A portion of the address panel was cut away when the signature was cut from page 3. The remaining address panel with postmarks and fragment of a seal to "Jam[es Gil]lman, Esq're / Grove / Highgate / London."
Place of writing from a published letter written on the same day and dated "8. Plains of Waterloo, Ramsgate - Tuesday Afternoon / 18 Oct'r 1825." Year of writing from postmark.
Concerning the dismissal of Henry Gillman, son of James Gillman, from Eton; informing James Gillman of his expectation of getting to Highgate by Thursday evening assuming a successful voyage on the Royal Sovereign; adding that he plans to go to Eton on Friday in order to remove Henry; saying "Much evil & no good can come of his remaining!~ Or if from conversation with Edward Coleridge himself, I should gather any data for a different opinion, you may safely trust my inclination to avail myself of it, & I hope, my judgement likewise. As to Mrs. Gillman's accompanying me, in whatever way I look at it, and on whatever supposition - whether of Henry's removal or continuance - I am positive in dissuading it as worse than useless. As it is absolutely & confessedly impracticable for you to go, there would, I feel, be almost an impropriety in my being not the representative of both Parents but of you only. Besides, the more quietly the whole is managed & with the least attraction of notice, the better it will be - whichever Result should be decided on. In like manner, as to Highgate. - It should be said what with sufficient truth may be said, that Henry's strength is found unequal to the hardships of the College, & that his Health had begun to be affected by it - & to give this fuller effect & for other still weightier reasons, it will be best for him to return with me at once to Ramsgate - & be under my care for the next month - during which time I shall be better able to offer you and Mrs. G. a well weighed Advice - My dear Gillman! you have my Nephew's testimony that Henry's a Boy of principle, and that there is weakness and impersistency rather than want of Intellect. - For the rest, it was an experiment - & no experiment ought to be said to have wholly failed, if it has shewn what road we are to take - tho' negatively, by demonstrating the impracticability of the Road, we should have preferred. No apprehension can be turned into a Certainty, no Thought returned upon us a Thing, with a sad'ning Suddenness that for the moment lays our powers prostrate & which no fore-bodings, however distinct, no not prescience itself can disarm of it's sting or blunt it's sharpness. - But let the Thing settle back & thin away again, into a Thought - & the Evil shrinks with it into human & bearable Dimensions. - What? if H. had been reported to you as an incurable Liar? or privy Thief? Of Anderson I say nothing - Indeed nothing but my vexation at finding you so depressed would make me attempt writing any thing when in so short a time I expect to be talking with you...I never remember any run of Ill Luck or what was thought such, that was not succeeded by some Compensative Occurrence or other. And at all events we will breast the waves together - Would you purchase the removal of all these mishaps at the price of a single Pang of Remorse? Then stand upright, my dear Gillman! and to hear the worse, hope the best;" remaining portion of the letter has been cut away.