Berkeley

'The notorious Lady Craven' i.e. Lady Elizabeth Craven Margravine of Anspach. Autograph Letter Signed 'Elizabeth' explaining to her publisher Henry Colburn a passage from her 'Memoirs' regarding the 'Pye … Calld Paté de Peregeux'.

24508 — No place. 'Saturday 5 Mar 14 i.e. 1814. 1p 8vo. On laid paper with watermarked date 1811. In good condition lightly aged with stub from mount adhering. In a contemporary hand at head: '0 15' and at foot '5 Mar 14' and 'Margravin Anspach'. The letter reads: 'The Pye alluded to is Calld Paté de Peregeux & must be spelt so The other is – Je detruit Par ma presence - I destroy by my presence - indeed Sir you cannot Oblige me more than to be very minute in any thing that seems doubtfull - The Black Stone perhaps may suit the Pye being filld with Black Trufles – but there is a Place calld Peregeux in France from whence was sent to all Parts of the World those Pyes - Hopeing C. Jairman will not walk off with C – Barclay - I remain yours sin Elizabeth.' The letter certainly relates to the following passage in Lady Craven's 'Memoirs' regarding 'Lord Thurlow when Chancellor': 'I really believe he preferred tough English salt beef to a pate de Perigueux — and the London porter to the wine of Paris. He frequently remarked to me " Vous detruisez par votre presence" .'. From the nature of the letter it would appear to be a reply to a query made on preparing the manuscript by the publisher of the 'Memoirs' Henry Colburn of New Burlington Street. If that is the case the dating to '5 Mar 14' would appear to be incorrect as the 'Memoirs' were published in 1826. No place. 'Saturday | 5 Mar 14 [i.e. 1814] unknown