Letter to <persName ref="#Talfourd_Thos">T.N. Talfourd</persName>, [16 November] 1821 Mary Russell Mitford Lisa M. Wilson Mary Russell Mitford Society: Digital Mitford Project University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg Elisa Beshero-Bondar Transcription and coding by Lisa M. Wilson Proofing and corrections by [who?] First digital edition in TEI, date: 24 May 2014. P5. Digital Mitford: The Mary Russell Mitford Archive Greensburg, PA, USA 2013

Reproduced by courtesy of the The John Rylands University Library.

Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License Digital Mitford Letters: The Mary Russell Mitford Archive The John Rylands University Library Mitford-Talfourd Correspondence: Letters from Mary Russell Mitford to Thomas Noon Talfourd: vol. 665 JRL English MS 665 no. 8 Coles no. 21 Letter from Mary Russell Mitford to T.N. Talfourd, 1821 November 16.

Folio sheet of paper folded in half to form four quarto pages, with correspondence on 1-3 and address leaf on page 4, then folded in thirds twice more and sealed for posting.

Address leaf bearing two postmarks, both illegible. One black, one sepia: circle with crown (text illegible).

A portion of page 1 has been torn away under the seal.

Wax seal missing, traces of red wax remain.

 Someone cataloging the letters, apparently other than Mitford, numbered each on page 1. This letter numbered 8.

Mitford’s spelling and punctuation are retained, except where a word is split at the end of a line and the beginning of the next in the manuscript. Where Mitford’s spelling and hyphenation of words deviates from the standard, in order to facilitate searching we are using the TEI elements “choice," “sic," and “reg" to encode both Mitford’s spelling and the regular international standard of Oxford English spelling, following the first listed spelling in the Oxford English Dictionary. The long s and ligatured forms are not encoded.
Friday Morning. My dear Sir

Here is another Catastrophe, my dear Sir, for Mr. Macready's consideration--I only wait hearing from you to finish the poisoning Scene, which I shall send up as soon as I possibly can consistently with my natural slowness. If you like none of them I shall be quite ready to try another--or to alter any of these--Of course they are submitted to you with the most full & perfect liberty to cut & alter & add wherever you think is proper--the last would be the greatest favor that could be done. Was it necessary to say this?--Not having the copy to which these two sheets may perhaps be appended I do not exactly know where the page began--but I believe I am not--far from the mark & the cutting striking out a few words would not I suppose spoil the copy for presentation--I am quite sorry to give you this sort of petty trouble--but whilst I am talking of these details I must tell you two or three very trifling things Mr. Milman suggested--or rather marked as faults--In the first scene that part of Erizzo's speech on Donato's return, "And such a boon as he would grant his Page to pay the song that lulls him off to sleep"--I rather think that may be like somebody else--I think he must mean that--at all events be so good as to strike it up out. Early in the Senate scene I had made a very stupid mistake in accenting a name--In Erizzo's Speech to his faction will you write "Pisani, or Donato's riper years" instead of "Donato or Count Pisani on thine" Printed text has: On vigorous manhood's clustering curls? On thine, Donato? Or, Pisani, upon thine? Or any man of us? Lords, have ye changed This appears to be the only mention by name of Count Pisani in the play.--In the third Act he objects to the getting off of Laura--but that the Manager must manage--& to Ida's topin the Doge's compliment to Olivia.--he says myrtles won't blow there--which I believe is time enough--Will Ida's side do? And will you be so good as to write it so--He has likewise marked "guiltless of brains" in the Doge's account of the prophecy--but I don't know why--Should I alter it do you think? He has likewise made himself two or three verbal alterations of no great consequence one way or the other which I have retained in the copy for printing but which would never be noticed on the stage.--One thing I wish myself to submit to you. In the Trial scene Erizzo in his last question to Camilla says--Did'st thou not hear Donato call on Foscari?" Now does not this approach too nearly to the real truth & not to the inference which he intended to draw from it? Would Didst thou not hear Donato's voice cry Foscari? be better?--And may the Audience be trusted to make out that Donato knew he was with Camilla or should some such intimation be introduced? This will probably appear better at the rehearsal. Oh if it should ever come to that! Do you really think it will?--Mr. Milman speaks very civilly of the Play as pretty & affecting--increasing very much in interest as it proceeeds & exceedingly likely to tell well in representation. This is more than I expected a great deal--& full as much as it deserves. If you see Mr. Quale & tell him the state of our affair will you assure him of my sincere gratitude for his kindness--I am sure he was sincere in his offers of service --How very very good my friends are to me --you Shall certainly get the new act by the midd le ofnext week--

Pray excuse the wafer as I am afraid of weight--My Father & Mother join in a thousand thanks & good wishes &

I am always your very grateful & troublesome friend-- M.R. Mitford
To T. N. Talfourd Esqre