1651. Robert Southey to Charles Watkin Williams Wynn, 8 July 1809 ⁠* 

Keswick. Saturday July 8. 1809.

My dear Wynn

You will be a little surprized to hear that Canning has expressed a wish to serve me, & that in consequence Walter Scott has been xx desired to communicate this to me & find out in what manner it can be done conformably to my own inclinations. There was a situation of 300 £ a year in his own department which he would have offered, – but that was nobly judged by himself, Scott & Ellis to be inadequate to the x expence of time & attendance which it required. So Scott wrote to mention to me Professorships at the Universities, Diplomatic Situations, – or any other thing which could be pointed out.

Professorships in England are fenced about with subscription, & therefore unattainable by me. In Scotland I would accept one if nothing more suitable can be found. The Secretaryship in Portugal is now no longer desirable. My Uncle has left that country & the salary would not support me there. I am too old to begin the pursuit of fortune in that line, – & nothing but the desire of becoming independent ever made me desirous of a situation for which I know myself in many points to be exceedingly unfit. The truth is that I have found xx my way in the world, & am in that xxxxxxxxxx state of life unto which it has pleased God to call me, & for which it has pleased him to qualify me. At the same time my means are certainly so straitened that I should very gladly obtain an addition to them, if it could be obtained without changing the main stream of my pursuits.

Now Sharp has told me that the Stewardship <to Greenwich Hospital> for the Derwentwater Estates is expected soon to be vacated by the death of a Mr Walton. [1]  Long [2]  is the managing Director, – & for this Sharp has advised me to apply, – I have therefore written to Scott to tell him this, & I now write to you, well knowing that if you can be of use of to me in this application you will. [3]  What the value of the appointment is I do not know. Sharp fancies from 6 to 800 a year. If this be thought ‘too good a thing for me’ [4]  – as I dare say it will, – the Cumberland estates might be divided from the Northumberland ones. Certes I should rather have the whole than half, but better half a loaf than no bread. And now I have done all that it is in my power to do; having thus found out a specific thing, – asked for it, & written to you for your assistance, if you can give me any. Having done this I dismiss the subject altogether from my thoughts. In this respect I have been truly a philosopher that no hopes or fears with respect to worldly fortunes have ever given me an hours anxiety.

God bless you

RS.