J. H. Wiffen, Woburn Abbey, to [Thomas Raffles], Liverpool, 4 April 1826.

My dear friend

               I trust thou hast safely received the parcel which I sent thee from Caalbrookdale, containing amongst other things the greater portion of the M.S. 2nd vol. of Tasso.  I have now the pleasure of forwarding to thee the 10th. 11th & 12th Cantos, which will, I believe complete the work.  I have also managed to put up a duplicate copy of the 19th Canto, which is, I believe fairer than the one sent before; if it should be found so, and be preferred, I request that the inferior one may be delivered to the flames.  I am happy also to have it in my power to request thy acceptance of an autograph letter of Dr. Edward Clarke, the celebrated Traveller, which I have procured for the purpose after some solicitation from my friend Dr. Thackeray.

               I have not been successful of thy request for proof impressions of the Engravings of my Tasso.  I have but very few and those not upon large paper; but being on India paper, and very early, in fact the earliest proofs sent me, they will, I trust, be deemed worthy of being mounted; in which case, they will be found to be a set greatly superior to those of Goethe’s formerly transmitted to thee.—The Portrait of Tasso is also one of the earliest taken from the plates.—

               I hope that thy applications to my Subscribers in Liverpool for their [?] on the 2nd Volume have, without infringing too much on thy leisure, been successful.   It will give me much pleasure to hear from thee that this irksome part of the business is over, at least in your quarter, for in others I have still 200£ to ‘shepherd up—and I had neither wish five more cantos than undertake it—, people are so dilatory and careless of the trouble they give.   Please to inform Mrs    [rest of letter blocked out]

Text: Text: Joseph Angus Collection, acc. no. Angus 168, Angus Library, Regent's Park College, Oxford.