1730-+London+Gazette


 * 1) ** February 20, 1730 **

My Dear Cousin Alyssa,

I hope you are doing well and enjoying all of what Florence has to offer. I am writing you this letter because it has been an exciting year and I want to keep you up to date on everything going on. I have been reading the //London Gazette// and it is much different then any other periodical that I have read. I know when we discussed last time you mentioned that that you like to read and that you are interested in politics so I thought I would tell you a little bit about this periodical. It was first published in 1665 and it provides information about the English government. It focuses on current events and nothing more, which I thought you would be interested in since you like politics! The periodical gives us an insight into what is going on in parliament, current affairs, trade and much more. It keeps the people of London informed on what laws are being passed in Parliament and what is going on across the seas. I know you would love it! Check it out. Talk soon. Best, Lauren

Dear Alyssa, I am sorry, I have not been able to write back. I have been so busy helping father out that I have had no time. I am glad you checked out the London Gazette. What did you think? I specifically looked at the issues from January to March and it seems as if all they are talking about is the Treaty of Seville. What did you think about the treaty? The Gazette gives a lot of recognition to Sir William Stanhope and Sir Robert Walpole for their negotiations? What did you think about Walpole becoming Prime Minister? My opinion on the treaty is that I thought it was fair. As our country still maintains control of Port Mahon and Gibraltar, we now support the queen of Spain. I thought it was pretty fair, but I am curious to hear your input. Also I read in the January issue about the planning of the marriage between Peter II Alexeyvich the emperor of Russia to Prince Dologorukova’s eldest daughter Catherine. However the day of the wedding, Peter died on January 1930. What did you think of that? Could you imagine your husband dying on your wedding day? I could not imagine. But, How is it going in Florence? I know Italy was hit especially hard with the death of the pope on February 21,1730. The newspaper mentions that many noblemen flew to Italy for the services. However, there was not much information regarding the Pope, which was shocking to say the least besides in March when the cardinals went to Rome for the new election of the pope. How do you like the new pope? Are you checking out any plays in Florence? What are you doing on your spare time? I would love to know. As Always, Your Cousin, Lauren.
 * May 31,1730 **



Dearest Alyssa, I am glad to hear that you have been visiting the theatre and the arts. I am also happy that you asked how the theatre season is doing here in London. It has been great, to say the least. It is extremely popular after the expansion of some of theaters. Drury Lane, Lincoln Inn Fields, Goodman Fields, and the Haymarket were among the theaters that everyone has been going too. However, I was happy that I got to go to Goodman Fields to see Hamlet in January since King George 11 removed the royal approval. It is really crazy how much the king controls the theater. It is kind of absurd. At any moment, he could shut down the theater. You asked about some of the plays that have been performing at the theatres. Shakespeare had a lot of his plays performed this season that of Othello, Hamlet, and The Jew of Venice among others. I went to see Hamlet, and it was great. I saw an advertisement on the street for the play at Goodman Fields and I took my father. A lot of advertisements have been shown in particular what play was being performed, where it was being acted, and who was acting. I am telling you Alyssa, the theatre is thriving unlike before. I am eager for you to come home in October!
 * June 5,1730. **

Hope to talk to you soon. Lauren.



Dear Alyssa, Since you asked, Hamlet was great. I saw the play on January 7 at Goodman Fields when it opened. I thought that the theater was very accommodating. Perhaps, when you get home maybe we could go see Othello or the Jew of Venice, I am not sure if we should go to Goodman Fields though after the King removed it from the royal. I heard that it reopened in May but they are operating without royal sanction so it may just be risky. We should just go to the other theaters. I know you mentioned that you love Shakespeare so we must go see one of his plays when you come home. As promised I will tell you what I thought about Hamlet. But you must see it yourself. Shakespeare focuses the audience around Hamlet, a crestfallen prince. He is a rather confusing character, I would say. But, I will leave it up to you to decide what you think. He is faced with evidence that his uncle, Claudius, has murdered his father. Throughout the play, Hamlet becomes obsessed with proving his uncles guilt. However, I was able to sympathize with the befallen prince mainly because of his relationship with his mother Gertrude, who has married Claudius. Gertrude is a woman who does not mean any harm to anyone, but her actions contribute to the horrific events that occur later in the play. Others may argue, but I believe that Gertrude is the reason behind all of the events and which eventually will lead to her death and other characters in the play. She does not help her son grieve over King Hamlet’s death and she marries his brother less than two months after. Could you imagine? Poor Hamlet, he feels humiliated because his mother has now married her husband’s father, which is considered incestuous. Hamlet expresses his anger in the play because of this marriage. He is disturbed at the thought of his mother sleeping with Claudius after what he has done to his father. Put it this way, it is like my mother marrying your father! She tells Hamlet in the play that it is common for all men to die, however it is not any man who has died; it is Hamlet’s father.She shows no awareness of how her husband died and therefore no insight into what Hamlet suspects. Later in the play as Hamlet gets even madder with the other characters in the play and she hopes the madness is over his love of his fair lady Ophelia. She is blinded by the fact that his madness has stemmed from his mother rather than his lover. Ultimately at the end of the play, Gertrude ends up dying because she drinks poison that was meant for Hamlet from Claudius. Hamlet ends up killing Claudius, and then ends up dying after by getting stabbed by one of the characters with a poisoned blade. In the end right before he dies he names the Norwegian Prince his successor because he hears that he is coming. Alyssa, when you see the play make sure to look at the weird behaviors of Hamlet. As I just gave you a very quick synopsis of the play, you will be very confused about his behavior. As he often stays up all night walking through the halls of the palace and has delusional thoughts. As, I think that Gertrude is the underlining reason behind Hamlet’s behavior, I am curious to hear what you think about him and the play. The play is rather long, so try not to get too bored. I promise it gets good! Also, since you told me how much you like politics, Hamlet is surrounding with political references. First, we have the issue of the throne and how Claudius got the throne because he murders Hamlet’s father. Perhaps if Claudius did not get the throne would it have gone to Hamlet? It is a possibility. We also have the issue between Denmark and Norway, which lasts back to when Hamlet’s father killed King Fortinbras of Norway in a battle years ago when Denmark defeated Norway. However, the king’s son took over and Denmark fears an invasion and that is why at the end when Hamlet hears that Fortinbras is marching through with his army makes him his successor. It has a rather unusual ending, I would say but that’s what makes the play interesting. You asked the question, Am I still reading //The London Gazette?// No, I took a break from it. I feel, as it does not give us that much insight about what is going on in Britain but rather what is going on in the outside world. As, it could be informative at times I felt that I was constantly reading up on foreign affairs that I completely lost track about what was going on in my daily life and that was not good. So, I stopped. From time to time, I will glance at what is going on but I need to focus on myself. But, I encourage you to read it if you want to get caught up on foreign affairs while you are in Florence. I cannot wait to see you soon. Warm Regards, Lauren
 * July 5, 1730 **

Works Cited

"News." London Gazette 1 Jan. 1721. 17th and 18th Century Burney Collection: UK Newspapers. Web. 30 Mar. 2016.

Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Hamlet Prince of Denmark. Vol. XLVI, Part 2. The Harvard Classics. New York: P.F. Collier & Son, 1909

The London Stage, 1660-1800: a Calendar of Plays, Entertainments & Afterpieces, Together With Casts, Box-receipts And Contemporary Comment. [1st ed.] Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press, 1960196811965.