3787. Robert Southey to Bartholomew Frere, 27 January 1822

 

Address: [in pencil in another hand] To Bartholomew Frere Esq. / 74 Saville Row
Postmark: 2 o’Clock/ 30 JA/ 1822
Watermark: [partial] 1819
MS: Department of Rare Books, Special Collections and Preservation, River Campus Libraries, University of Rochester, Robert Southey Papers A.S727. AL; 4p.
Unpublished.

Keswick. 27 Jany. 1822.
My dear Sir

You have indeed rendered me an essential service.

(1)

Frere was providing Southey with advice and materials for his History of the Peninsular War (1823–1832).

I should have done ample justice to Sir Hew Dalrymple as to his conduct in Portugal; & made honourable amends to him for the vehemence with which, twelve years ago I expressed a feeling, right in its principle, but injurious in its direction.

(2)

Edinburgh Annual Register, for 1808, 1.1 (1810), 365–378, had declared the Convention of Cintra (1808), which Dalrymple had negotiated with the defeated French forces in Portugal, to be ‘scandalous’ (366). Southey’s treatment of the matter in History of the Peninsular War, 3 vols (London, 1823–1832), I, pp. 566–594, was much more circumspect, pointing out the Convention’s military advantages, but declaring it contained ‘some political errors’ (577).

I have Lord Burghershs book, & also Col. Jones’s;

(3)

John Fane, 11th Earl of Westmorland (1784–1859; DNB), Memoir of the Early Campaigns of the Duke of Wellington: in Portugal and Spain. By an Officer Employed in his Army (1820). Fane was known by the courtesy title Lord Burghersh until 1841. Sir John Thomas Jones, 1st Baronet (1783–1843; DNB), Account of the War in Spain, Portugal, and the South of France, from 1808 to 1814 Inclusive. In Two Volumes (1821). An earlier one-volume edition had appeared in 1818.

& I perceive a consequence of the Convention of Cintra which has not (I believe) yet been pointed out: – that Elvas (if not Almeida), would certainly have held out till the dispersion of the Spanish armies, & that a movement of the French to relieve it, which would of course have been made, would have drawn them to Portugal in that direction, at the time when we only waited for their approach, to abandon Lisbon. Severer terms ought to have been imposed; but we did not then understand how to treat with the French; – neither indeed did we learn it even when we had learnt to beat them thoroughly. You will very soon see in what manner this transaction is treated; I hope & think you will find it in accord with your own feelings; – but if it appears erroneous or unjust in any point, only let me know, & I will reconsider it. For the chance of some such suggestions I shall always detain the proof sheet till the third post, instead of the second, as heretofore.

It is with regard to the former part of Sir Hews conduct that you have served me now, by enabling me to remedy an act of omission, – which must not be called a sin, because it was involuntary. To the best of my recollection, Sir Hews offer of papers was not transmitted to me; – if it were, I could only have returned the answer which I have uniformly made in such cases, – that I should be truly thankful for the communication. – Concerning all the operations of Castaños,

(4)

General Francisco Javier Castanos, 1st Duke of Bailén (1758–1852), and victor at the Battle of Bailén, 16–19 July 1808.

I felt a want of information, & knew not where to obtain it. It did not occur to me to apply to Sir Hew, because I thought that if he had any papers which he wished me to see, he would have offered them; – that he has done this I did not know, & was conscious that I had no right to ask it at his hands. If he will favour me with them now, I will rewrite that part of the chapter;

(5)

The Battle of Bailén was the first great success of Spanish forces in the Peninsular War. Southey dealt with the matter in his History of the Peninsular War, 3 vols (London, 1823–1832), I, pp. 382–386. On pp. 389–390, Southey inserted material concerning Dalrymple’s role in the attempts of Spanish commanders to change the terms of surrender of the French army.

as in justice I am bound to do. – I will attend also to Gen. Whittinghams remarks,

(6)

Lieutenant General Sir Samuel Ford Whittingham (1772–1841; DNB), British soldier who served with Spanish forces in the Peninsular War 1808–1813.

– for which, & for the Parte Historica

(7)

‘historical part’.

I am greatly obliged. I am now well provided with materials concerning the operations on that coast, the late Lord Sheffield supplied me with some from Sir H Clintons

(8)

General Sir William Henry Clinton (1769–1846; DNB), commander of the 1st Division in Spain 1812–1813 and commander-in-chief of British forces in eastern Spain 1813–1814. Clinton was the Earl of Sheffield’s son-in-law; see Southey to [John Baker Holroyd, 1st Earl of Sheffield], 8 May 1817, The Collected Letters of Robert Southey. Part Five, Letter 2990.

papers, – & I am promised others from Lord Wm Bentinck.

(9)

Lord William Henry Cavendish-Bentinck (1774–1839; DNB), who served in Spain before commanding British troops in Sicily 1811–1815; see Southey to Henry Herbert Southey, 15 October 1821, The Collected Letters of Robert Southey. Part Six, Letter 3735.

I received O Donnells narrative, & will return it as soon as it is done with. Is this the O Donnell who became Conde de Bisbal?

(10)

Enrique Jose O’Donnell y Anatar (1769–1834), Spanish General, created Conde de La Bisbal in 1810. The ‘narrative’ that Southey was reading was O’Donnell’s journal.

Gen: Whittingham can probably tell me whether the Spanish official history of the war, has proceeded beyond the first volume, – or been put a stop to by this miserable Revolution,

(11)

A military revolt in 1820 had overthrown royal absolutism in Spain and restored the Constitution of 1812.

– miserable it may well be called, – for in such a state of things one knows not what to wish, where there is nothing but what is evil in prospect. The first volume is exceedingly good, – tho I have only seen it in a French translation.

(12)

Histoire de la Guerre de l’Espagne contre Napoleon Buonaparte, Par une Commission d’Officiers de Toutes Armes Etablie a Madrid, Aupres de S. Ex. Le Ministre de la Guerre; Traduite de l’Espanol, Avec Notes et Eclaircissemens (1818).

– Marshal St Cyr

(13)

Laurent de Gouvion Saint-Cyr (1764–1830), Journal des Operations de l’Armee de Catalogne, en 1808 et 1809 (1821).

has published a good account of his short command in Catalonia. But in general the French books concerning this war are as rascally as their conduct in it

[MS missing; inserted in pencil in another hand in the left-hand margin is the following]

<farewell my dear Sir & believe me
Very thankfully
& truly yours
Robert Southey

To Bartholomew Frere, Esq.>

Notes

1. Frere was providing Southey with advice and materials for his History of the Peninsular War (1823–1832). [back]
2. Edinburgh Annual Register, for 1808, 1.1 (1810), 365–378, had declared the Convention of Cintra (1808), which Dalrymple had negotiated with the defeated French forces in Portugal, to be ‘scandalous’ (366). Southey’s treatment of the matter in History of the Peninsular War, 3 vols (London, 1823–1832), I, pp. 566–594, was much more circumspect, pointing out the Convention’s military advantages, but declaring it contained ‘some political errors’ (577). [back]
3. John Fane, 11th Earl of Westmorland (1784–1859; DNB), Memoir of the Early Campaigns of the Duke of Wellington: in Portugal and Spain. By an Officer Employed in his Army (1820). Fane was known by the courtesy title Lord Burghersh until 1841. Sir John Thomas Jones, 1st Baronet (1783–1843; DNB), Account of the War in Spain, Portugal, and the South of France, from 1808 to 1814 Inclusive. In Two Volumes (1821). An earlier one-volume edition had appeared in 1818. [back]
4. General Francisco Javier Castanos, 1st Duke of Bailén (1758–1852), and victor at the Battle of Bailén, 16–19 July 1808. [back]
5. The Battle of Bailén was the first great success of Spanish forces in the Peninsular War. Southey dealt with the matter in his History of the Peninsular War, 3 vols (London, 1823–1832), I, pp. 382–386. On pp. 389–390, Southey inserted material concerning Dalrymple’s role in the attempts of Spanish commanders to change the terms of surrender of the French army. [back]
6. Lieutenant General Sir Samuel Ford Whittingham (1772–1841; DNB), British soldier who served with Spanish forces in the Peninsular War 1808–1813. [back]
7. ‘historical part’. [back]
8. General Sir William Henry Clinton (1769–1846; DNB), commander of the 1st Division in Spain 1812–1813 and commander-in-chief of British forces in eastern Spain 1813–1814. Clinton was the Earl of Sheffield’s son-in-law; see Southey to [John Baker Holroyd, 1st Earl of Sheffield], 8 May 1817, The Collected Letters of Robert Southey. Part Five, Letter 2990. [back]
9. Lord William Henry Cavendish-Bentinck (1774–1839; DNB), who served in Spain before commanding British troops in Sicily 1811–1815; see Southey to Henry Herbert Southey, 15 October 1821, The Collected Letters of Robert Southey. Part Six, Letter 3735. [back]
10. Enrique Jose O’Donnell y Anatar (1769–1834), Spanish General, created Conde de La Bisbal in 1810. The ‘narrative’ that Southey was reading was O’Donnell’s journal. [back]
11. A military revolt in 1820 had overthrown royal absolutism in Spain and restored the Constitution of 1812. [back]
12. Histoire de la Guerre de l’Espagne contre Napoleon Buonaparte, Par une Commission d’Officiers de Toutes Armes Etablie a Madrid, Aupres de S. Ex. Le Ministre de la Guerre; Traduite de l’Espanol, Avec Notes et Eclaircissemens (1818). [back]
13. Laurent de Gouvion Saint-Cyr (1764–1830), Journal des Operations de l’Armee de Catalogne, en 1808 et 1809 (1821). [back]
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