Item 31: Letter from Thomas Campbell to William Withering, 1796 June 20
Item — Box: 8, Folder: 31
Dates
- Created: 1796 June 20
Creator
- Campbell, Thomas, 1777-1844 (Person)
Access:
All series and subseries within this collection are open for research, with the exception of a few files within the Academia series that are restricted. The Academia series contains financial and sensitive institutional records from Wilkes College, and financial report records from Princeton University that will remain restricted for 80 years upon creation.
Extent
1 items
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Type of Material:
Letter.
Condition Note:
Good, but delicate with multiple tears that do not impact the text
Measurements:
7 7/16 in. x 9 5/16 in.
Title:
Letter from Thomas Campbell to William Withering
Description:
A letter from Thomas Campbell to William Withering, John Richardson, W.Y. Ottley, and Mrs Marryatt in which he describes his feelings of loneliness, missing his friends, and excitement of reuniting with them and exploring areas around his homes. The end of the letter has Campbell asking for Withering’s address as he wants to send him new pieces he’s been working on, this further points to the two mens closeness.
Transcription:
Page 1:
Sir Campbell of Donnie Langh Loehgilphead
by Inverary - June 20th 1796
Dear Sir Before parting with you at Glasgow I fully intended to solicit the favor of your correspondence during this summer. Had I then received from you either permyssion to write you or a promise of hearing from you I should not have been obliged as I am to infringe upon ceremony but I rely upon your good nature to forgive this disregard of punctilos, and I hope your return to this will give me room to continue a correspondence which on my part at least could not fail to be agreeable. I left Glasgow I suppose much about the same time with yourself in company with Robert McKenzie (one of those trustier compeers of last years society whom I can think upon without disagreeable feelings) I saild down the River Clyde under most delightful weather, and charmd by the picturesque scenery with which the Banks of that stream so much abound
Page 2:
I parted with this agreeable companion at Dumbarton not a little solaid for the loss of my Friend by his promise to visit me in company with our Friend Douglas Wither this summer I wish the Genius of good Fortune could conduct a few more of that agreeable society which last winter gave me so much happiness but as it is needless to picture impossibilities I must wait with patience till I can meet them jointly or individually in a different place. Whether my residence is to be Glasgow or Edinburgh during next winter I cannot say I wish I sincerely wish the former may be both yours and mine. - - - My present abode is in the most romantic nook of the world on the west shore opposite to [Sara/Lara?] with an extensive prospect of the Hebrides.- I enjoy a happiness rarely found in a Country spot so sequestered a collection of Books as numerous as I could wish. I find my society sufficiently agreeable but as must always be the case in retirement by no means so diversified as one would frequently desire
Page 3:
In such a situation I must rely in a great measure upon the goodness of my correspondents for pleasures of the more refind kind. Many of these correspondents have ever since my arrival here been punctual but my correspondence has sufferd in some quarters an unexpected Breach. The two Mr Kennedys and I parted on the coldest terms. Though I am fully persuaded that the loss of these valuable young men is by no means a deplorable event to me & though I esteem their friendship and their enmity alike contemptible yet there was a time when I once esteemd them and it is unpleasant to think upon changed Friends. - I have lo[missing] also a former correspondent very well known to yourself the loss of that Friend may be perhaps more to be regretted than the former but though I regrett his conduct towards me I cannot once regrett mine towards him which is certainly some alleviation to the thoughts of losing an Intimate. Pardon me for speaking to you in confidence on this head. If you and he be happily restored to unamity let my censure on him give no offence to you.
Page 4:
I expect to hear from you soon and when you write pray inclose your address - I intended to have sent you a short piece performed since I arrived in this lonely abode but lest the address I have written be too general and the port bay open this serawl I shall defer the poetry lite another opportunity
If you correspond with Clason I will take it as a favor that you would send me also his address -
God bless you my dear Friend believe me yours sincerely Thomas Campbell
Mr William Withering Care of Dr. Withering at or nigh Birmingham
Campbell, Thomas Rec’d July 3rd 1796 Ans. July 14 1796
Dear Sir Before parting with you at Glasgow I fully intended to solicit the favor of your correspondence during this summer. Had I then received from you either permyssion to write you or a promise of hearing from you I should not have been obliged as I am to infringe upon ceremony but I rely upon your good nature to forgive this disregard of punctilos, and I hope your return to this will give me room to continue a correspondence which on my part at least could not fail to be agreeable. I left Glasgow I suppose much about the same time with yourself in company with Robert McKenzie (one of those trustier compeers of last years society whom I can think upon without disagreeable feelings) I saild down the River Clyde under most delightful weather, and charmd by the picturesque scenery with which the Banks of that stream so much abound
Page 2:
I parted with this agreeable companion at Dumbarton not a little solaid for the loss of my Friend by his promise to visit me in company with our Friend Douglas Wither this summer I wish the Genius of good Fortune could conduct a few more of that agreeable society which last winter gave me so much happiness but as it is needless to picture impossibilities I must wait with patience till I can meet them jointly or individually in a different place. Whether my residence is to be Glasgow or Edinburgh during next winter I cannot say I wish I sincerely wish the former may be both yours and mine. - - - My present abode is in the most romantic nook of the world on the west shore opposite to [Sara/Lara?] with an extensive prospect of the Hebrides.- I enjoy a happiness rarely found in a Country spot so sequestered a collection of Books as numerous as I could wish. I find my society sufficiently agreeable but as must always be the case in retirement by no means so diversified as one would frequently desire
Page 3:
In such a situation I must rely in a great measure upon the goodness of my correspondents for pleasures of the more refind kind. Many of these correspondents have ever since my arrival here been punctual but my correspondence has sufferd in some quarters an unexpected Breach. The two Mr Kennedys and I parted on the coldest terms. Though I am fully persuaded that the loss of these valuable young men is by no means a deplorable event to me & though I esteem their friendship and their enmity alike contemptible yet there was a time when I once esteemd them and it is unpleasant to think upon changed Friends. - I have lo[missing] also a former correspondent very well known to yourself the loss of that Friend may be perhaps more to be regretted than the former but though I regrett his conduct towards me I cannot once regrett mine towards him which is certainly some alleviation to the thoughts of losing an Intimate. Pardon me for speaking to you in confidence on this head. If you and he be happily restored to unamity let my censure on him give no offence to you.
Page 4:
I expect to hear from you soon and when you write pray inclose your address - I intended to have sent you a short piece performed since I arrived in this lonely abode but lest the address I have written be too general and the port bay open this serawl I shall defer the poetry lite another opportunity
If you correspond with Clason I will take it as a favor that you would send me also his address -
God bless you my dear Friend believe me yours sincerely Thomas Campbell
Mr William Withering Care of Dr. Withering at or nigh Birmingham
Campbell, Thomas Rec’d July 3rd 1796 Ans. July 14 1796
Creator
- Campbell, Thomas, 1777-1844 (Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Wilkes University Archives Repository
Contact:
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu