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This letter is part of the correspondence calendar of the complete correspondence of Thomas Gray. The calendar contains detailed bibliographic records for all known original, copied, or published letters written by or to the poet as well as the full-text, where available. Each record is accompanied by digitised images of the manuscript, where available, or digitised images of the first printed edition.
The inclosed which I have this minute received from Mr Bentley, explains much that I had to say to you – yet I have a question or two more.
Who & what sort of Man is a Mr Sharp of Bennet? I have received a most obliging & genteel
letter from him, with the very letter of Edw. 6th which you was so good as to send me. I have
answered his, but shoud like to know a little more about him. Pray thank the Dean of Lincoln too for me; I am much obliged to him for
his offer, but had rather draw upon his Lincolnship than his Cambridgehood.
In the library of the former are some original letters of Tiptoft,
as you will find in my Catalogue. When Dr. Greene is there, I shall be glad if he will let me have them copied.
I will thank you if you will look in some provincial history of Ireland for Odo (Hugh) Oneil King of Ulster; when did he live? I have got a most curious Seal of his, & know no more of him than of Ouacraw King of the Paw-waws.
I wanted to ask you whether you or anybody that you beleive in, beleive in the Q. of Scots' letter to Q. Elizabeth – If it is genuine, I dont wonder she cut her head off – but I think it must be some forgery that was not made use of.
Now to my distress – you must have seen an Advertisement, perhaps the book itself, the villainous book itself, that has been
published to defend me against the Critical Review. I have been childishly unhappy about it, & had
drawn up a protestation or Affidavit of my knowing nothing of it, but my friends woud not let me publish it. I sent to the printer who
woud not discover the Author – nor coud I guess. They tell me nobody can suspect my being privy to it, but there is an Intimacy
affected that I think will deceive many – & yet I must be the most arrogant fool living if I coud know & suffer anybody
to speak of me in that Style – For God's sake do all you can for me, and publish my Abhorrence. Today I am told that it is that
puppy Dr Hill, who has chosen to make war with the Magazines thro my Sides. I coud pardon him any
abuse, but I never can forgive this Friendship.