Letter from Edward A. Freeman, Dursley, to Henry Thompson, 1849 December 28 : autograph manuscript signed.

Congratulating him on the publication of his book of collected ballads (i.e. Original ballads by living authors (London : Joseph Masters, 1850)) and advising him to make the publisher, Joseph Masters, "send advertisements and copies for review everywhere; or he will stifle it in his wretched clique, as he has tried to do my History of Architecture"; complaining that Masters has sent him only one copy, and that "for nine ballads he might have been rather more liberal, as I wish to make presents of it to two or three people"; noting that there is a review in the Spectator in which the reviewer "complains of diffuseness, in which I agree with him", singling out Mr. [R.W.] Huntley for the length and dullness of his verse, and attacking the illustrations accompanying his own ballads, "The triumph of Aristomenes" and "King Harold's funeral", for their inaccuracy; asking if he has seen Freeman's two letters in the Globe and the Morning chronicle, concerning "[George Anthony] Denison's mad freaks in our Education Question", and remarking "The meddling blockhead, why could he not keep to his Church Union?"; concluding "Thank "Annabel C---" for her loyalty to King Harold."