Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of Illustrations Page
- General Editors’ Preface
- Acknowledgements
- Chronology
- List of Abbreviations
- Introduction
- Calendar of Letters
- Letters to Esther Johnson and Rebecca Dingley, 1710–1713
- Appendices
- A Swift, Harley, St John and the Political Debates Behind the Journal to Stella
- B Surviving Letters to and From Esther Johnson and Rebecca Dingley
- C Letter 2 in Print and Manuscript
- D Facsimile of Letter From Esther Johnson and Rebecca Dingley to Robert Dingley
- E Glossary of Little Language Used in the Journal to Stella
- F Biographical Appendix
- Textual Account
- Bibliography
- Index
C - Letter 2 in Print and Manuscript
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 September 2021
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of Illustrations Page
- General Editors’ Preface
- Acknowledgements
- Chronology
- List of Abbreviations
- Introduction
- Calendar of Letters
- Letters to Esther Johnson and Rebecca Dingley, 1710–1713
- Appendices
- A Swift, Harley, St John and the Political Debates Behind the Journal to Stella
- B Surviving Letters to and From Esther Johnson and Rebecca Dingley
- C Letter 2 in Print and Manuscript
- D Facsimile of Letter From Esther Johnson and Rebecca Dingley to Robert Dingley
- E Glossary of Little Language Used in the Journal to Stella
- F Biographical Appendix
- Textual Account
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
Letter 2 is the only example of a letter transcribed and published by Deane Swift that still exists in manuscript. It was acquired by the British Library in 1995. It has until now only ever been printed from the 1768 Deane Swift text. On the verso of the manuscript, the contents have been deleted with two intersecting diagonal lines. This deletion, along with that on the recto, may have been done by Swift some time afterwards, as he reviewed the letters in relation to his later publications on the period: unlike the obliterations of the salutations and little language in later letters, Letter 2 shows the striking out of material that is not related to the political or historical content. It could also have been done by Deane Swift, although the deletions and markings on the folio do not precisely correspond to his removal of material. The only significant omission of text in Deane Swift's version is the editing out of repeated information about the arrival of a letter from Chester. The manuscript has a small additional piece of paper pasted on to it at the end, a facsimile of the end of Letter 64 of the Journal to Stella.
Transcription of Letter 2
BL Add. 72710 fol. 1, recto and verso.
London. Aug. 9. 1710
I got here last Thursday after 5 days travelling, weary the 1st, almost dead the 2d, tollerable the 3d and well enough te rest, & am now glad of te Fatigue, which has served for Exercise, & I am at present well enugh. The Whigs were ravisht to see me, and would lay hold on me as a Twig while they are drowning (you had my Lettr from Chestr) and the great Men making me their clumsy Apologyes &c. But My Ld Treasr received me with a great deal of coldness, which has enragd me so, I am almost vowing Revenge. I have not yet gone half my Circle, But I find all my Acquaintence just as I left them. I hear My Ldy G— is much at Court, and Ldy Whartn was ridiculing it tother day. So I have lost a Friend there. I have not yet seen her, nor intend it; but I will contrive to see Tpt's muddle some other way.
- Type
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- Information
- Journal to StellaLetters to Esther Johnson and Rebecca Dingley, 1710–1713, pp. 567 - 572Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2013