SECTION XXII. Mr. Drew's removal to Liverpool - His friendly reception there-Commencement of the Imperial Magazine — Intimacy with Dr. Clarke's family - Destruction of the Caxton premises by fire. WE open now a new page in the history of Mr. Drew's life, his removal from his native county. This occurred in January, 1819. The occasion will, we think, be presented to the reader more agreeably in the original correspondence than in any other form. "MY DEAR SAM, "Millbrook, Prescot, Lancashire, "Oct. 29, 1818. "I now write to know what you are doing? and the reason is the following. The partnership between Messrs. Nuttall, Fisher, and Dixon, is dissolved; and the whole is now in the hands of Mr. Fisher. When I found he was quite settled, I earnestly recommended you to him, as a writer and editor, and soon proved to him that it might be to his advantage to have such a person in his employ : at the same time, that he should make it worth your while to be thus employed. He came into my plan, and I told him I would write to you. I told him I hoped his salary would be a rising one; but that you must commence with a sufficiency to keep the wolf from the door. This he quite admitted; and I believe any thing I could in conscience and honour name, he, would not hesitate to give. "Now, I most cordially recommend the place· and have no doubt of its being a comfortable maintenance for you, for life: and if you will work, to get things out of hand, (for he is a wonderful man for dispatch,) then you will well agree. You may enter on the work any hour you please; -the sooner the better. Now, can you come? and will you come, first, and spy out the land? This, I think, would be well. You will find in Liverpool such society as will be pleased with you, and you with them. Drop me a hint, what you would expect; that I may the better know how to shape my course. I need not say, that it will be a pleasure to me to have you near me; and perhaps my direction and advice, in some things which I should know better than you, may be useful. "Write immediately. I think you will vastly like the country, the place, and the society. — I shall get you the acquaintance of the first literary men in England. "Your's, dear Drew, affectionately, "ADAM CLARKE." "Mr. Samuel Drew, St. Austell, Cornwall." "Millbrook, Prescot, Nov. 9, 1818. "DEAR SAM, "Late on Saturday evening I received your letter; went in, the same evening, to Liverpool, and laid it before Mr. F.; and have now to communicate the following information: "1. To answer Mr. F.'s purpose, you must live in Liverpool. Such is the nature of his business, that out of it you would be of little or no use to him. "2. He considers Dr. Coke's terms as nothing by which he should be guided; as he knows not of any similar example in the trade. "3. He thinks that you might leave your present business in the hands of your family, at least for a few months, and come down and begin work; and in that time you could look about you. He wishes to publish the first number of a Magazine, on the 1st of January, 1819; and, to compile that number, you should be immediately on the spot. The time is very short; I fear, too short. "4. You can have a comfortable lodging at one of our friends', and reasonable; and therefore there would be no need of an immediate family establish ment. 66 "5. Though he would not bind himself to any thing in future, yet he wishes, bona fide, if you you and he agree, and you should find it your interest, and he his, that the employment should be perpetual: and such is the nature of his business, that he will ever need an editor. The business having been so long established, there is no doubt of its continuance; and I do think, such are your abilities, that the employment will be employment for you while, perhaps, you live. "6. Though he has several houses and tenements, yet he is not willing to find you any; because you might possibly think unsuitable what he might deem otherwise and therefore he thinks, if you come, you must provide for yourself. 7. Such is the nature of Liverpool, now certainly the first commercial town in the nation, that, with respect to the articles of life-food and raiment, you may live as cheap as in any other part of the country: and I should think, that a house adequate to the wants of your family might be got for even less than £20 per annum. Indeed, I know some very neat and convenient places in Liverpool, for twelve guineas; and if you come and live near me, you shall have, for seven guineas, a house with four rooms, each fifteen feet square, and a nice little garden. 66 8. Lastly, and most important, he proposes to give you, for the first year, you giving up your whole time to his work, and finding yourself every thing in the house way, pounds. I pulled it up from guineas to the above sum; and, my dear brother, I do think, it is only under the influence of an especial providence, that a man in your circumstances, or a literary man of any kind, in such times as these, can get so much per annum. Now take advice; and speak your mind speedily to "Your's affectionately, "Mr. Samuel Drew, St. Austell." "A. CLARKE." "Liverpool, Nov. 29, 1818. "DEAR DREW, "In most things I am obliged to adopt the maxim, Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might:' and to this I am obliged to add, do it speedily, that one work may not interfere with another. On Thursday evening I received your letter at Millbrook on Friday morning I sent off an abstract of it to Mr. Fisher: Saturday I came into Liverpool to converse with Mr. F. on the subject: and now sit down to give you the result. I have engaged lodging for you, provisionally, with a particular friend of mine, a young widow, a thorough Methodist, and about three minutes' walk from Caxton, Mr. F.'s office; where you are to have a bed-room, with the use of her parlour, and good, plain, wholesome food, for per week. Mrs. W. has two quiet, nice children, a boy and girl, 12 or 14 years of age: from them, therefore, you need expect no trouble nor molestation. 66 As you say you cannot remove sooner than the end of next month, so Mr. F. does not urge it: though it will sadly derange the plan of his projected Magazine; which, I am afraid, in that case, he cannot publish before March. However, I think, in the mean time, you might be projecting some plan of proceeding. He intends the Magazine to be thoroughly, not profoundly, literary; and thoroughly religious, Every thing of God and godliness to have place in it; and every thing in the compass of knowledge by which the human mind and heart may be improved. He has not even fixed on a name. He wishes also, that, while every thing that is sound in Divinity, and truly scriptural and rational in experience, may have a decided and prominent place in it, whatever may be profitable in science, especially to all the middle classes in life, should be carefully attended to. Contributors should be courted on all sides; and your correspondence should be made as strong and respectable as possible. On this plan, draw up a Prospectus as soon as you can. "Mr. F. projects also a history of America, in its present state, merely for the use of those who may be incited to emigrate thither; giving a true statement of the nature of the country, the soil and its productions, the commerce, value of land, rent of houses, taxation, &c., &c., difficulty or facility of settlement, expense of outfit, and of furniture and utensils there; and any fair balance between its advantages and disadvantages compared with the mother country. For these points he must seek out the proper materials for you. Such a history should be introduced with an account of the discovery of America, state of its original inhabitants, as to civilisation, religion, &c., and its gradual colonisation from the commencement to the present time. All to be included in one good octavo volume. These are the two principal things at present: and I give this notice of them, that you may mould them in your mind, and lay and model your plan as soon as possible, and that you may appear very wise and knowing when you come. I have done now all I think I should do in this business:- if I can help you, you may command me. God direct you in all things. "I am, my dear Drew, 66 With love to old friends, your's, "Mr. Samuel Drew, St. Austell.” |