The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-10-15
LETTER. WRITER'S.
Second Series of Charles knights "EEaIf
Hours with the best Letter. Writer'S"

Second Series of Charles TX nights "HTaIT
Hours with the Best letter. writer's"
Mr.. Charles Knight has just published in
London the continuation of the Half Hours
with the Best Letter Writers and AHtobiogra-
phers," of which the Examiner sGys:-
Tine editor has been fortunate enough to
Obtain permission to give some interesting letters
of Robert Southey and George Canning, hitherto
unpublished, and which here appear in print for
the FIRST time. This is q great innovation on the
original plan OF the work, which, however,
1eaGers will no doubt heartily welcome, as
conierrDg upon it a vastly increased value.
MIR. Knight has not confined himself entirely to
quotation, but intersperses the letters which
make up the bulk Of the volume by frequent
and opportuue remarks, thro wing consider bic
light upon the topics discussed there n. Thus,
IN the chapter devoted TO the poet Cowper, the
editor remarks:-
CowPER.
"There has probably never been written a
piece of autobiography so melancholy as Cow
pers narrative of his own mental sufferings;
whilst lew letters are more replete than his with
playful vivacity. or display q more healthfu
interest in external things. The great charm OF
these letters beyond the charm of their second
sense and grateful style consists in the vivid
picture they offer to us of the writer's daily lfe
and every change of thought and feeling. There
is nothing assumed. We ieel that the words are
the very reflection of the mind that formed
them. AS we read the quiet couple in their
ugly house at 0lney, or in their peasauter abode
at Weston, become our personal friends; and we
experience as much interest in the fit of the
new periwig, and as much triumph in the
achievements of Beau, as If this were still the
age OF periwig and as If the most sagacious OF
spaniels had not lived and died in the last cen.
tury. Cowper himself has said of his letters:-
'''I can compare this mind of mine to nothing
that resembles it more than to board that is
under the carpenters plane Il mean while am
writing to you), the shavings are my uppermOst
thoughts; after a few strokes of the tool, 1t ac-
quires new surface; this again, upon a repeti-
ton of his task, he takes off, and new surface
still succeeds whether the shavings Of the pre-
sent day will be worth your acceptance | know
not; am unfortunately made neither of cedar
nor of mahogany, but 1runcus tcu'rouS inutite
Hgnaan; consequently, though should be planed
Till AN as thin as wafer, it will be but rubbish
TO the last.'n
LETTER FROM e1BBoN.
The following letter from Gibbon to Lord
Sheffield will explain itself
July 10th, l7S3.-At the end of the Parlia-
ment, or rather long before that time tfor their
lives are not worth q years purchase) oar
ministers are kicked down stairs, and am lett,
their disnterested friend, to fight through
another opposition, and to expect the fruits of
another revolution. But will take more
favorable supposition, and conceive myself in
six months firmly seated at the Board of Gus
toms; before the end of the next six months |
should intalliby bang myself. Instead of
regretting my disappointment, I rejoice in my
escape; as am satisfied that no salary could p ~
me for the irksomeness Of attendance and the
dru6eery of business so repugnant to my taste
land l Will dare to say so unworthy of my
character. Without looking forward to the pos.
sibilty, still more remote. OF exchanging that
| laborious Office for a smaller annuity, there is
| surely another plan, more reasonable, more SIM
| pie, and more pleasaut-a temporary retreat to
| a quiet and less expensive scene. In four
| years. residence at Lausanne, / should live
| within my income-save, and even accumulate,
| my ready money-6nish my History, an object
| of profit as well as of fame expect the contin-
| gences Of elderly lives-and return to England
| at the age of fifty 10 form lasting independent
| establishment, without courtlpg the smiles of a
minister o. apprehending the doWnfall of a
| party"
The chapters containing the unpublished let.
| ters of Robert Southey and George Canning will
attract many readers, especially as they contain
much valuable matter, and many references to
| the prominent men and topics of the period.
| The following extracts from these letters of
Souhey are particularly nteresting:-
"Colerdge's Ode, for which you inquire, is
| printed in quarto eighteenpennyworth of his
| poems by Johnson, for which you must inquire
by the title of Fears IN soltude; but have the
| pamphlet at BuIton-and the ode is of so little
value that Coeridge has requested me to re-
print the other poems there, IN the Anthology,
and let that die and be forgotten, according to
| its deserts"
"Will you help forward charitable work
and assist the subscription for Chatterton? |
| enclose a few of the prospectuses as briefs. We
have about two hundred names and we ought
to have one thousand, and shall have, with a
little eXertlon on the part of our friends"
| CANNING.
A letter from George Canning when at Eton,
de crlbes his boYish hopes and fears and his
| college exercises, shows his determination 10
| make himself a thorough master of the classics,
| and relates his first attempt at puolic speaking
Canning is writing to Mr.. III. j. Richmond, OF
G. c. c., Oxford:-
'My Dear Sr:-After having kept so long a
| silence, scarce know how to begin to address
| you again, as fear you must be and are justly
| offended with me; but do not, l beg OF you,
ascribe my silence to any want of affection and
| gratitude to you, which, believe me, my dearest
| sir, do and ever shall entertain for you in the
| highest degree. To what then, you will say, can
| it be ascribed but Incidence? Not to that only,
indeed; that that must have been the primary
cause cannot deny; but when once had de-
| layed writing to you for month sort OF
shame withheld me, and the sense of my fault
| kept me from making the only reparation for
it, Many times have ] resolved to write,
and as often, by recolecting how long |
had neglected it, / was deferred, and knew
not how to set about it. l am now resolved
TO write to beg your forgiveness for my
| past remissness, and most faithfully to assure
you l will in future be regular and puDctual in
my correspondence; that | may not however,
turn my whole letter into an apology, will
change the subject and sIeak TO you as if my
dear sir, at the top of Eton SCHOOL, am the
first of the Oppidants (Commoners you call
them)-I was to have been put on the founda-
tion: but did so much dislike the idea, and so
evidently saw the great difference of behavior
and respect paid to the one situation IN pre-
ference to the other, that prevailed on my
uncle (being aided by the advice of Mr., Fox
and Mr.. Sheridan, who gave their opinions in
my favor) TO give up the idea. Hear some of
s.tAr GA1ln akn