Letter from John Payne Collier, London, to Thomas Amyot, 1836 August 4 : autograph manuscript signed.

Concerning the fifth volume of his Miracle Plays, literary criticism he received for an Introduction he wrote, his work on the Bridgewater Catalogue, and a performance by Ellen Tree in "Ion"; saying he is sending him the "...fifth Miracle Play with the title-page and Glossary to the whole piece. I wish I could afford to continue the series for two plays of the same kind more; & then I would follow them up by a very few Moralities, one or two of which wold be derived from Mr. Hudson Gurney's MSS. But this is out of the question. I should have no objection, on accounts, to be a little richer. The 'reproach' of which I spoke, you seem to think more than it really amounts to. You will find it in the last paragraph of the Introduction - I have been disappointed, certainly, at the little interest which literary people in general seemed to feel about such matters. Possibly my disappointment may in some degree arise form my own hyper-zeal, and I may deserve blame for attaching too much importance to what has been a peculiar object of pursuit with me. As I have not yet distributed the 5 Miracle Plays generally to those to whom I have been accustomed to send it, you will not mention that you have obtained your copy. I am rather at a stand about the Bridgewater Catalogue from a want of punctuality in the Printer. I have been able to learn nothing more about the little vol called 'Adagia Scotia' regarding which I reported to you. Laing of Edinburgh says that it is a new book to him. It forms the first item in the catalogue and I should have been glad of any hint about it in order to make the thing as complete as I could; " saying that his family will be out of the City for the summer but that in order to comply with his lease he will need to be in the City two or three times a week for the house to be painted; commenting on Ellen Tree's performance in "Ion" saying "I own that I did not like "Ion" at the Haymarket so well as at Covent Garden. If Macready looked too old-manly, Ellen tree did not look sufficiently young-manly. Besides I was there alone, which was not the case when I saw the tragedy at C.G. as you may remember. I did not like Vandenhoff's Adrastus; it was very home-spun and coarse - too violent here & too tame there."