3922. Robert Southey to William Knighton, 25 November 1822

 

Address: To/ Sir William Knighton, Bart./ &c &c &c.
MS: Morgan Library, Misc Ray MA 4500. ALS; 4p.
Unpublished.

Keswick. 25 Nov. 1822.
My Dear Sir

My brother will put into your hands the volume of the Peninsular War

(1)

The first volume of Southey’s History of the Peninsular War (1823–1832).

intended for his Majesty, which you have kindly undertaken to present. It is dedicated, as it ought to be, to the King, – briefly, & I trust becomingly.

(2)

History of the Peninsular War, 3 vols (London, 1823–1832), I, p. [iii]: ‘It is with peculiar fitness, as well as with pleasure, that I inscribe to your Majesty a History of the most glorious war recorded in the British annals./ When the Regency devolved into your hands, the fortunes of our allies were at their lowest ebb, and neither arts nor efforts were spared for making the spirit of this country sink with them. At that momentous crisis every thing depended, under Providence, upon your single determination; and to that determination Great Britain is beholden for its triumph, and Europe for …

Never in any period of our history did so much depend upon the determination of a single will, as depended upon his, on his accession to the Regency: every thing has been owing to that determination; & this I have endeavoured to state as strongly as I feel it.

The first volume comes down to the death of Sir John Moore;

(3)

Sir John Moore (1761–1809; DNB) had commanded British forces in northern Spain 1808–1809, until he was killed at Corunna on 16 January 1809.

the second will reach Massena’s retreat;

(4)

André Massena (1758–1817) commanded the invasion of Portugal in 1810–1811. Southey did not deal with his retreat until History of the Peninsular War, 3 vols (London, 1823–1832), III, pp. 127–154.

& a third concludes the work. The first years occupies so large a portion, because of the preliminary matter, & the great number of events which then rapidly succeeded each other, – events as various & important as they were complicated. There are details respecting Portugal which will be mostly new to English readers; they shew the state & character of the people; & give a faithful picture of French tyranny. These details will exasperate the admirers of Buonaparte:

(5)

Napoleon Bonaparte (1769–1821; Emperor of the French 1804–1814, 1815).

& the Whigs also will not be conciliated by the cursory notice of them in the introductory chapter:

(6)

History of the Peninsular War, 3 vols (London, 1823–1832), I, pp. 3–61 (esp. pp. 55–58) criticised the Whigs for opposing war with France.

so the whole pack of Liberals will presently open upon me in full cry. Let them! You know my brother will have it that I like to be abused. The truth is, that not being of the genus irritabile,

(7)

‘The irritable species [of poets]’, Quintus Horatius Flaccus (65–8 BC), Epistularum Liber Secundus (14 BC), Epistle 2, line 102.

I am not annoyed by it: moreover use goes for something, & I am so used to these things, that if I did not now & then think it proper to take the whip in hand, anger alone would never rouse me to the exertion. When I am forgetting the world amid pursuits which carry me back to former times, or forward into futurity, a rattling peal of abuse comes seasonably to let me know that I am not forgotten by it.

I expect to visit London for about a month early in the spring, as soon as I shall have brought out the Book of the Church.

(8)

Southey’s The Book of the Church (1824). Southey did not leave for London until 3 November 1823, at which time this was still unfinished.

That title was chosen with view to a correspondent sketch of our civil history which I thought of calling the Book of the Constitution,

(9)

Southey did not write this book.

the object of both being to make people understand the blessings they enjoy, & thereby to excite & foster a well-grounded & principled attachment to the institutions of the country. But it is uncertain whether I may undertake this counterpart; partly because the subject itself does not afford materials equally <so> attractive as those of the ecclesiastical story; & partly because it might interfere in some degree with a work of great magnitude for which I have long been making preparations, – a history of English Literature & Manners.

(10)

This project did not result in a book; the surviving notes that Southey put together were posthumously published as ‘Collections for the History of Manners and Literature in England’, Common-Place Book, ed. John Wood Warter, 4 series (London, 1849–1850), I, pp. 439–578.

For many years indeed I have been so much devoted to historical pursuits, that, were it not that I wear the bays,

(11)

i.e. Southey was Poet Laureate. The title derived from the crown made from branches and leaves of the bay laurel that was a symbol of victory in ancient Greece and Rome. In medieval Italy it came to denote a highly-celebrated poet. As Poet Laureate, Southey was required to write an annual ode, though these were no longer performed at court.

& am proud of wearing them, I should almost forget that I am a poet. A villainous commutation (made I suppose when my predecessor was a water-drinker) prevents me from trying what inspiration there may be in sack.

(12)

Henry James Pye (1745–1813; DNB), the Poet Laureate 1790–1813, had converted the post’s annual allowance of a ‘butt of sack’, i.e. fortified wine from Spain, into an additional salary of £27 p.a.

Not that I would have drawn my allowance wholly in that liquor; I would have commuted it in part for claret, & rhenish,

(13)

Red wine from Bordeaux, and sweet white wine from the Rhineland.

– & the Kings health should never have been profaned at my table by drinking it in port. I drank it on his birth day last year (it happens also to be mine) in some Tokay,

(14)

A dessert wine from Hungary, popular with European aristocrats.

– properly called imperial, – for it had been a present from the Emperor Joseph to the last King of Poland,

(15)

The bottle was a present from Joseph II (1741–1790; Holy Roman Emperor 1765–1790) to Stanislaus II August (1732–1798; King of Poland 1764–1795).

– given by him to a certain Baron Corry

(16)

Sir Trevor Corry (1724–1780), the British Consul in Danzig 1754–1780, was created a Baron of Poland in 1773. He was the uncle of Isaac Corry, Southey’s employer in 1801–1802.

(Uncle I believe to the late Isaac Corry) – from whom it came in presentation to the father

(17)

Humphrey Senhouse (1731–1814), the MP for Cockermouth 1786–1790, MP for Cumberland 1790–1796.

of my friend Senhouse of Netherhall. The cork was sealed with the royal arms of Poland. One could not but think of the kingdoms which have been shattered while this poor bottle stood quietly on the shelf!

Farewell Sir William
& believe me with sincere respect
Your obliged & obedient servant
Robert Southey.

Notes

1. The first volume of Southey’s History of the Peninsular War (1823–1832).[back]
2. History of the Peninsular War, 3 vols (London, 1823–1832), I, p. [iii]: ‘It is with peculiar fitness, as well as with pleasure, that I inscribe to your Majesty a History of the most glorious war recorded in the British annals./ When the Regency devolved into your hands, the fortunes of our allies were at their lowest ebb, and neither arts nor efforts were spared for making the spirit of this country sink with them. At that momentous crisis every thing depended, under Providence, upon your single determination; and to that determination Great Britain is beholden for its triumph, and Europe for its deliverance./ To your Majesty, therefore, this faithful History is offered, as a portion of the tribute due to a just, magnanimous, and splendid reign, and as a proof of individual respect and gratitude from/ Your Majesty’s/ Most dutiful subject and servant,/ ROBERT SOUTHEY.’[back]
3. Sir John Moore (1761–1809; DNB) had commanded British forces in northern Spain 1808–1809, until he was killed at Corunna on 16 January 1809.[back]
4. André Massena (1758–1817) commanded the invasion of Portugal in 1810–1811. Southey did not deal with his retreat until History of the Peninsular War, 3 vols (London, 1823–1832), III, pp. 127–154.[back]
5. Napoleon Bonaparte (1769–1821; Emperor of the French 1804–1814, 1815).[back]
6. History of the Peninsular War, 3 vols (London, 1823–1832), I, pp. 3–61 (esp. pp. 55–58) criticised the Whigs for opposing war with France.[back]
7. ‘The irritable species [of poets]’, Quintus Horatius Flaccus (65–8 BC), Epistularum Liber Secundus (14 BC), Epistle 2, line 102.[back]
8. Southey’s The Book of the Church (1824). Southey did not leave for London until 3 November 1823, at which time this was still unfinished.[back]
9. Southey did not write this book.[back]
10. This project did not result in a book; the surviving notes that Southey put together were posthumously published as ‘Collections for the History of Manners and Literature in England’, Common-Place Book, ed. John Wood Warter, 4 series (London, 1849–1850), I, pp. 439–578.[back]
11. i.e. Southey was Poet Laureate. The title derived from the crown made from branches and leaves of the bay laurel that was a symbol of victory in ancient Greece and Rome. In medieval Italy it came to denote a highly-celebrated poet. As Poet Laureate, Southey was required to write an annual ode, though these were no longer performed at court.[back]
12. Henry James Pye (1745–1813; DNB), the Poet Laureate 1790–1813, had converted the post’s annual allowance of a ‘butt of sack’, i.e. fortified wine from Spain, into an additional salary of £27 p.a.[back]
13. Red wine from Bordeaux, and sweet white wine from the Rhineland.[back]
14. A dessert wine from Hungary, popular with European aristocrats.[back]
15. The bottle was a present from Joseph II (1741–1790; Holy Roman Emperor 1765–1790) to Stanislaus II August (1732–1798; King of Poland 1764–1795).[back]
16. Sir Trevor Corry (1724–1780), the British Consul in Danzig 1754–1780, was created a Baron of Poland in 1773. He was the uncle of Isaac Corry, Southey’s employer in 1801–1802.[back]
17. Humphrey Senhouse (1731–1814), the MP for Cockermouth 1786–1790, MP for Cumberland 1790–1796.[back]
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