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. Not previously published.
These letters were edited with the assistance of Ian Packer and Lynda Pratt
All quotation marks and apostrophes have been changed: " for “," for ”, ' for ‘, and ' for ’.
Any dashes occurring in line breaks have been removed.
Because of web browser variability, all hyphens have been typed on the U.S. keyboard.
Dashes have been rendered as a variable number of hyphens to give a more exact rendering of their length.
Southey's spelling has not been regularized.
Writing in other hands appearing on these manuscripts has been indicated as such, the content recorded in brackets.
& has been used for the ampersand sign.
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Mrs Coleridge, I am
going to write to Mr Bedford this evening: have you any message
to send him?
Only my compliments.
What! nothing but dry – cold compliments!
I did not mean them to be cold.
That’s a kind speech, & therefore I’ll tell him what you say.
Tell him you’re a ridiculous creature yourself, – but I dare say he knows that already.
Lest however Mr Bedford should not know it, I
have thus faithfully obeyed Mrs Coleridges instructions to the letter. Our dialogues frequently
end in some such sort of x compliment to my creatureship, & would very well bear inkification xxx sometimes,
if there were a faithful notary at hand, especially when your honour is the subject
of discourse.
Thank you for the half notes, – & thank you for the almanacks,
which found their way, I know not how, in a parcel from Longman’s, with sundry other small packets that had in like manner been
transferred from the Court of Murraylemagne. I
see the QR is announced. As for the Copy right paper,
Edith is materially better, & yet far from
well. Your godson looks about him
with observant eyes, & if what goes on behind them in the way of reasoning could
be drawn out, it would convict xxxxx xx most metaphysical treatises of
absurdity & ignorance. I have my annual catarrh upon me, in full force, to the
sore annoyance of eyes, nose & mouth, three considerable parts in a mans face. –
Our weather is like Mrs
C’s compliments to your honour, in their first delivery, –
dry & cold. The potatoe tops last night were blackened by the frost, & a
passing cloud has just powdered old Skiddaws foretop.
You will see me I believe the end of June. I have printed x 75 pages of
the concluding chapter, – it will take as many more to bring it to its finis, – but I am so near, that I am thinking of the finale with
which to sum up & take my leave, in reference to the exordium.
Both sides of the house are agreed upon this money question,reys & the Grenvilles) did in 1807xxxxx contradicted by plain & evident facts, & that this
country would do perfectly well if there were not an ounce of gold in it; – for gold
is not the standard of value, nor is there any such standard; – gold – paper, shells
or wampum being <are> merely the medium by which barter is carried on, – barter & credit are the foundations of commerce,
& it is of no sort of consequence of what the medium which represents
them may be. – If you have a balance to pay in foreign markets, or armies to support
in foreign countries, gold will be wanted there, – but it is absolutely useless at
home.
Have you seen Nash in his new quarters?
No 2. Dutchess Street. Portland Place.
Does Henry try the warm bath?