2329. Robert Southey to Thomas Southey, 15 November 1813 ⁠* 

Keswick. Nov. 15. 1813

My dear Tom

Thank God I am once more by my own fireside. Yesterday I arrived & am now no otherwise sensible of having been xxx five & forty hours travelling than that my ancles are somewhat swolln.

And now for the first time I can sit down in quiet & perfect comfort to write a Letter. – Your report concerning Ballantyne & W Scott was like most reports a great deal of falsehood founded upon some little truth. There is so bankruptcy in the case, – & Scott is just so far involved with them, that his friends find it necessary to bear them through their difficulties.

I was sworn in as Laureat on Thursday the 4^th & my appointment dates from the 12^th of August, – being both my birthday & the Princes the coincidence is remarkable. Pye [1]  died on the 11^th & as a thing of course the succession begins from the following day. Last Thursday I made my appearance at the Levee in the Doctors full dress suit. The coat was taken in for the occasion & I was sans doubt on that day the best drest poet in Christendom. Croker took me. The spectacle was very fine, – the apartments are magnificent in the highest degree, & nothing can be imagined more splendid than the crowd of uniforms, of all sorts & all services. The number of stars, medals, &c made it a proud sight for an Englishman. I saw Graham there & Sir Samuel Achmuty & Sir John Stuart, [2]  – & was introduced to General Anson, [3]  by Mr Littlelton, who also introduced me to Mr Richard Wellesley, [4]  the Marquis son, a man of prepossessing appearance. From the Marquis I receivd a message in the handsomest terms expressing his pleasure at hearing that the subject of the Peninsular affair was in my hands, [5]  & his willingness to afford me every assistance & facility in his power. – The ceremony of presentation was short & easy – my name was announced by the Lords in waiting – “How do you do Mr Southey – I am very glad to see you” – said the Prince to me, – as he said to every body else. – I, as I had been taught by Sir Domine, bent my right knee, managed the sword with my left hand, & putting the right under his just lifted it toward my lips, xx then rose & past on.

Your feelings respecting this appointment will very soon be changed. In me, of all men, it would have been at once gross folly & rank cowardice to have refused it. It becomes honourable if I make it so, – & what reason have I to distrust either my own intentions or my own powers? – As for the ridicule which it at first provoked, a well-turned jest will amuse me as much as it can x any one else, – & even a dull one does me the unintended service of making me appear of importance to the reader. The more abuse, the more censure, the more satire, the more sarcasm the better, – because the lathe will soon be turned. For be you assured that I shall derive honour from the office from by giving honour to it.

I have bought Du Tertre, [6]  xx Lygons History of Barbadoes, [7]  & Atkins [8]  (I think is the name) of Dominica. They are on the way with my other [MS missing] I shall look over them to see what they contain ap[MS missing] to my Brazilian subject [9]  & then forward them to you. In the latter you will probably find something in the two former & especially in the first a great deal. [10]  The more I think about your opus the better the plan appears, – as a task at once practicable, pleasant & profitable for you, & a book which will really fill up a chasm in history. If we could dispose of an edition of 500 copies by subscription at £2.2 (supposing one quarto volume to compose the whole as I expect it will), you would clear by it at least five hundred guineas. Or if we could only get 200 copies thus disposed of I think a bookseller might be found to take all risk & charges & give you that number of copies as the price if the work – here would be 420£ gain – no bad prize for a Captain on shore.

My time was so fully occupied during my absence from eight in the morning till eleven at night, that I had no possible leisure for writing any other letters than those which carried home the account of my proceedings. I was weary beyond measure of new faces & perpetual change, scarcely ever dining two days together in the same place nor with the same company. – In the way of documents I got hold of some good private as well as offical correspondence, & shall have every assistance which the public office can give me. [11]  I must now turn to & fetch up my lee way, – letters to write by the score, & heaven knows how many other league-long operations before me! Thank God here I am once more in health & good spirits, ready to begin all & go through all. – Love to Sarah & Margaret & Maryhannah – I thought of them at Bowes.

For want of red wax I must seal with black. – The seal – a fine Scotch topaz – was a present from Scott, which I got cut in London –

God bless you

RS.

I like Bewicks block [12]  very much indeed – but as you observe the water should be made more apparent. Xxx <Two> thousand impressions will be as many as I can possibly want for very many years: for many of these books are my Uncles, & I should not put them in all my own, – for instance xxx is may xxx xxx xxxx all that are in Duck Row [13]  would go without them.

Will you buy for me half a dozen of your Durham-Toasting Cheeses & pack them off by the Carrier. Tell me the cost & I will send it with the amount of Bewicks Bill. – I think my Uncle will have a block cut. [14]