William Hone to John Childs, 19 April, 1821

William Hone to John Childs, 19 April, 1821.¹— -TEI-

London, 45 Ludgate Hill

19 April 1821

Dear Childs,

²In the midst of hurry & of my Shop (yes my Shop) I write you a line with my Political Showman³ of which I was safely delivered this morning after being in labor for near four months—However the brat I myself am "as well as can be expected" and going as favorably.

I p[...] from Williams note acquainting [...] with the death of Mr Brightly⁴ that Mr Childs and your family are much dismayed [?][?] at this moment from so sudden an event—and I fear that my boy has been in your way which I should be sorry for but cannot tell what to say well upon the subject.

Must leave off—Shop full of people. If you see [?][?] Bill he shall have his frills [?][?] next week.

Good-bye,

W Hone

Notes

Washington State University, Hone papers, cont. 1, fol. 4. [return]

This brief incidental note is written in a rather hurried hand, with short illegible gaps. The central content seems clear enough however. [return]

Hone's Political Showman—at Home!, one of the series of Cruikshank-illustrated squibs from the post-Peterloo/Queen Caroline years. [return]

In 1795, Mr. Charles Brightly had established a printing office in Bungay. He took on John Childs as a partner in 1805, and John and Robert Childs—at Brightly's death—became the sole proprietors. [return]

UAB

English

William Hone to John Childs, 19 April, 1821