Recollections of Writers
Leigh Hunt to Mary Cowden Clarke, 8 January 1855
Hammersmith, January 8th, 1855.
Victorianellina amabile e carina,—Very pleasant to
me was the sight of your handwriting, yet so much the more unpleasant it is to be
forced to write to you briefly. The address of the London Library is 12, St.
James’ Square. Circumstances have conspired to hamper me with three books at
once, the “Kensington”
aforesaid, a collection of my “Stories in verse” with revisals, new Preface and a continuation
of my autobiography. The
consequence is that ![]()
| LEIGH HUNT AND HIS LETTERS. | 263 |
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I have
been overworked in the midst of severe cold and cough (the latter the longer and
rather severest I have yet had, for cough I always have) and thus I am able only to
continue the reading of Charles’
lecture, attractive as it is, by driblets (availing myself of the additional time
he gave me, though not all of it), and am forced still to
postpone writing to Alfred. Give, pray, my
kindest remembrances to him. Tell him I tried hard to write an article for the
Musical
Times by the 20th of December, but could not do it; that I wished
very much to begin the New Year with him; that I still purpose to go on (having
more than one special object in so doing); that I will recommence the very first
moment I can; and that meantime I rejoice to see the honour done to my Christmas
verses by Mr. Macfarren’s music. I
have not heard it, for I have heard nothing but the voice of booksellers and the
sound of my pen and my lungs; but I shall make the first acquaintance with it
feasible, and look to it as a greeting at the close of some toilsome vista.
Dear Victoria,
Mary, or whatsoever title best please thine ear, I am ever
the sincere old friend of you and yours,
I need not say how heartily I reciprocate your Christmas
wishes.
Charles Cowden Clarke (1787-1877)
The schoolmate and friend of John Keats; he lectured on Shakespeare and European
literature and published
Recollections of Writers (1878).
Mary Victoria Cowden Clarke [née Novello] (1809-1898)
The daughter of the musician Vincent Novello, she married Charles Cowden Clarke in 1828
and wrote works on Shakespeare, including
The Complete Concordance to
Shakespeare (1845).
James Henry Leigh Hunt (1784-1859)
English poet, journalist, and man of letters; editor of
The
Examiner and
The Liberal; friend of Byron, Keats, and
Shelley.
Sir George Alexander Macfarren (1813-1887)
English composer who studied at the Royal Academy of Music where he later taught; he was
the son of the impresario son of George Macfarren (1788-1843) and brother of the composer
Walter Cecil Macfarren (1826-1905).
Joseph Alfred Novello (1810-1896)
Music publisher, the eldest son of Vincent Novello and the younger brother of Mary Cowden
Clark.
