Autograph Letter Signed "D. Rogers" with poem initialled "D.R." to "Bromley"

Three pages, 8vo, fold marks, chipped, pinholes and spikehole in centre, but mainly good with text clear and complete. He apologises for not writing sooner and discusses a book he has sent, firstly the binding, then the content in which the lives and deaths of the debauched Callistus and the virtuous Sophronius are contrasted, illustrated with a quotation from Young's "Night Thoughts".[viz. the scarce [Mulso, Thomas]. "Callistus: or, the man of fashion. And Sophronius: or, the country gentleman". In three dialogues. Dublin: printed by John Exshaw, 1769 - presumably he sees himself as the contented country gentleman - see Note below]. He reports with eulogy the death of his grandfather [part of the evidence for the identification of Daniel - Gent. Mag. in article on Samuel Rogers family (1856), says that his grandfather "appears" to have died in 1775]. He hopes to see Bromley in London and encourages a prompt reply. He then adds an original poem: "The following piece of Poetry, (on this charming season) the first I ever attempted in this kind of verse I submit to your impartial judgment. | On the Spring. || 1. | Far to the North dread winter flies, | And fragrant flowers meet our eyes | And woods arrayed in Green, | While th'airy warblers melting tale, | Melodious echo's [sic] thro' the vale, | And num'rous flocks are seen | [. . .]" Two further stanzas )also AABCCB, follow. Note: Daniel, elder brother of Samuel Rogers, went to Cambridge, trained as a barrister but "settled down in the country as a married man of strong literary tastes and no literary ambition." ["Samuel Rogers and His Circle"] When at Cambridge, his fellow student, Egerton Brydges, commented that he "never saw one of his compositions" . He became a "great reader" and student of Eastern languages ["Early Life of Samuel Rogers"]. This letter provides evidence that at least when young he had literary ambition. I have traced no other surviving MS material in his hand.