Hatchard, John
To Lady Olivia Sparrow, November 30 1812
Hatchard is about to publish a little Book by a worthy friend of Mine, entitled ‘a Father’s Letters to his Children’*; I beg to recommend it to you as sound and deeply serious.
To Lady Olivia Sparrow, January 1813
I this moment receive your too kind letter, and tho it is late, and tho it is not a writing day,* and tho I have been so unusually ill the whole week, I could not sleep if I did not send you a line. I cannot express the vexation the mortification, I feel at your not having got the book from me.* I directed not Hatchard, but who is always the dispenser of presents because they are sent a few days before publication to send one the very first hour to Bruton Street – and you have not had it – I should have ordered it to Huntingdon with the Bishop's but you my dearest Lady preferred your town House. Such a thing ought not to vex me so much as it does. If you do not find it in Bruton Street – which you will be charitable enough to tell me, I will order Hatchard /Cadell/ to send you the very first of the 2d. Edition, which as the delay has been already so great will I hope put you in possession of a more correct copy. Believe me, it is not that I overrate the Book, by laying so much stress on this disappointment, but that I cannot bear the suspicion of neglect, where both my affections, my esteem and my gratitude are equally concerned.
To Lady Olivia Sparrow, March 18 1813
I know not what to say to for what I must call his elegant kindness. Do you think he would take it rightly [if] [tear] I sent him Christian Morals*? – has he [tear]ren? – they at least might read it – If you think it right, perhaps you would have the goodness to order Hatchard to get /ready/ a copy of the 4th. Edition elegantly bound, but not to send it till I write to you again. Take care of your health my dearest Lady – Remember that the constant excitement of your sensibility, and the exertions of your mind, with people of the right /stamp/ , is more wearing than the uninteresting insipidity of the frivolous.
To Lady Olivia Sparrow, January 16 1815
I have not heard from you of an age. Do give me a line to say when you go to Town, that I may know where to send Saint Paul to wait on you. The printing will be finished to morrow I hope and it will probably be out in [deletion] ten days. I have sent your name to to send Your copy; with that of your neighbour to Huntingdon, but if you are moving you woud perhaps like it better to meet you in Town. I am also going to order [to] Hatchard to send You the new Edition of the Dramas with the Additional Scene in Moses.* Pray speak of this to your friends to prevent their encouraging the pirated Editions – The genuine is only printed by Cadell and Davies.
Hannah More to Sarah (Sally) Horne Hole, 15 February 1817
In the intervals of sickness and other engagements I have been called upon to write a number of little papers and Tracts with a view to furnish some little antidote to the poison of disaffection and Sedition with which too many of the lower class are infected.* I did not at first acknowledge myself the Author but I was found out. Seeing it could not be concealed I have now called them Cheap Repository Tracts. I have given them to Hatchard who will be glad to serve you with as much of these penny wares as you chuse; and pray recommend them to your friends for dispersion among the common people, the Songs are only three Shillings a hundred. New Tracts a penny /each/
To Lady Olivia Sparrow, 11 August [1819]
Such a letter as your last should not have been unanswered a day, if I could have commanded my time, but in different ways I have really been working double tides. So much company, such an over-flow of letters, to say nothing of a presumptuous book of between 5 and 6 hundred pages hurried over in a few Months.* – It will be abused, and I am prepared for it. I hope Hatchard has by this time sent it you as I directed before publication who was here the other day gave us an interesting account of your Bible Meeting. I rejoyce that Episcopal tyranny could not defeat your pious labours. I have heard such stories lately from that quarter, as I had rather repeat than write.* – We too in our little way had a most prosperous Meeting* 40 Clergymen &c – 120 dined at Barley Wood in the Garden chiefly, and 200 drank tea – I shall thankfully forwards your kind Subscriptions to the French Translation, as soon as I am informed that my former one was received.* They frightened me by calling the Tracts Contes Moraux, that Rogue Mamontal’s Title I have as I think I told you prefixed the Epithet Nouveaux which I think will obviate it.* The priests are very watchful and we must be prudent. I have got in the Conservateur, as well as the News papers of Paris, such abuse of the Bible Society!* – Poor ! his society was rather too much for you! Painful recollections must have been inseparable from the sight of him. – And there is no hope!*
Hannah More to Thomas Babington Macaulay, 14 October [no year]
I must write one line to thank for your two letters, which I do with the more pleasure because they were written in so good a hand, so neat and free from blots. By this obvious improvement you have intitled yourself to another book. You must go to Hatchard’s and chuse. I think we have nearly exhausted the Epics. What think you of a little good prose? – Johnson’s Hebrides* or Walton’s Lives* – unless you would like a neat Edition of Cowper’s Poems* or of Paradise Lost* for your own eating* – In any case chuse something which you do not possess. – I want you to become a complete Frenchman that I may give you Racine the only Dramatic Poet I know in any modern language that is perfectly pure and good.* On second thoughts what say you to Potter’s Eschylus* on attendant that you are a complete Grecian? – It is very finely done and as heroic as any of your Epics. If you prefer it Send for this to Hatchard’s neatly bound. I think you have hit off the Ode very well, I am much obliged to you for the Dedication. I shall reserve your translation to see how progressive your improvement is. Next Summer if it please God I hope We shall talk over some of these things. Remember me kindly to and tell him I cannot say how much I am obliged to him for his kindness to poor Shepherd*. He has made the Widow’s heart to sing for joy* – O Tom! that is better, and will be found so in the long /run/ to have written as good an Ode as himself*.
To Lady Olivia Sparrow, [No date, but likely March/April 1817]
I write a hasty line to take advantage of ’s Patent Frank* to send you a Specimen of my learned labours. I was earnestly desired by some high persons to do something towards an Antidote for the evil Spirit of insurrection which is at work more busily perhaps than you are aware. The Tract inclosed I have adapted to the present times, and it is widely circulated.* Perhaps you would like to order some copies from Hatchard, and recommend Your Friends to do the same.