Collection of autograph letters signed by John Cleland, Lucy Cleland and Edward Dickinson : London, 1752-1762.

A collection of 21 autograph letters: 11 by John Cleland to Edward Dickinson, 1 by John Cleland to Lucy Cleland, 2 by Lucy Cleland to Allan Auld, 1 by Lucy Cleland to Edward Dickinson, 5 by Edward Dickinson to John Cleland, and 1 by Edward Dickinson to Lucy Cleland; written between 1752 and 1762, from London. In this correspondence, John Cleland complains bitterly of his poverty and his mother's refusal to grant him an annuity without attaching certain conditions, his mother responds and the lawyers attempt to mediate between mother and son. John Cleland's letters provide details of his life, including his journey to the Americas, his grief at the death of his aunt Viscountess Margaret Allen and his political opinions on matters such as the trial of Admiral John Byng for his conduct during the Seven Years' War. At least three of the letters from Edward Dickinson are in the form of draft responses to Lucy or John Cleland, and one item is a copy of an extract from a letter by Lucy Cleland to Allan Auld. Items in the collection have been described individually in separate catalog records; see related records for more information.