2431. Robert Southey to Grosvenor Charles Bedford, 30 May 1814 ⁠* 

My dear Grosvenor

I give in no account of income as arising from the profits of authorship either here or elsewhere, – in fact, I subsist by borrowing in advance upon those profits, – Longman has my books in his hands, & answers my drafts, – the books are his security, & I am at this time indebted to him of more than about 300 £. & the profits having never yet kept pace with the debt, – except while the Register [1]  continued. My income was given in first as arising from Wynn  [2]  – afterwards as commuted for the pension, [3]  & for th two or three years past no annual paper has been sent me. [4] 

Youthhead [5]  is a genuine old word, & useful as distinguished from a youth.

Your question about the income has made me somewhat uneasy –

RS.

May 30 1814