COSWAY, Maria Louisa (1760-1838). History painter and educationist.
Autograph Letter Signed to an unnamed correspondent, 1 page 4to (a little age-toned, lacking address-leaf), no place, no date. Appealing to her correspondent on behalf of a distressed author.

'... I have been earnestly requested to interest myself for the author of the work mention'd in these proposals [not present, who is very much distress'd & wants some person to take either all, or some coppy's from Mr Nicol's [publisher] & advance him the money, as hs been at some expences & it is very inconvenient to him to wait till the work is pubblished. ...
 'I have long expected the pleasure of seeing you in Stratford place, but hope you will not postpone it longer. Have you had news of you Brother? ...'

Maria's husband, Richard Cosway the miniaturist, had taken the lease of 22 Stratford Place in Oxford Street in 1791, moving two doors further along to number 20 three years later. The present letter therefore dates from after the time of Maria's affair with Thomas Jefferson which occurred in Paris in 1786 and led to a life-long correspondence detailed in the film Jefferson in Paris (1995).
Provenance: from a collection formed by A.M. Broadley in 1903.
[No: 24754]