms] of Lisson GroveLisson Grove, Westminster, London, England | Lisson Grove | Westminster | London | England | 51.5247788 -0.16831469999999626 District in the City of Westminster, London, west of Regent’s Park. Student artists and painters from the Royal Academy lived in this district in the early nineteenth century, including William Blake, Richard Cosway, and Benjamin Robert Haydon. Also the name of a road in the district.—lmw—The furniture—& its fair [Inspirer] . Well I will hope that the day may come when I shall be so fortunate as to make acquaintance with both—especially the latter. I cannot tell you, my dear Mr. Haydon, with what pleasure & interest I read your fresh & glowing account of your mutual happiness—No wonder that you fear society—or rather that you fear that fine company which does not deserve the name of society, & which seems to me good for nothing but to spoil the mind, the manners, the very beauty of women, & to turn them into the sort of fine [6] There is a small tear in the paper here that could be mistaken for a comma.—ms ladies which you have described so well in your portrait of the wife of the Portrait Painter —poor man. How you must have pitied him! For my [part] I think that except here & there some "creature of poetry" [7] It is unclear if Mitford is making a specific reference here. However, because she was well aquainted with the writings of John Keats', Mitford could be referencing the phrase, "fair creature of an hour," from line nine of his poem, "When I Have Fears That I May Cease to Be."—ms just as you have been happy enough to meet with & to deserve, Ladies are nowadays all alike—all accomplished—all literary—all artificial—with heads divided between Quadrilles [8] Resembling American square dancing, the quadrille was a popularized dance in Europe during the 18th and 19th centuries in which four couples assembled in a square formation and took turns dancing.—ms & criticism—If [routs] [&] reviews had been extant in Shakespeare'sWilliam Shakespeare | Born: 1564-04 in Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire, England. Died: 1616-04-23 in Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire, England.
Early modern era actor, theater manager, poet, and playwright. Part owner of playing company The Lord Chamberlain's men and author or co-author of thirty-eight plays. Considered the greatest English dramatist and Britain's national poet. Mitford wrote in the Introduction to her Dramatic Works: I had grown up—it is the privilege of English people to grow up—in the worship of Shakespeare, and many of his favourite scenes I literally knew by heart. —lmw
time we should not have had the ViolasViola
Character in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.—lmw & the DesdemonasDesdemona
character in Othello —lmw.—You see I cannot help coming back to the Drama. If Miss JamesElizabeth Mary James, or: Miss James | Born: 1775 in Bath, Somerset, England. Died: 1861-11-25 in 3 Pembroke Villas, Richmond, Surrey, England.
Close friend and correspondent of Mary Russell Mitford. She was the eldest daughter of Thomas Webb and Susanna Haycock. Her father died in 1818 and her mother in 1835. After her parents’ deaths, she lived with her two younger sisters, Emily and Susan, in Green Park Buildings, Bath, Walcot, Somerset; High Street, Mortlake, Surrey; and 3 Pembroke Villas, Richmond, Surrey. According to Coles, referring to Mitford’s diary, letters were also addressed to her at Bellevue, Lower Road, Richmond (Coles 26). She was buried at St. Mary Magdalene, Richmond, Surrey. In the 1841 census, she is listed as living on independent means; in the 1851 census, as landholder; in the 1861 census, she as railway shareholder.—lmw had the pleasure of seeing you she probably told you that "Foscari"Foscari: A Tragedy. Mary Russell Mitford. London : G. B. Whittaker . 1826. was accepted—& that Mr. Charles KembleCharles Kemble | Born: 1775-11-25 in Brecon, South Wales. Died: 1854-11-12 in England.
British actor, the younger brother of John Phillip Kemble and Sarah Siddons. Although he was considered by some to be as fine an actor as his sister and brother, he mostly appeared in secondary rather than leading roles. Father of Frances Kemble. One of the co-proprietors of Covent Garden Theatre . He served as Examiner of Plays in the early nineteenth-century, reviewing plays for licensing by the Lord Chamberlain.—lmw
, whose conduct has really been very kind, promises certainly to bring it out next season—but there must be another alteration in the catastrophe—which as well as the delay exceedingly page 3
provokes my still kinder, though unknown, friend Mr. MacreadyWilliam Charles Macready | Born: 1793-03-03 in London, England. Died: 1873-04-27 in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England.
English actor, one of the most prominent tragedians of his era. He appeared at Covent Garden and Drury Lane Theatres in London and also toured the United States. He appeared in Sheridan Knowles's William Tell, Byron's Sardanapolus, and Bulwer-Lytton's Money (1840), as well as in many Shakespearean roles. He also managed both Covent Garden and Drury Lane Theatres. In his role as actor-manager, Macready was a correspondent and collaborator with Mary Russell Mitford. The first play on which they worked was Mitford's Julian. Mitford dedicated to Macready the print edition of Julian: To William Charles Macready, Esq., with high esteem for those endowments which have cast new lustre on his art; with warm admiration for those powers which have inspired, and that taste which has fostered the tragic dramatists of his age; with heartfelt gratitude for the zeal with which he befriended the production of a stranger, for the judicious alterations which he suggested, and for the energy, the pathos, and the skill with which he more than emhodied its principal character; this tragedy is most respectfully dedicated by the author. Macready retired from the stage in 1851. —lmw
. I must alter it however as well as I can—A manager has certainly a right to require that—& I am sure from the extreme frankness & friendliness of Mr. C. Kemble'sCharles Kemble | Born: 1775-11-25 in Brecon, South Wales. Died: 1854-11-12 in England.
British actor, the younger brother of John Phillip Kemble and Sarah Siddons. Although he was considered by some to be as fine an actor as his sister and brother, he mostly appeared in secondary rather than leading roles. Father of Frances Kemble. One of the co-proprietors of Covent Garden Theatre . He served as Examiner of Plays in the early nineteenth-century, reviewing plays for licensing by the Lord Chamberlain.—lmw
manner that he is really afraid of the present catastrophe—But you may imagine what a job it will be when [I tell] you, that this fifth Act has already been remodelled 6 times! The DogeDoge Foscari
character in Mitford’s play Foscari See also historical counterpart: Doge Foscari.—ebb has died of joy—& his sonFrancesco Foscari
character in Foscari —ebb
See also historical counterpart: son of Doge Foscari.—ebb has died of joy—there have been two poisonings (the one by the bye worse than the other—I am a sad hand at a fatal draughtdraft)—two assissinations—& how I am going to kill my heroFrancesco Foscari
character in Foscari —ebb
See also historical counterpart: son of Doge Foscari.—ebb by fair fighting. This, to compare a very small thing with a very great one, is almost like the alterations in the Head of Christ in your great Picture—at [Damage: 1 char, agent: tear.]east it had the same uncomfortable & [9] This ampersand is partially covered by red wax from the letter's seal.—ms unsettling effect on my mind, that the   altering your sublime conception must have had on your ['] syours [10] Ink from the delivery stamp has bled through the page at this location in the letter, but does not affect the legibility of either the stamp text or letter content.—ms. I have too a lurking fear that, not from any fault of the ManagerWilliam Charles Macready | Born: 1793-03-03 in London, England. Died: 1873-04-27 in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England.
English actor, one of the most prominent tragedians of his era. He appeared at Covent Garden and Drury Lane Theatres in London and also toured the United States. He appeared in Sheridan Knowles's William Tell, Byron's Sardanapolus, and Bulwer-Lytton's Money (1840), as well as in many Shakespearean roles. He also managed both Covent Garden and Drury Lane Theatres. In his role as actor-manager, Macready was a correspondent and collaborator with Mary Russell Mitford. The first play on which they worked was Mitford's Julian. Mitford dedicated to Macready the print edition of Julian: To William Charles Macready, Esq., with high esteem for those endowments which have cast new lustre on his art; with warm admiration for those powers which have inspired, and that taste which has fostered the tragic dramatists of his age; with heartfelt gratitude for the zeal with which he befriended the production of a stranger, for the judicious alterations which he suggested, and for the energy, the pathos, and the skill with which he more than emhodied its principal character; this tragedy is most respectfully dedicated by the author. Macready retired from the stage in 1851. —lmw
, but from an unlucky confluence of better Plays , my poor FoscariFoscari: A Tragedy. Mary Russell Mitford. London : G. B. Whittaker . 1826. may never be acted at all. Sir Walter ScottWalter Scott, Sir, Baronet, or: Sir Baronet | Born: 1771-08-15 in College Wynd, Edinburgh, Scotland. Died: 1832-09-21 in Abbotsford, near Melrose, Roxburghshire, Scotland.
Scottish advocate, antiquarian, poet, and novelist. Also worked as clerk of the Court of Session in Edinburgh. He assembled a collection of Scottish ballads, many of which had never before been printed, in Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, first published in 1802, but continually expanded in revised editions through 1812 . Author of the long romance poems, The Lay of the Last Minstrel (1805), Marmion (1808), and The Lady of the Lake (1810). From 1814-1831, Scott published 23 novels, and over the course of his literary career, he wrote review articles for the Edinburgh Review, The Quarterly Review, Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, and the Foreign Quarterly Review.—ebb, esh
is going to take the field—& worse still—no not worse—better for literature & the Drama & the Country (God defend me from Envy!)—better still Mr. KnowlesJames Sheridan Knowles | Born: 1784-05-12 in Cork, Ireland. Died: 1862-11-30 in Torquay, Devonshire, England.
Actor and author, known as Sheridan Knowles. Friend of William Hazlitt, Charles Lamb, and Samuel Taylor Coleridge. His father James Knowles was the cousin of Richard Brinsley Sheridan. Wrote William Tell for Macready. Later became a Baptist preacher. —lmw, rnes
has another Play [11] If she is speaking about a specific play, Mitford could be referencing Sheridan's William Tell, completed in 1825.—ms if not two to send in—& what could stand against another VirginiusVirginius. Sheridan Knowles. ? Mr. KembleCharles Kemble | Born: 1775-11-25 in Brecon, South Wales. Died: 1854-11-12 in England.
British actor, the younger brother of John Phillip Kemble and Sarah Siddons. Although he was considered by some to be as fine an actor as his sister and brother, he mostly appeared in secondary rather than leading roles. Father of Frances Kemble. One of the co-proprietors of Covent Garden Theatre . He served as Examiner of Plays in the early nineteenth-century, reviewing plays for licensing by the Lord Chamberlain.—lmw
promises through all—& I should believe—only that it is so difficult to replant Hope when it has once been [booted] out—Nevertheless I shall write on, & attempt higher things than this pretty but too womanish Tragedy. page 4
Pray forgive me for writing so much on so unworthy a subject—but I am so interested in all that concerns you that I cannot help flattering myself that you in some small degree return the compliment—& this is not an affair of vanity—but of comfort—almost of [12] The content of the letter is written around the Address Leaf information, broken at this point in Mitford's message.—ms subsistence. Oh what a terrible thing it is to have only the powerless will to be offense to those who are so very very dear!—God bless you my dear friendBenjamin Robert Haydon | Born: 1786-01-26 in Plymouth, England. Died: 1846-06-22 in London.
Benjamin Robert Haydon was a painter educated at the Royal Academy, who was famous for contemporary, historical, classical, biblical, and mythological scenes, though tormented by financial difficulties and incarceration. He painted William Wordsworth's portrait in 1842 and painted a cameo of Keats in his epic canvas Christ's Entry into Jerusalem(1814-20). MRM was introduced to him at his London studio in the spring of 1817, and Sir William Elford was a mutual friend, and Haydon’s own acquaintances included several prominent British Romantic literary figures. He completed The Raising of Lazarus in 1823 . He wrote a diary and an autobiography, both of which were published only posthumously, and he committed suicide in 1846. George Paston's Little Memoirs of the Nineteenth Century (1893) contends that Mitford was asked to edit Haydon's memoir, but declined.—rnes, ebb!—My [ father & mother ] join in all that is kindest to you & to Mrs. HaydonMary Hyman Haydon
The daughter of the Rev. Benjamin Cobley, the Rector of Dodbrooke, Kingsbridge, Devon, she was widowed with two children when she married Benjamin Robert Haydon on 10 October 1821.—ghb—whom I cannot think of as a stranger—