Letter from Erskine Neale
Pages
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line 1: Sir
line 2: Will you allow me to ask you whether
line 3: a work from the pen of the author of
line 4: "The Bishop's Daughter" would be one you
line 5: would. be disposed to embark in?
line 6: I have one, far advanced towdards. completion
line 7: which I think likely to sell from its containing
line 8: much of real incident in the chequered life
line 9: of a recently deceased clergyman; & because
line 10: it would. contain many original letters from the
line 11: late Bishop Marsh (of Peterborough) & the late
line 12: Dean Ireland (of Westminster)
line 13: My wish is to sell the copyright –
line 14: Although' very many years have elapsed
line 15: since we transacted my literary business
line 16: together still we are not altogether strangers.
line 17: If I mistake not you published Page 2
line 1: Lines 1 & 2 are partly obscured by glueSome years............
line 2: Edited by............
line 3: So that publication I was (if I do not greatly
line 4: deceive myself) a contributor – in the second year – I
line 5: forget the name of the sketch but it was fathered by the
line 6: author of "The Living & the Dead" – a book which sold well
line 7: & rapidly in its day.
line 8: I should feel obliged by as
line 9: early a reply as the numerous claims on your
line 10: attention will permit; I am Sir
line 11: Yours. very faithfully
line 12: Erskine Neale
line 13: The Rectory:
line 14: Histon: nr. Woodbridge
line 15: March 6th 1848