6 XlCHOLSON, Hcinans — Xicliolson Con-espojidettce. 



star in the literary firmament, ^Ir. Nicholson promptly 

 withdrew his proffered preface. 



" Since ]\Ir. William Roscoe had taken in hand the 

 writing of the preface," he says, '' I was so satisfied that it 

 would be so much better done, that I was only desirous 

 that my effort should be buried in oblivion." Neverthe- 

 less, he seems to have been rather proud of his own 

 production, and in the same letter he includes a final 

 copy of the meditated preface, " which I hope you will 

 find so altered that you could have had no objection to have 

 suffered the introduction of the second tetrastich amongst 

 the others. I myself would have chosen to leave out the 

 parenthesis respecting the ages of the young ladies. 

 These comments are now needless, and I have much 

 confidence that you will be perfectly satisfied with any 

 preface written by Mr. William Roscoe." In the spring 

 of 1807. Harriett ]\Iary Browne*, Felicia's younger sister, 

 then aged S^, wrote a little story of the Pleasures of 

 Willow-dale, and this and some poetical effusions were 

 shown to Matthew Nicholson by one of the girl's aunts. 

 The approbation he expressed, and the interest he took 

 in securing the publication of Willow-dale, reached the 

 young lady's ears, and brought forth a letter of grateful 

 acknowledgment (dated 28th January, 1808), and a 

 very pressing invitation to Gwrych. Though he did 

 not avail himself of the invitation, ]Mr. Nicholson 

 now thought it necessary to reveal his identity, which 

 had probably been known all along to ]\Irs. Browne. 

 Early in 180S Harriett visited her relations in St. Ann 

 Street, Liverpool, and while there was taken ill. 

 She met Mr. Nicholson, and there grew up a fondness 



* Harriett always spelled her name thus, but her mother and sister 

 often omitted the last letter. We have followed her own spelling 

 throughout. 



