1180. Robert Southey to Henry Herbert Southey, 14 May [1806] ⁠* 

My dear Harry

Your letter which slipped into the wrong cover was but of a few lines, scrawled in great hurry, just to congratulate you that you had past over the Pons Asinorum [1]  of Medicine, to wish you all due success in purging & vomiting his majestys subjects; & to convey John Mays congratulations also, by way of saving you the postage of a letter from him himself. [2]  It contained nothing more except an expression of strong displeasure at Jeffrays conduct about Nathan. [3]  I do not think Wm Taylor acted wisely in applying to him – after the application it was certainly at Jeffray’s option to review the book in what time he pleased, because the application in itself was not strictly right; but there can be no excuse for his affixing Wm Taylors name, under such circumstances, & after such a reviewal. [4]  It is a breach of decorum to affix an authors name to a publication which is not avowed; & in the present case it is a breach of confidence. I do not think Wm Taylor will feel so much hurt at it as I do. If Walter Scott should mention the thing to you, as it is probable he may, for I have made no scruple of speaking of Jeffrays conduct upon this business just as I think of it, do not let him suppose that I in the slightest degree reflect upon him.

Your Norwich friends are all wishing to see you. M^rs Taylor is growing much altered since I first saw her – & decaying very fast. [5]  I perceived many retrenchments in their establishment, & foresee that whenever her death shall take place, which cannot be at any very distant period, Wm Taylor will not remain long in Norwich. Whether Dr Reeve will settle there or not will soon be seen; if he marries Susan Taylor [6]  I suppose he will. I thought M^rs John Taylor might as well not have talked to me about you & her daughter, & both W^m Taylor and his mother thought so too. [7]  I called on Philip – Chloe was out of town, & Philip called on her return to fix a day for my dining there – which was not till my place was taken for London. [8]  I dined during the week of my sojourn there with Dr Sayers, Pitchford, Joseph Gurney & D^r Smith. [9]  You will I suppose bend your way hither when you are bedoctored, & we will talk over Norwich, & other prospects.

I was very unwell in London with cold & cough; the air half poisoned me, – my lungs were never so sensibly affected before. for ten days I abstained from animal food & drank only water; by this means & by keeping very early hours, avoiding all fatigue, & talking very little I got better, but the cough was sufficient to show me that six months in London would be my death. Fox glove operated so strongly upon me as a diuretic that I could not take it. On my return I have picked up another cold, which will soon go off. Oh what a comfort it is to be at home! & yet it is not possible to more be comfortable in any house not ones own than I was at Rickmans. His wife is one of the best-natured women in the world, & he as you know just a man after my own heart. I kept aloof from my acquaintance as much as possible, & confined myself to the circle of my own old friends – Bedford, Duppa, Elmsley &c – Two days I was at Mrs Gonnes in the country – one with John May. Wordsworth flourishes in London, he powders & goes with a cocked hat under his arm to all the great routs. No man is more flattered by the attentions of the great, & no man would be more offended to be told so. His home is at Sir G. Beaumonts – I dined there one day, & refused a second invitation, because I do not xxx over much like them, & when that is the case have an unlucky way of showing it. – I met D^r Laird, [10]  & asked for some votes for him in the dispensary.

My accounts in the Row are not in a very prosperous state. [11]  3–17–1- being the whole of my profits for Madoc, as yet. A small edition is to be printed, [12]  but the sale of that will be slow – poetry does not sell without some adventitious circumstances favour it. If it be by a Peer, or a Shoemaker, or a Scotchman, personal, political, or obscene, it will do; – but when there is nothing to help it forward but it except its own intrinsic merit, I find there is much to praise to be got, xxx & little pudding. Espriella is in Richard Taylors hand, who has sent me two sheets. [13]  I am going to reprint Palmerin of England, & this with the Cid will be a pretty fair work for summer & autumn. [14]  – I met M^r Allen [15]  with Ld & Lady Holland at Sharpes, & talked with him about our common pursuits – he is a steady, clear headed man; & will produce something good.

Phillips has quarrelled with Dr Aikin, & the D^r will in consequence start another magazine with Longman against the Monthly. [16]  Artaxerxes [17]  has a plan for such a thing I drew up at his request some time back, [18]  & which he laid aside only for want of an editor. If I am not mistaken Phillips will injure himself materially by this breach, for it will be their own faults if they do not make the best periodical publication extant. Wm Taylor will of course desert with the Doctor, & I shall willingly give a hearty shove at the off-set. [19]  –

George Dyer gives a good account of your Thesis as delivered in substance at the Medical Society. [20]  I have promised him a copy to assist in furnishing his floor – which I beg you will not forget in forming your list of presentations.

God bless you

RS.

Wednesday May 14.