Correspondence 1811-15

1811:

To: William Hone	Date: 1 January, 1811
From: John Venning (Chatham)	Source: OgdenMS 73(2), 13b
Contents: This is largely a business letter: Venning orders some books for people in Chatham (with very particular instructions on how to pack them). Apparently, in a previous letter Hone had described at some length his encounter with King's Bench [connected with bankruptcy?] and hadn't told Venning much about the various books he had ordered. Venning, no radical sympathizer, refers to the author of a set of Histories, Belsham, as one of the "odious Jacobins, ie. those who want to share the fragments of the loaves and the fishes."
Notes: Despite his recent bankruptcy (begun October 1810), Hone seems to be carrying on the bookselling business.

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To: ?	Date: 12 August 1811
From: Lord Ellenborough	Source: Add. MS 40120, ff. 13-14
Contents: An autograph letter from Ellenborough: a fairly banal piece bemoaning the usual accomodations made for special jurymen.
Notes: The letter raises a number of interesting questions: To whom was the letter originally written? How does it happen to be in Hone's possession? Was it associated with or acquired during the 1817 pre-trial research that led to Hone's successful defense? etc.

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1812:

To: William Hone	Date: 1812
From: Walter Honeywood Yate	Source: Yale University, Beineke Library, Osborn File 43.275
Contents: Yate wonders if Hone would take "on a liberal commission" some copies of the second edition of his work on reform.
Notes: The letter itself is damaged--it appears to be a brief note regarding fairly mundane book trade matters.

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To: William Hone	Date: 9 February 1812
From: John Venning	Source: Ogden. 73(1), 38
Contents: The letter begins with a few book orders, and then leads to this printed note dated January 1812: "J. VENNING having taken the Parsonage House, at Rainham (4 miles from Chatham, Kent), intends to open an Academy for the education of Youth in every useful branch of learning, and the usual accomplishments. A Latin, Greek, and Mathematical Teacher will reside in the house, and always be present with the Pupils to perfect them in their education. Their health and comforts will be particularly attended to, and the utmost care taken of their morals and behavior." The school is to open at about midsummer, 1812.
Notes: Hone's address is given as 27 High Street, Bloomsbury.

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1813:

To: William Hone	Date: 9 July, 1813
From: W[alter] Wilson	Source: Add. MS 40120, ff. 16-17
Contents: "Dear Hone I am much obliged to you for your punctuality in attending to my note, at the same time I cannot avoid expressing my regret & vexation at seeing your name at the bottom of the bile you sent. This is what you ought upon no occasion to do for any one, & it is not a little against my conscience that I make use of it. If it should please God to restore me to health, I mean to have some serious conversation with you upon that & other topics in which you are to blame. As the first step to reformation, let me exhort you to become a good christian, & to train up your little ones in the path that they should go. The weight of your charge with respect to them, not unfrequently occupies a place in my thoughts. I say these things as a friend."
Notes: It is not clear what statements or actions of Hone led to this "friendly" admonishment.

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To: William Hone	Date: 23 August, 1813
From: Walter Wilson	Source: Add. MS 40120, ff. 18-19
Contents: A much kinder note than that of 9 July. Hone had apparently "investigated" some matter for Wilson and now Wilson finds that David [?] is to blame for betraying some confidence. -- "I think 'Dainty Davy' more to blame than Sarah, who, however, hath sufficiently transgressed" (18). The letter then offers some idle news from Margate--a very amusing place with good weather. Wilson is happy that [John] Bone has found such useful "christian-like" employment in educating the poor.
Notes: The tone of familiarity in Wilson's letter, as well as the rather intimate and friendly content, suggest that Hone and Wilson had already known one another for some time, perhaps since the days of the Bone and Hone bookshop.

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To: [Edward] Wakefield	Date: December, 1813
From: William Hone (draft letter; this copy not sent)	Source: Add. MS 40856, ff. 2-3
Contents: This draft of a letter outlines plans for the London asylum project. According to Hone's speculations, the proposed asylum would house some 400 patients and would be architecturally and structurally modeled on the Friends retreat at York. There would be separate accomodations for patients of "superior rank in life." Hone estimates the total cost to build and equip the asylum will be about Ł100,000. These funds he proposes could be raised by a public offering of Ł100 shares (with no one person allowed more than 20 shares).
Notes: The mention of the Friends retreat suggests that the quaker James Bevans is already involved in the project. Also, given the financial details presented in the closing sentences, it would seem that the asylum project was actually supposed to be a money-making venture--or at least a financially self-supporting institution--with Hone as its chief superintendent.

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To: William Hone	Date: 28 December, 1813
From: Edward Wakefield	Source: Add. MS 40120, ff. 20-21
Contents: Clearly a response to Hone's letter to Wakefield (above). Wakefield likes Hone's plans for an institution, but is skeptical about the possibility of raising Ł100,000 by subscription. He is nonetheless enthusiastic about the project. Wakefield is not yet acquainted with Bevans. Most of letter given over to initial planning stages of the asylum project.
Notes:

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To: William Hone	Date: 30 December, 1813
From: Edward Wakefield	Source: Add. MS 40120, ff. 22-23
Contents: A very brief note. Wakefield is concerned that Hone meet and gain the support of a Mr. Allen and he expresses his excitement about a proposed public meeting, apparently designed to publicize the asylum project and to call for subscribers.
Notes:

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1814:

To: William Hone	Date: 7 January, 1814
From: Edward Wakefield	Source: Add. MS 40120, ff. 24-25
Contents: Wakefield sends a long note with particulars about the asylum project. Apparently they are looking into a purchase of about 40 acres of land near London. The letter includes a list of persons for Hone to write to, apparently as potential contributors (refers to "Mr. Place" among others).
Notes:

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To: William Hone	Date: 9 January, 1814
From: Edward Wakefield	Source: Add. MS 40120, ff. 26-27
Contents: Wakefield expresses his concern that they will not be able to raise enough money for the asylum.
Notes:

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To: (see contents)	Date: 31 January, 1814
From: Thomas Bluck, 2 Paternoster Row	Source: Add. MS 40120, ff. 32-33
Contents: Agreement between William Hone and Thomas Bluck: "Thomas Bluck having become the proprietor of the Critical Review agrees to pay William Hone Seventy Five Pounds Twelve Shillings per Annum for editing or managing the Literary concerns of the work." -- i.e. 6 guineas, payable on the first of each month. If the circulation should reach 1000 copies, Hone is to become a partner in the concern, with one twelfth ownership of the copyright. From the start, Hone is to have complete autonomy over literary matters in the Critical, though his job consisted primarily of choosing the books to review, finding the reviewers, editing their work, and managing the financial concerns relative to the reviewers.
Notes: Hone's address is given as 15 Hatfield St. BlackfriarsRd. Hone's editorship at the Critical Review lasted just over one year at which point he seems to have been dismissed for his political views.

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To: William Hone	Date: 16 February, 1814
From: W[alter] Wilson	Source: Add. MS 40120, f. 34
Contents: A very brief note regarding some book interest: Wilson has read Sidney's Life which he will soon send on to Hone.
Notes:

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To: William Hone	Date: 18 March, 1814
From: Edward Wakefield	Source: Add. MS 40120, ff. 35-36
Contents: Wakefield writes that he will be in town soon (the 31st?) and would like to set up a time to meet with Bevans and Hone and Mr. Reynolds--probably to make an asylum visit.
Notes:

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To: William Hone	Date: 19 April, 1814
From: James Bevans	Source: Ogden. 73(1), 42
Contents: Bevans is sorry he did not support Bill, now wishes to. [Context of this comment is not clear.] Then, "J B was yesterday with Frederick Smith who agrees with him that it is particularly desirable that another Meeting should take place and the thing set a going as to Subscriptions previous to the Yearly Meeting of Friends as that will be a special opportunity of getting Subscribers and such an one as must on no account be lost as almost all the rich individuals will be in Town & Wm Tuke amongst them will work wonders almost. The meeting commences the 15th of next Month--therefore no further time must be lost in waiting for E. Wakefield. J B will be glad to go with WH to William Fry in order to obtain from him the information which he has obtained & to get some other Committee Man to assist in immediately preparing for the next General Meeting."
Notes:

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To: William Hone	Date: 22 September, 1814
From: [Lord E.] Thurlow	Source: Add. MS 40120, f. 37
Contents: A cryptic and fragmentary note: Thurlow is sorry not to have written sooner; enclosed is "proof of the lay" [?]
Notes:

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1815:

To: William Hone	Date: 30 January, 1815
From: Edward Wakefield	Source: Ogden 74, f. 12
Contents: "Do me the favor to write me such a letter today as will stimulate my son in the pursuit of writing--if you can hold out encouragement . . ."
Notes: Hone and Wakefield appear to be on friendly terms, even though the asylum project came to nothing.

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To: William Hone	Date: March 1815
From: T. Vyse	Source: Add. MS 40120, f. 39
Contents: T. Vyse wants Hone and the printer Thomas McCreary to suppress an illustration showing bullet holes in the head which might augment sales but would cause pain to the family.
Notes: In early March of 1815, Hone had by chance been a witness to the shooting of Edward Vyse. Hone gave a deposition in the investigation that followed and later published an account of both the incident and the investigation. Hone and McCreary were about to publish an account of Vyse's murder (see Circumstantial Report in the Annotated Bibliography).

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To: T. Vyse	Date: 16 March, 1815
From: William Hone	Source: Add. MS 40120, ff. 41-42
Contents: In a very diplomatic and kind note Hone claims that the pictures (see Vyse's letter, March 1815, above) cannot at this point be suppressed from the Report of the Proceedings of the Inquest. Also, Hone claims the report would not be complete without such illustrations and that he has refrained from any sort of sensationalism -- "do me the justice to say that I have wholly abstained from every thing that could give you uneasiness."
Notes:

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To: William Hone	Date: [13 September ?], 1815
From: Juror from the Vyse Inquest	Source: Add. MS 40120, f. 38
Contents: The letter is from someone who served on a jury for the Vyse Inquest. The juror confirms the "observations you have made" regarding the verdict, but can't provide particulars on account of secresy of jury deliberations. The juror suggests some dissent among jury members, then . . . "To the Coroner I have made no promise therefore make free to say he did not like our verdict at all & used some entreaty that we would reconsider it for which purpose he said he would withdraw for a time -- this being refused he proposed to adjourn till tomorrow (this day) for us to reconsider it -- that being also refused, we told him if he did not take it as it was & we attempted to reconsider it nothing else but willful Murder against L. G. would be the verdict. He then proposed that we should say Manslaughter against some person or persons unknown this we said would be just nothing at all & after about 20 minutes or 1/2 an hour spent in this way he reluctantly took our verdict."
Notes:

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To: William Hone	Date: 24 September, 1815
From: G. Watkins	Source: Add. MS 40120, ff. 43-44
Contents: An enigmatic letter: Watkins is wondering about a publication connected somehow with Marshall's publication [?] and the recorder's conduct (?).
Notes: Given the date and the content, it looks as though this might be connected also with Elizabeth Fenning affair. See Hone's note too Marshall, 27 September, 1815.

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To: [Marshall ?]	Date: 27 September, 1815
From: William Hone	Source: Add. MS 40120, ff. 45-46
Contents: "As by your pamphlet you appear to be in possession of the Recorder's Charge to the jury in the Trial of Elizabeth Fenning the copy which I have of it is incomplete & as I am very anxius to render my forthcoming pamphlet on the case as perfect as possible I ---- shall feel myself under much obligation to you if you can favor me with a Copy of the Charge or intimate to me how I can procure a copy of it."
Notes: This is a draft letter with many scratch-outs and strike-throughs. Perhaps Hone was struggling with a rather delicate request to a fellow publisher/bookseller.

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To: ?	Date: 27 September, 1815
From: William Hone	Source: Add. MS 40120, f. 47
Contents: A business note: Hone wants an estimate of cost for printing his Fenning pamphlet.
Notes: Hone's publications regarding the Fenning case are listed in the Annotated Bibliography; see Circumstantial Evidence, Important Results, and La Pie Voleuse.

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To: ?	Date: 1815 [Fenning case]
From: William Hone	Source: Add. MS 40120, f. 48
Contents: Hone explains a few details about his Fenning publications: "I wrote the work entitled an Elaborate Investigation into the Case of Elizabeth Fenning--on the title page John Watkins LLD appears as the author -- He had interested himself to save her, and lent me his name."
Notes:

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To: William Hone	Date: December 1815
From: Basil Montagu, Jr.	Source: Add. MS 40120, ff. 49-50
Contents: Montagu apologizes for not having met with Hone to discuss something about trial of Harvey . . . . "His object in mentioning it to Mr. Hone arose from a wish that a correct statement should be put into the hands of the public, and from conceiving it came entirely within the line of publications Mr. H had marked out himself. . . ."
Notes: Harvey is apparently some young girl accused (wrongly, as Montagu sees it) of some crime. It seems clear from Montagu's note that Hone was beginning to be known as a publisher of critical accounts of trials and miscarriages of justice.

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To: Black, Parbury & Allen	Date: 16 December, 1815
From: John Borthwick Gilchrist	Source: Add. MS 40120, f. 51
Contents: With this letter, Gilchrist directs Black, Parbury & Allen to give Hone some 25-50 copies of his (Gilchrist's) pamphlet, apparently so that Hone can sell them. On verso (a draft in Hone's hand with many editing marks): "At the request of J Gilchrist I hand you the enclosed letter agreeably to which please to deliver 50 copies of his Pamphlet on Reform and say in writing the retail price--he having fixed the selling price at 4/6."
Notes:

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