BIB_ID
331837
Accession number
MA 496.43
Creator
Walpole, Horace, 1717-1797.
Display Date
1796 July 29.
Credit line
Acquired by Pierpont Morgan, before 1904.
Description
1 item (2 p., with address), bound ; 19.8 cm
Notes
Address panel with seal and postmark and addressed to "Miss Berry / at the Duke of Richmond's / at Goodwood / Sussex."
Part of a collection of letters from Horace Walpole to Mary and Agnes Berry. Items in the collection have been described individually; see related collection-level record for more information. See also MA 494 (Letter from Walpole to the Misses Berry, 1789-1791); MA 495 (Letters from Walpole to the Misses Berry, 1791-1793) and MA 497 (Letters to various persons and miscellaneous writings).
This letter was started on July 29th, added to on August 1st and completed on "Tuesday, August 2;" the postmark is August 2nd.
Part of a collection of letters from Horace Walpole to Mary and Agnes Berry. Items in the collection have been described individually; see related collection-level record for more information. See also MA 494 (Letter from Walpole to the Misses Berry, 1789-1791); MA 495 (Letters from Walpole to the Misses Berry, 1791-1793) and MA 497 (Letters to various persons and miscellaneous writings).
This letter was started on July 29th, added to on August 1st and completed on "Tuesday, August 2;" the postmark is August 2nd.
Provenance
Given by Mary Berry to Sir Frankland Lewis; by descent to his daughter-in-law Lady Theresa Lewis; by descent to her son Sir Thomas Villiers Lister; by descent to his wife Lady Lister; acquired by Pierpont Morgan before 1904.
Summary
Describing his physical decline and saying that it "is almost ridiculous for me to attempt to write with my own hand; my fingers are so maimed they stumble at every long word; my attention dozes, and I have no more imagination left than if I were forcing myself to write a new novel in five volumes. In short my decay is so sensible to me, that I will not deceive myself, not expect any farther recovery--no change will turn quite round; I must only take care not to let it expose me;" adding his disappointment at not having a letter from her.
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