[1]
The Editor has pleasure in acknowledging the kindness of Miss James
of Theddingworth, and Miss Powell, of Thame. The former lady
obligingly sent him the manuscript of a lecture on "Dryden and Clare"
by her brother, the late Rev. T. James, of Theddingworth, and the
latter several letters written by Clare to Mr. Octavius Gilchrist.
[2]
Among those who at this time or subsequently made Clare presents of
books were Lord Radstock, Bishop Marsh, Mrs. Emmerson, Sir Walter
Scott, Robert Bloomfield, Mr. Gilchrist, Lord Milton, Messrs. Taylor
& Ilessey, Messrs. Smith, Elder, & Co, Charles Lamb, Henry Eehnes,
Lady Sophia Pierrepoint, the Rev. H. P. Cary, E. V. Rippingille,
Allan Cunningham, Geo. Barley, Sir Charles A. Elton, William Gifford,
Mr. and Mrs. S. C. Hall, James Montgomery, E. Drury, Alaric A. Watts,
William Hone &c.
Clare's little library, consisting of 500 volumes, was purchased from
his widow after his death, and placed in the Northampton Museum.
[3]
Mr. S. C. Hall kindly informs me that Mrs. Emmerson "was a handsome,
graceful, and accomplished lady." Her letters show that she was
Clare's senior by eleven or twelve years.--ED.
[4]
Coleridge's definition of watchmen.
[5]
Mr. How's connection with the firm of Whittaker & Co. terminated
before the appearance of the "Rural Muse," but he brought out the
volume, through them, on his own account, and twenty years afterwards
transferred the copyright to Mr. Taylor, who, in 1854, contemplated
the re-issue of Clare's poems.
[6]
The oft-repeated statements are incorrect, that the Northampton
County Lunatic Asylum is a "pauper asylum," that Clare was "a pauper
lunatic," and that Earl Fitzwilliam expressed the wish that he should
have "a pauper funeral." The Fitzwilliams have been kind and generous
friends of Clare and his family for nearly fifty years, and it is not
to be credited that any member of that house ever said anything of
the kind. It may be added that Earl Spencer continued his annuity of
L10 to Mrs. Clare until her death on Feb. 5th, 1871. In this
connection it should also be noted that the Rev. Charles Mossop, of
Etton, and Mr. and Mrs. Bellars, of Helpstone, took a lively interest
in the welfare of Mrs. Clare and her family, and in May, 1864, Mr.
Bellars purchased the poet's cottage at Helpstone and has set it
apart for charitable uses. Lastly, Mr. Joseph Whitaker, of London, in
whom is vested the copyright in Clare's poems, paid Mrs. Clare a
handsome annuity for the last six or seven years of her life.