3878. Robert Southey to Herbert Hill, 30 July – [continued on 2 August] 1822

Address: To/ The Reverend Herbert Hill/ Streatham/ Surry
Stamped: KESWICK/ 298
Postmark: [partial] o’Clock/ AU/ 1822 Nⁿ
MS: Keswick Museum and Art Gallery, WC 220. ALS; 4p.
Previously published: John Wood Warter (ed.), Selections from the Letters of Robert Southey, 4 vols (London, 1856), III, pp. 321–323 [in part].

Keswick 30 July. 1822

D. Joze Marias Ed. of the Lusiad

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is I believe to be seen at Holland House,

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– but only to be had from the Editor himself – - an octavo edition, I think, was published for sale. I have never seen either. – The want of F. y Sousas edition

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was a deficiency which I felt much more, – his commentary must certainly contain many things which I could have turned to good account.

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I returned from Rydal to day, not the worse for a walk of fifteen miles, the last ten in the rain. A great deal of exercise during the last three weeks has done me great service, & when John May & his son

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arrive I shall put them upon their mettle. Dr Wordsworth is at Rydal, & enquired for you. I had a good some conversation with him concerning Westminster. Without knowing that I had any immediate interest in the question, he took some pains to show me that for a boy of talents it would be more advantageous to be elected off to Trinity Col. than to Ch. Ch.

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The scholarship while it lasts (which is till the Masters degree is taken) is worth 40£ a year, – not xxxx not much less therefore, according to his account than a studentship, – the fellowships are 4 – or 500£. For these indeed a Westminster scholar has only the same chance as other scholars, but caeteris paribus

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there would be a wish to prefer him. For one who chuses a college life, the Ch. Ch. destination would be obviously the best, because tho of inferior value in its the Studentship there is every thing; but in any other case Dr W. is perhaps right in representing the Cambridge chance as worth more than the Oxford certainty.

Friday morning

We have been overrun with visitors since my return. I found in Keswick my old acquaintance Sharpe, – & also ‘Randolph’ of Roanoke,

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– so he styles himself on his card; – the Randolph who was considered as the head of the Federal party in America while any such party existed. A singular but very interesting man. – Sir John Malcolm

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breakfasted with me this morning, & M^r Duncan

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a Scotch pastor who first set the Savings Banks on foot. Malcolms Herculean form is much shaken since I saw him last, & well it may, for during his last five years residence in India, he did not spend three months under a roof. But he is recovering, & his spirits are as exuberant as ever. He is on his way to London to publish a book, which from the specimens which he has shown me, must be a very curious one.

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It is in substance & perhaps in form also, the official report of his Government.

Yesterday I had a letter from Westall

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asking for the sketch of Elvas. I thought he had been on his way northwards, but business will detain him at home. I send you his direction (19 Mornington Place, Hampstead Road) that you may either send the sketch, or take it, if you feel inclined to see what he has already done. If you xx see him ask him to show you xxx <a> view in Madeira xxxxx x x (if he has it still in his possession) with the platform before a Capuchin Convent & the Bell.

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He has seen New Holland, the East Indies & the West, but considers Madeira as the most picturesque country which he has yet visited.

I have followed your advice & sent off Ded. Preface &c as soon as your letter arrived.

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Three sheets will now compleat the printers

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work.

Remember us to my Aunt & the children. I have not heard from Harry of any change in his intentions.

God bless you
RS.

Notes

1. Jose Maria de Sousa Botelho Mourao e Vasconcelos (1758–1825), A Edição Monumental de Os Lusíades (1817). Only 210 copies were printed, all of which were presented as gifts.[back]

2. The London home of Lord Holland, containing his magnificent collection of Iberian literature.[back]

3. Manuel de Faria e Sousa (1590–1649), Lusiadas de Luis Camoens (1639).[back]

4. Southey is referring here to his review of John Adamson, Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Luis de Camoens (1820), no. 10 in the sale catalogue of Southey’s library. Southey’s review had been published in Quarterly Review, 27 (April 1822), 1–39, on 4 July 1822.[back]

5. John May and his son, John May (1802–1879), visited Southey at Keswick 5 August–2 September 1822.[back]

6. Herbert Hill’s eldest son, Edward Hill, was about to attempt to become a King’s Scholar at Westminster School, which would allow him to proceed to a Closed Scholarship at either Christ Church, Oxford, or Trinity College, Cambridge. Wordsworth as Master of Trinity College may have given partial advice that Cambridge was a better option for a young man seeking a life at university; there was no certainty that a King’s Scholar would receive a Fellowship once he graduated. But at Christ Church, a King’s Scholar immediately became one of the body of Students, with a modest stipend that was guaranteed for life, if the recipient wished and he obeyed the rules of the College. If the Students took university degrees in a timely fashion then their stipend would increase. However, the rules governing Studentships were strict and anyone who married, did not take Holy Orders or accepted a paid occupation had to resign. Edward Hill chose Christ Church, Oxford.[back]

7. ‘All other things being equal’.[back]

8. John Randolph (1773–1833), Virginia tobacco planter and Representative or Senator almost continuously for his State between 1799 and 1833. Southey favoured the Federalists as a pro-British party, but Randolph was not a member – though he did oppose the war of 1812 with Britain. The Federalists were fading away by 1822 and had last fielded a presidential candidate in 1816.[back]

9. Sir John Malcolm (1769–1833; DNB), Scottish soldier, East India Company administrator and historian. He had effectively governed most of central India 1818–1822, but had returned home disappointed not to receive further promotion.[back]

10. Henry Duncan (1774–1846; DNB), Minister of Ruthwell, Dumfriesshire, who had founded the savings bank movement in 1810.[back]

11. A Memoir of Central India, including Malwa, and Adjoining Provinces (1823).[back]

12. Westall was collecting material for A Series of Views of Spain and Portugal, to Illustrate Mr. Southey’s History of the Peninsular War; Drawn on Stone by W. Westall, A.R.A., from Sketches by General Hawker, Mr. Locker, Mr. Heaphy, &c. Part I, containing Eight Views, illustrating Vol. I (1823). These could be inserted into the first volume of Southey’s History of the Peninsular War (1823–1832).[back]

13. Westall had visited Madeira in 1801 and 1805–1806, and published Foreign Scenery. A Series of Views of Picturesque and Romantic Scenery in Madeira, the Cape of Good Hope, Timor, China, Prince of Wales Island, Bombay, Mahratta Country, St Helena, and Jamaica. From Drawings made in those Countries (1811–1814). There was a Capuchin nunnery in Madeira, the Convento das Merces.[back]

14. For the first volume of Southey’s History of the Peninsular War (1823–1832).[back]

15. Thomas Davison (1766–1831).[back]

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Lynda Pratt

Ian Packer

3878. Robert Southey to Herbert Hill, 30 July – [continued on 2 August] 1822

3878. Robert Southey to Herbert Hill, 30 July – [continued on 2 August] 1822

Notes

The Collected Letters of Robert Southey: Part Seven

Lynda Pratt, Ian Packer