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42 - Francis HORNER (1778–1817). Autograph letter, Lincoln’s Inn,…
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Estimate €1,000 - €1,500
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Description
Francis HORNER (1778–1817). Autograph letter, Lincoln’s Inn, 28 November [1810], to Thomas Robert Malthus; 3½ pages, in-8 (traces of a tab); in English. A very interesting letter to Malthus, concerning Ricardo and the mental state of George III. He asks Malthus for a favour: he has forgotten to give an article on ‘the question of depreciation’ to Francis Jeffrey (editor of the Edinburgh Review), and wishes to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands; credit should be given to David Ricardo and Robert Mushet, who were the first to draw the public’s attention to this subject. He asks Malthus to write a few pages on Ricardo’s treatise (*The High Price of Bullion*), despite their differences of opinion. He also hopes that Ricardo will review Charles Bosanquet’s book (*Practical Observations on the Report of the Bullion-Committee*). He then refers to King George III’s mental state: the Privy Council has consulted the doctors (‘The Privy Council has examined all the physicians’) and each offers their opinion (‘an expectation of the King’s recovery’); Heberden is hopeful, basing his view on the alleviation of symptoms, the King’s sound faculties during his lucid intervals, and the similarity of his current illness to his previous bouts: ‘he relied upon the improvement in the symptoms, the “integrity of the King’s faculties” (during lucid intervals, I presume), and the similarity of his present illness to previous episodes’; Reynolds believed that recovery was certain, whilst Willis considered it likely… [On 5 February 1811, the future George IV was appointed Prince Regent; George III did not die until 1820.]
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About the sale Letters and Autograph Manuscripts – Part I
Auction location
Auction time 10/13/2026 at 2:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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