George Dyer, London, to the Henry Francis Cary, British Museum,  24 May 1836.

The letter concerns Cary’s request of Dyer to see his account of William Frend’s trial in Cambridge in 1793.  He doesn’t want to share his copy (he is blind now) but the Museum has it and Dr. Gillman is preparing his “tribute of respect to the talents of a great Man Mr. Coleridge.  There are different opinions relative to Mr. Frend’s manner of maintaining his defence on his trial, and it occurs to me that I once heard Mr. Coleridge speak in a way of disapprobation of it, considering therefore my particular acquaintance with Mr. Frend and my numerous obligations to him.  It would be hardly consistent with me to be instrumental though even so remotely (and I think Dr. Gillman and yourself will coincide with me, lending you this work, as it might involve me in somes sort of responsibility for any serious & critical animadversions that might have been made by Dr. Gillman’s learned friend, Mr. Coleridge.  I beg leave, Sir, to add another word.  You may remember perhaps when you favor’d me with a call that when I had my sight I found among my papers one letter from Mr. Coleridge which I burnt.  The case was this.  When Mr. C. And Dr. Southey were young men & first came to London they were in the habit of calling upon me & I remember introducing the former to Mr. Gilbert Wakefield.  I recollect reading to Mr. C. a [page torn] verses written by myself & a little time afterward I perused a copy [of] verses written by Mr. C. either in some Newspaper or other Periodical, and they appeared to me so strongly to resemble mine that I was weak enough to write to him as though I thought he had taken his thoughts from mine.  Now Mr. Coleridge in a letter to me made it clearly appear that he had written those lines and printed them in some publication he pointed out to me, before he had heard my verses.  His letter was a kind one, creditable to himself & discreditable to me.  When therefore I found this letter among my Papers I felt a strong irritation against myself & committed it to the flames.  It is most probable Sir that Mr. Coleridge committed my foolish epistle to the same fate & I have written the above trifling account in case anything in the shape of a memorandum might have been preserved by Mr. C. that Dr. Gillman would have the kindness to destroy it. – I wil thank you Sir to present my Respects th Dr. & Mrs. Gillman, and to let the former read this.  Mrs. Dyer unites with me in kind respects to yourself.”

Text: George Dyer Collection, Emmanuel College, Cambridge University, Col. 9.12.1.B. Dyer adds on the address page, “if absent to be forwarded to Dr. Gillman’s—Highgate.” Cary (1772-1844) was an Anglican cleric who was best known for his work as a biographer, translator, and assistant librarian at the British Museum.