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Samuel Rogers and his Contemporaries
William Stewart Rose to Samuel Rogers, [25 June 1830]
INTRODUCTION & INDEXES
DOCUMENT INFORMATION
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Preface
Vol. I Contents
Chapter I. 1803-1805.
Chapter II. 1805-1809.
Chapter III. 1810-1812.
Chapter IV. 1813-1814.
Chapter V. 1814-1815.
Chapter VI. 1815-1816.
Chapter VII. 1816-1818.
Chapter VIII. 1818-19.
Chapter IX. 1820-1821.
Chapter X. 1822-24.
Chapter XI. 1825-1827.
Vol. II Contents
Chapter I. 1828-1830.
Chapter II. 1831-34.
Chapter III. 1834-1837.
Chapter IV. 1838-41.
Chapter V. 1842-44.
Chapter VI. 1845-46.
Chapter VII. 1847-50.
Chapter VIII. 1850
Chapter IX. 1851.
Chapter X. 1852-55.
Index
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‘Thursday: No. 1, St. Peter’s Place, Brighton.
[25th June, 1830.]

‘My dear Rogers,—I am most thankful to you for your promise; for I would fain go off the stage as gracefully as I can. You are right in supposing that I contemplate the conclusion of my labours1 with mixt sensations: but mine are not worthy of being compared with those of the men with whom you have confronted me. To use an ignoble, but very exact, similitude, I resemble a solitary ennuyé, who regrets (for want of something else to do) seeing the remains of his dinner taken away, though he has not appetite enough to renew the charge. I heard a melancholy account of your last expedition on the Continent, last autumn, from Lord and Lady Holland; but it was, by your account, yet more deplorable than I had imagined it to have been. May this summer, if you meditate a flight, be more propitious to you, though we have hitherto had more dripping, I believe, than during any given month of the last summer. I received a few days ago from Fazakerley certain queries, sent to England by a Florentine lady, respecting Foscolo; and yesterday a letter from herself; from which it appears that she is collecting materials for a life of him. A life of him, moreover, has been already written by Pecchio, which is printing in Italy; but in which he reserves an appendix

1 He was then occupied with his spirited translation of the Orlando Furioso, which was published in the following year.

WILLIAM STEWART ROSE43
for any interesting letters of his, should any such fall into his possession. He is, however, severe in his notions on such subjects: inveighs against “our gossiping and voluminous biography”; and will make no sacrifice to the English fashion of the day. This brings me to Moore, whose book, though it would not suit Pecchio, has entertained me greatly; and I rejoice that he will so soon launch his second volume. I have just had a most useful and amusing letter from Christie, upon the taste of the English public in pictures, in answer to certain queries; which answer was to determine whether two pictures should be sent to England from Italy for sale. I think I shall have it lithographed (that is, if I can obtain his permission) and address it, as a circular, to all my Italian friends. Pray put him on this subject, if you get a good opportunity. I did not know that he was animated by such splendida bilis as has flowed from his pen. His gall, however, has not spoiled his “milk of human kindness,” as is proved by his very good-natured and disinterested advice, which will save a friend of mine from being a sufferer through exaggerated notions of English taste and English riches.

‘I rejoice to hear of your labours. You are one of those who know how to use the file; and I should think that the limæ labor et mora would be entertaining to you. Pray tell Miss Rogers that I am much gratified by her kind recollection of me, and remember me to Hallam or any common friends who care for me.

‘Believe me, my dear Rogers, your faithful and much obliged,

‘W. S. Rose.’