Letter from William Hayley, Felpham, to Sir Walter Scott, 1812 May 21 : autograph manuscript draft signed.

Praising Scott's wife and enclosing a "...Tribute to her enchanting character...you will give it to her with a Kiss of Benediction from the old Hermit who wishes her unclouded Happiness thro Life with the sincerity of a Heart that has experienced all the energies of parental affection - But alas my dear Friend this Recollection suggests to me that unclouded Happiness ought hardly to be hoped for on Earth since after enjoying for almost 7 years every delight that could arise from the continually expanding Talents & virtues of a son who was very thing that my affectionate ambition could wish Him to be I had the bitter Loss to lose Him by a slow martyrdom of nearly 3 years...May your parental destiny be very different my dear Walter;" discussing the under appreciation of the work of [Nicholas] Rowe; saying "...I believe there is yet no handsome octavo Edition of his collected works - a sarcasm of Swift on his Tragedies & another of Addison on his Sensibility seem to me to have injured his Reputation much more than that ought to have done - for his Merits both as a writer & a Man were very considerable - There is however one of his illustrious contemporaries who speaks of Him with much cordial applause - I mean the benevolent divine & philosopher Stephen Hales of Teddington...I once offered to superintend gratuitously an octavo Edition of Rowe for the late eminent Bookseller if He would venture the Expence of such a publication but that expence He had little Enthusiasm for the reputation of poets He thought it wise to decline - while I am thus running on in this accidental petition of Rowe I just recollect that the Friend I am addressing has spoken of his Tragedies a little harshly in calling them Homilies - I was led to think so by my love for Jane Shore - one of the Idols to boyish days when I used to devour Tragedies as sugarplumbs...God bless your Heroic Boy of six years I perceive from yr account of Him that your system of education is very similar to that which I gave to my Son whom I trained myself - I placed Him at the age of 15 under my excellent Friend Flaxman the sculptor as His chosen disciple in a delightful art for which many circumstances had conspired to give the youth an impassioned Inclination - & in which He seemed highly gifted for the gradual acquisition of excellence - I have had a mournful Gratification in preparing such a faithful History of this justly beloved Mortal as may be read perhaps when I am called to rejoin Him with indulgence & Interest by such readers as can perfectly sympathize with parental & filial affection - I am glad to find it is your Intention to pay the same kind of tribute immediately to the uncommon merits of yr departed Friend Leyden...It is now high Time for me to release you my dear Walter - May you long enjoy in sunshine real & metaphorical the happy Growth of the Trees which you tell me you planted in Snow - do not forget that you led me expect a sketch of yr intended new dwelling. That all its Inmates may long prosper by yr care & long delight you with their Prosperity."