Early in the same month, and before his marriage, Clare accepted the
invitation of his publishers, Messrs. Taylor and Hessey, to pay them
a visit in Town. He was accompanied by Mr. Gilchrist, and remained
for a week, making his home at his publishers' house in Fleet Street.
With great difficulty Mr. Taylor persuaded him to meet a party of
friends and admirers at dinner. It was impossible for him to overcome
with one effort his natural shyness, but the cordial manner in which
he was welcomed by Mr. Taylor's guests put him comparatively at his
ease, for he was made to feel that the labourer was forgotten in the
poet and that he was regarded as an equal. The host placed him at
dinner next to Admiral Lord Radstock, an intimate friend of Mrs.
Emmerson, a lady whose name will frequently occur in the course of
this memoir. His lordship had taken great interest in Clare from the
first appearance of his poems, and had already made him several
presents of books. By mingled tact and kindness he got from the poet
an account of his life, his struggles, his hopes, his fears, and his
prospects. Clare's share in the conversation made so deep an
impression upon Lord Radstock that he conceived for him an attachment
approaching to affection, and never ceased to exert all the influence
of his position and high character in favour of his protege. The
Editor has before him many letters addressed to Clare by his
excellent friend, but is restrained, by a wish expressed in one of
the number, from publishing any portion of them. The request does
not, however, apply to the inscriptions in books which Lord Radstock
presented to Clare, and as the intimacy had a very important
influence on the poet's career, those who are sufficiently interested
in the subject to read these pages will not look upon the following
passages as a superfluity.
In a work by Thomas Erskine on the Christian Evidences his lordship
wrote:--
"The kindest and most valuable present that Admiral Lord Radstock
could possibly make to his dear & affectionate friend, John Clare.
God grant that he may make the proper use of it!"