3883. Robert Southey to Nicholas Lightfoot, 14 August 1822

 

Address: [in another hand] Epsom Eighteenth Augst. 1822/ Revd. Nicholas Lightfoot/ Crediton/ Devon/ Free/ JRickman
Stamped: EPSOM/ 79
MS: Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford, MS. Eng. lett. d. 110. ALS; 4p.
Unpublished.

Keswick. 14 Aug. 1822
My dear Lightfoot

It was a great pleasure to us to receive your letter & know that you had reached home safely, & found all well. Now that you have made the journey I trust that you have discovered what an easy thing it is, & that you will feel no disinclination to repeat it.

The day after we parted, I breakfasted with Dr Wordsworth, & set forward on my return meaning to get into the coach when it should overtake me. W. & the Dr walked with me to set me on the way (as the phrase is) & we had got about three miles, when a slight rain came on & sent them back. Dr W. had been explaining the evil consequences of letting the gownsmen

(1)

Cambridge undergraduates. Wordsworth persuaded Trinity College, Cambridge, to invest in a quadrangle called ‘The New Court’, opened in 1825, to allow more undergraduates to live in College.

lodge in the town, & the measures which he was taking to put an end to so pernicious a practise. I wish you had present, inasmuch as what he said would have given you a very high idea of his good sense & his talents for business. – By the time I reached the halfway house at Wytheburne

(2)

Wythburn.

my clothes were so damp that it would have imprudent to have gone in & waited for the coach. The rain then increased & continued very heavy till I was within four miles of Keswick, when it cleared up, & I entered the town at the same minute as the coach. There I found Mr Sharp & the American ‘Randolph of Roanoke’

(3)

John Randolph (1773–1833), Virginia tobacco planter and Representative or Senator almost continuously for his State between 1799 and 1833.

who spent the evening with me. Thursday evening Sir John Malcolm

(4)

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

made his appearance & he & Mr Duncan,

(5)

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

(a Scotch pastor x who is the founder of the Savings-Banks) breakfasted with me the next day. That day was fated to end most frightfully. Charles Kennaway, who had drank tea here, went over to the Island with the girls & Mrs Coleridge. – I had just finished my supper when Anne

(6)

A maid working for the Southey household.

came into the room as pale as death to say there had been a dreadful accident at the Island. a cannon had burst, – & young Mr Henry killed.

(7)

Charles Edward Henry (1807–1833), the younger of Peachy’s two stepsons. The accident occurred on 2 August 1822 and was widely reported in the newspapers (without naming him): ‘A young gentleman, by way of saluting some friends who were taking their departure, fired off a cannon, which unfortunately burst in consequence of being overloaded, and the fragments severely fractured his skull’ (Glasgow Herald, 12 August 1822). The cannon was kept outside Peachy’s house on Derwent Island and was fired as part of the annual Keswick Regatta.

This was the first report, – the second was that some other person was hurt, – nor could we ascertain what had actually happened till I & Mrs S got to the water side, where we found a number of persons collected, waiting in perfect silence to know the extent of the mischief. A boat was coming across, & to our infinite relief the girls (Sara C. Edith & Bertha) were in it. Poor things, they had a sad story to tell, – in spite of their remonstrances Charles Henry would fire the cannon when they were coming away, – it had burst & fractured his skull, – & whether he would live or die they knew not. – Thank God, tho the fracture was a dreadful one (more than thirty pieces of the skull having been taken out – & the brain itself injured in both lobes) he has been going on well, & every hour strengthens the probability of his entire recovery, twelven days having now elapsed. – You may conceive what a shock this has been to us.

John May & his son

(8)

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

did not arrive till Monday, – had they come on Saturday as was expected they would have found us in the greatest apprehension & distress. Now that all sxxx is going on so much better than we could at first venture to hope, I have been again going over some of the ground which you & I lately traversed with so much satisfaction. Saturday last we walked round the Lake, Monday up Skiddaw, ascending by the line which you descended, – yesterday to the Vale of St Johns, – today had the weather permitted we should have attempted Causey Pike. Exercise like this is of great benefit to me; & you have done me a great deal of good by bringing me into good condition.

Dr Bell came on the same day with the Mays, they on the coach he in it. Feldborg the Dane is also in Keswick. You may suppose that I have very little time to myself. On Saturday I go again to Rydale in order to dine on Sunday at Mr Boltons (on Windermere)

(9)

Storrs Hall on Windermere, Lake District home of John Bolton (1756–1837; DNB), a Liverpool merchant and leading supporter of Canning as MP for that city.

& remain there on Monday to meet Mr Canning, who comes there to make his farewell visit. My guests meantime will take a three days circuit to Ennerdale & Waswater, & I shall rejoin them on Tuesday: they remain another week, & then I shall be left to pursue my usual course of life at leisure.

And now my dear Lightfoot let me, before I conclude, thank you for a visit which I shall look back upon with delight as long as we both live. It does not often happen that friends meet after so long a separation, & find in each other so little change. God willing, I shall certainly see you in the winter, or at latest early in the spring. Present my best wishes to Mrs Lightfoot

(10)

Nicholas Lightfoot married Bridget Prideaux (1768–1856) on 13 July 1801.

& my goddaughter,

(11)

Frances Jane Lightfoot (1806–1882), Southey’s god-daughter.

– Truly glad shall I be to become known to them, & John (whom I seem to know already) & your steady Kate, & Bridget, & Nico.

(12)

Catherine Anne Lightfoot (1808–1898); Bridget Mary Lightfoot (1810–1889); Nicholas Francis Lightfoot (1811–1881), Vicar of Cadbury 1846–1855, Rector of Islip 1855–1881.

All here join in kind remembrances -

God bless you
Yrs affectionately
Robert Southey

The proof sheet containing Title page, Dedication & Preface is on my table.

(13)

Proofs for Southey’s History of the Peninsular War (1823–1832).

Notes

1. Cambridge undergraduates. Wordsworth persuaded Trinity College, Cambridge, to invest in a quadrangle called ‘The New Court’, opened in 1825, to allow more undergraduates to live in College.[back]
2. Wythburn.[back]
3. John Randolph (1773–1833), Virginia tobacco planter and Representative or Senator almost continuously for his State between 1799 and 1833.[back]
4. Sir John Malcolm (1769–1833; DNB), the Scottish soldier, East India Company administrator and historian. He had effectively governed most of central India in 1818–1822, but had returned home disappointed not to receive further promotion.[back]
5. Henry Duncan (1774–1846; DNB), Minister of Ruthwell, Dumfriesshire, who had founded the savings bank movement in 1810.[back]
6. A maid working for the Southey household.[back]
7. Charles Edward Henry (1807–1833), the younger of Peachy’s two stepsons. The accident occurred on 2 August 1822 and was widely reported in the newspapers (without naming him): ‘A young gentleman, by way of saluting some friends who were taking their departure, fired off a cannon, which unfortunately burst in consequence of being overloaded, and the fragments severely fractured his skull’ (Glasgow Herald, 12 August 1822). The cannon was kept outside Peachy’s house on Derwent Island and was fired as part of the annual Keswick Regatta.[back]
8. John May and his son, John May (1802–1879), visited Southey at Keswick 5 August–2 September 1822.[back]
9. Storrs Hall on Windermere, Lake District home of John Bolton (1756–1837; DNB), a Liverpool merchant and leading supporter of Canning as MP for that city.[back]
10. Nicholas Lightfoot married Bridget Prideaux (1768–1856) on 13 July 1801.[back]
11. Frances Jane Lightfoot (1806–1882), Southey’s god-daughter.[back]
12. Catherine Anne Lightfoot (1808–1898); Bridget Mary Lightfoot (1810–1889); Nicholas Francis Lightfoot (1811–1881), Vicar of Cadbury 1846–1855, Rector of Islip 1855–1881.[back]
13. Proofs for Southey’s History of the Peninsular War (1823–1832).[back]
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