1565. Robert Southey to Thomas Rees, 15 January 1809 ⁠* 

My dear Sir

D Juana de Austria the mother of Sebastian, was made Regent of Castille as soon as she returned to that country after her husbands death, [1]  while Philip 2. went to England to marry our Mary. [2]  This was in 1554. She built a Nunnery for the bare-footed Franciscans (or Clares) at Madrid, [3]  & expended much in other works of religious charity, but she never did not enter a Convent. She died at the Escurial Sept 8. 1573. in her 38^th year, & was buried in the Nunnery of her own foundation.

I have Molinas book, but am inclined to think that there would be very little sale for a Natural History of Chile. [4]  A good account of that country compiled from all the authors who have written concerning it, might, because it would be very entertaining, but the documents are scarce, the labour would be considerable, & I without much chance of any thing like an adequate remuneration. Histories of Peru & Mexico are also wanting for Robertson’s work is so scandalously deficient, as xxxxx to be made false by omission. [5]  Molina is as fit as was for Pinkertons Collection [6]  as Leems was, [7]  so would Pontoppidan have been. [8]  – I am sorry to see how grievously he mismanages that work. The whole second volume is good for little, & what little is good has no business there – Pennant too is nothing without all his prints. [9]  The different travels in each geographical division should have been chronologically arranged, & all inferior works cut up into notes & appendices. to the There is now neither order, selection, nor any thing else.

I wish you had sent me proofs of your two last maps in the Cyclopædia, [10]  I could have made some material corrections, & xxx rectified the very faulty spelling. – When last in town I saw the portraits of the present King of New Zealand & his wife, drawn by the King himself. [11]  If you could give facsimiles of these in the Cyclopædia, they would be the most curious things there, as specimens of the art in its most savage state. Carlisle has them – the Surgeon in Soho Square. – You want Coletis Geographical Dictionary of S. America [12]  to incorporate in that work. I have a copy, but it <is> a book of reference which is frequently in use, else I would offer it.

There is I think room for a great collection of English poetry upon the plan of the Parnasso Italiano, [13]  which it is strange enough, has never been adopted in this country, – that of giving all those poems great works which are admitted at home or abroad to be the pride of our fine literature, but rejecting all the indifferent pieces even of the best <greatest> writers, & giving only the very best of all the secondary & inferior ones. I would so far improve upon the Italian plan as to give prefix such an account of every author as would in fact be a review of his whole works, & thus introduce in the way of anla analysis & extract, all the <main> beauties which are scattered thro the long poems of Drayton, Daniel, the Fletchers, Cowleys Davideis [14]  &c – so that the various introductions should form a connected & complete History of English Poetry without any thing like antiquarian pedantry, or any bibliological rubbish, – but <exhibiting> in as readable & interesting a form as possible, all the results of antiquarian & bibliological research, so far as they are of any importance to the philosophy of literary history. The probable extent of such a work would be about as the same as the current editions of Johnsons Collection, [15]  because the elder & later writers whom it would be proper to admit would be equal in bulk to that quantity of trash which would be discarded. – As this would be the best Collection that has ever yet appeared, so might it be made the most beautiful at no greater expence than is generally wasted in those ‘embellishments’ which are in reality no embellishments at all. I would have portraits, & views of those places which are rendered interesting by their connection either with the author or his works. – The house in which a Poet was born, or where he lived, – the scenes which he has delighted to paint, – in short what are technically called illustrations. And under each portrait whenever it was possible, the authors name should be a facsimile of his handwriting. – This would be a great undertaking, but I am confident that it could not fail of success. The mere circumstance of ridding the collection of all impurities would alone <be enough to> recommend it in this age of Eclectic Reviews Family Shakesperes & Evangelical Monday Newspapers. If this plan is thought worthy of attention, I will write more fully upon the subject, for there are few things which I should like better than to gird my loins for such a task. The only things which I could not do would be the correcting the press, as that would occasion a delay incompatible with periodical publication.

I am glad to hear you are so forward with the Annual – this is not the only advantage which I expect from the change in its government, – only I fear William Taylor will be mist. [16] 

yrs very truly

R Southey.

Jan^y. 15. 1809.