2307. Robert Southey to Charles Danvers, 21 September 1813 ⁠* 

Streatham. Tuesday night. Sep^t 21. 1813.

My dear Charles

You will easily imagine that amid the endless round of engagements & locomotion in which London involves me I have little time either to write or to rest; & the accident of having my Uncle at Streatham rather increases than lessens the quantum of my movements & <the> dissipation of my time. I shall have been absent from home a month tomorrow, & it will scarcely be possible for me to get back in less than six weeks from this time, let me do what I can to curtail my visits & accelerate my occupations. Before I leave town I will send you money enough to clear my account with you & also to discharge a few debts which poor George has left. I believe they are only a taylors bill to Forbes, [1]  & some trifle to Williams the hatter. [2]  Should you happen to see either of these persons before I can make the remittance, tell them from me that they will speedily be paid.

The history of the Laureateship is this. On my arrival in town I learnt that Croker, having asked Bedford & Gifford how far they thought it likely that I would accept the office if it were given upon the principle detur digniori, [3]  & agreeing with them that if so offered it would become me to take it, went to the Prince & asked it for me. The Prince observed that M^r Southey had written some good things in defence of the Spanish cause, & was a very proper person to have it. before this Croker soon afterwards met Lord Liverpool & told him what had past, & Lord L. expressed his sorrow that he had not known it a day sooner for he & Lord Hertford having consulted together who was the best poet of the day, had in consequence offered it to Walter Scott. At hearing this the Prince was offended & said he ought to have been consulted before the office was disposed of; it was his pleasure that M^r Southey should have it, & therefore have it he should. Croker then observed that he was Scotts friend as well as mine, that Scott & I were friends also, & that for the sake of all xxxx, the matter must be allowed to rest where it was. – All this I learnt on my arrival in town.

Scott declines the office in the handsomest possible manner, not as disdaining it, but because provided <for> as he is in his profession, it would expose him to invidious & not unmerited xxxx censure for taking an office which ought to be held by a man of letters exclusively, – & he urges me xx whom he calls xx “elder brother in the Muse” to take it. [4]  You would be very much pleased with Scotts letter; – it has raised him in the opinion of every person who has seen it. I then wrote to Croker expressing my readiness to accept the office, provided it were understood that I should not be expected to write verses like exercises at stated times & on stated subjects, but left upon great public events to commemorate them or not, just as the spirit might move. [5]  There the business rests, & in all likelihood my appointment will be in the next batch of paper which the Prince signs. It is a paltry salary 100£, with 25 more as a xxx commutation for a tierce of Spanish Canary wine. the net income falls short of the hundred; – but to me xxx it will be of very material importance, for I shall appropriate the whole to a life insurance, & it will wholly, or nearly, cover a policy for 3000£. I have never felt any fears about a provision for my family, but this goes so far towards securing one, that it will give me xxx sincere pleasure to see the appointment confirmed, & have the insurance effected.

The laurel however vain as an honour, thus becomes a serious benefit to my children. And if I do not find it an honour I shall make it so; – for such it will be to him who shall be thought worthy to wear it after me. If I write anything ex officio, as the great events which every hour is defining may possibly ere long require, you may trust me that it will be in xxx a strain which will be creditable to the office & to myself.

Ashburnes [6]  portrait of you is not in any degree comparable to my own, – with such different eyes are these things seen by persons equally competent to form a judgment.

I have given Allstone an American painter whom Coleridge knew at Rome, a letter to King, [7]  – with the double intention of introducing a man of high genius in his profession to him, & procuring for xxx Allstone Kings his advice; – xxx Rex will gladly give <it> him for his own sake as well as for mine when he has seen his picture of Cupid & Psyche, [8]  which he takes with him. I have seen his great scripture piece, of which West [9]  has [MS torn] that <it> is the age of Michel Angelo revived, [10]  – & this was not saying too much. – He is a very modest man, – very sensible of kindness, broken down by illness, & a good deal dispirited by adverse circumstances. As a painter I have not the slightest hesitation in saying that he is far, – very very far – the first of his age.

I cannot travel westward this journey. Is there no hope of your coming to London, while I remain here? at Streatham & at the Doctors you would meet with a hearty reception.

God bless you

Yrs most affectionately

Robert Southey.