DEAR W.—I
write that you may not think me neglectful, not that I have any thing to say.
In answer to your questions, it was at your house I saw an edition of Roxana, the preface to which
stated that the author had left out that part of it which related to Roxana’s daughter persisting in imagining
herself to be so, in spite of the mother’s denial, from certain hints she
had picked up, and throwing herself continually in her mother’s way (as
Savage is said to have done in his,
prying in at windows to get a glimpse of her), and that it was by advice of
Southern, who objected to the
circumstances as being untrue, when the rest of the story was founded on fact;
which shows S. to have been a stupid-ish fellow. The
incidents so resemble Savage’s story, that I taxed
Godwin with taking Falconer from his life by
Dr. Johnson. You should have the
edition (if you have not parted with it), for I saw it never but at your place
at the Mews’ Gate, nor did I then read it to compare it with my own; only
I know the daughter’s curiosity is the best part of my Roxana. The prologue you speak of was mine, so named, but not worth
much. You ask me for 2 or 3 pages of verse. I have not written so much since
you knew me. I am altogether prosaic. May be I may touch off a sonnet in time.
I do not prefer Col. Jack
to either Rob. Cr. or Roxana. I only spoke of the beginning of it, his
childish history. The rest is poor. I do not know anywhere any good character
of De Foe besides what you mention. I do
not know that Swift mentions him.
Pope does. I forget if D’Israeli has. Dunlop I think has nothing of him. He is quite
new ground, and scarce known beyond Crusoe. I do not
know who wrote Quarll. I never thought of Quarll as having an author. It is a
poor imitation; the monkey is the best in it, and his pretty dishes made of
shells. Do you know the
| 1823 | DANIEL DEFOE AGAIN | 601 |
Your old friend,
