2108. Robert Southey to Charles Danvers, 4 June 1812 ⁠* 

Keswick June 4. 1812.

My dear Danvers

I ought to have replied answered your last letter ere this, – but I have had a pressure of letters of business on my hands & also I desired Tom to tell you whether he could xxx find a bed for David at S^t Helens. There lies the only difficulty, – on our journey a third will be convenient as well as agreable, – because in case of rain, or fatigue, or bad quarters, we can then take chaise for a stage, either for the sake of expedition, or of comfort. I believe we must provide David with a bed in the town, for since I wrote to you respecting Hort, [1]  poor Sir Edward Littleton is dead, & in all likelihood Miss Barker will come to us as soon as she can leave Teddesley.

I shall finish the Register [2]  by the end of next week, – & shall resume a fortnight after it for the Quarterly. Then I am ready to sling my knapsack & start. So if you come on with Martha as soon as you please, I can attend to you & my reviewing at the same time.

There is a stage from Kendal to Keswick Tuesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays, which starts at six in the morning. And there is a mail from Liverpool which reaches Kendal about five: your better way then will be to secure places in that mail for Friday: it sets out about five in the afternoon. But you must lose no time in securing them, for I believe only two places can be taken at Liverpool, the other chances being reserved for a coach from Manchester which joins at Preston.

You may give me sorrow of my summer cold. It is today in full force, & no doubt will continue till I drop it somewhere on the road upon our projected journey.

My politics are very gloomy. The best part of the prospect is that Spain & Portugal are likely to be free when an Englishman who neither likes a Methodist Church Establishment, nor a Military Government with xxx xxx xx must look out for an asylum: Catholick Emancipation will lead to the first of these evils, – the Burdettites to the second, & Marquis Wellesleys  [3]  politics help us rapidly on toward both.

I am sorry to hear Rex has been so ill. – Tell him Count Julian [4]  is published by Murray .

God bless you

RS.

I learn that Martha writes as if she were coming on from Liverpool without you. Make your movements entirely to your own convenience, whether you come with her, or after her, is to us equally convenient. – xxx except that we like to begin upon gooseberries pies & to see an old friend, always xxx as xxxx xx soon as possible. The campaign against the gooseberries was opened this day.