1390. Robert Southey to Herbert Hill, 5 December [1807] ⁠* 

My dear Uncle

The best way of sending books from London here is to ship them for Newcastle, – but it is not advisable to risk them at this time of year, for never a week passes during the winter without some wreck upon that deadly coast. By the time Edith is in bed, which will probably be towards the close of January, [1]  it will be expedient that I should go to town & compleat the introduction to the Cid; [2]  – the body of the work will be printed off by that time, – I desired Pople to send you the sheets. Lady Holland wrote me a note last week announcing some volume of Spanish plays – as on their road to me, & claiming a promise that Holland House was to be my home, – a promise which I took especial care explicitly to avoid. My home will be where it always is at Rickmans. To H. House I shall go for something less than a week; – as much less as possible; – it being a place from whence I cannot go to see my friends, & where they cannot come to see me.

Lady H. is very gracious. She asks me about Espriella. [3]  That book is likely to put my accounts with Longman on a good footing. The first edition will soon be gone. A second will clear me with him, & leave me the profits of the small edition of Madoc, of Palmerin & of the Cid [4]  to look on to, besides every thing <else> which I have in contemplation.

Thevet [5]  may possibly be in De Bry, [6]  tho I rather think not. Claude d’Abbeville [7]  is a xxxx of later date. I will search London thro for them.

When I go to town if it should not suit you to meet me there (tho my going might be regulated by your convenience) – it would be no great elbow out of my way to join you in Herefordshire, – if it were not that I have xxx no place to go to there, since poor Thomas’s death. I halt at Penkridge on my way with Miss Barker. from thence you will see that is it no great distance. I wish we may so arrange it as that you can return here with me – you will see the only place in this world which rivals Cintra for beauty – It is very desirable that you should be with me when I prepare my materials for the press. I have materials also for a volume of travels in Portugal about which I wish to talk with you. They would unquestionably sell & perhaps at this time to a considerable extent –. Indeed I have much to say to you. The time seems to be coming when my labour will be better paid, & after a good deal of up-hill work I believe I am up the hill at last.

God bless you

RS.

Dec. 5

I have heard nothing of Harry. here letters of idleness I am as little fond of receiving as he can be of writing, – but I should be glad to know where he is & what his plans are, – He knows that Rickman can at any time get his letters franked.