Transcript
Athenæum {1} May 9. 1817.
My Dear Sir.
I have to apologize for a very long and unintentional delay in replying to your two last letters, but as it has been occasioned by three events of a different nature, though of equal importance, (my appointment as Librarian to this Institution;—my marriage; {2}—and the death of a very dear and much esteemed friend,) I confidently hope to receive your pardon.—At my success in obtaining this situation, you, I am sure will feel great satisfaction, and it is with mingled sensations of pleasure and gratitude that I inform you, I am principally indebted to you for my good fortune.—As you left me at liberty to make what use I pleased of your very flattering testimonial, I sent it with others from Mr Sparrow, and Mr Gurney, to the President of the Athenæum, {3} and about a fortnight since received a letter from him of which the following is an extract.—“I have the pleasure to inform you that you were this day, at a very numerous meeting of the Committee, elected the Librarian to the Athenæum. The number of Candidates was 96, and the number of letters and testimonials, which I had to lay before the Committee, amounted to not less than 237. You are indebted for this preference on the part of the committee, to the good sense of your communications to me, supported by the uncommonly powerful recommendation of Mr D. Turner.” {4}—The letter concludes by requesting me to assume my office as soon as convenient, and I was yesterday formally inducted.—Having thus succeeded in my most sanguine wishes, and placed in a situation, where the brightness of future prospects, offers ample remuneration for the gloom of the past, I cannot refrain from expressing my most sincere and heartfelt gratitude for the generous and unexampled friendship I have invariably experienced from you; a gratitude which my employment here will hourly increase, and where every occurrence will remind me, I am indebted to you for the happiness I enjoy.—If I can in any way, become serviceable to you in Liverpool, I hope you will not hesitate to inform me, and, if amid the numerous and more respectable claimants on your correspondence, you should ever think of me, nothing (except the pleasure of seeing you at the Athenæum) would give me great joy, than being occasionally honoured with a letter from you.—
As I am unwilling to trouble Mr Sparrow with a letter, and knowing your frequent intercourse with him, may I beg the favour of you to convey to that gentleman, my most grateful thanks for his very friendly letter to me, and for every other kindness I have received from him.
I remain Dear Sir | Yours most respectfully
Geo Burrell
[Direction:] Dawson Turner Esq— | Yarmouth
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Postmarked at Liverpool on 9 May.
{1} The reference is to the Athenaeum Club in Liverpool, not the club of the same name in London, which was founded later.
{2} Burrell married Anne Wing somewhere in Suffolk on 26 April.
{3} Either John Rutter, President from 1816 to 1817, or Jonathan Brooks, the Archdeacon of Liverpool, President from 1817 to 1822.
{4} The succeeding dash is below the inverted commas in the MS, but was probably intended to follow them.