3930. Robert Southey to [Unknown Correspondent], 9 December 1822
MS: Manuscripts and Archives Section, The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations, Montague Collier Family Papers. ALS; 3p.
Unpublished.
Note on correspondent: It has not been possible to identify the correspondent definitively. A strong possibility is Jane Webb, née Blackburne (1775–1860), the wife of William Webb and sister of Francis Blackburne (1782–1867; DNB).
Accept, I pray you, my thanks for your obliging letter, & communicate them to Mr Webb, for thinking of me when he is so far away, & with so many objects about him to excite his curiosity & attention.
I am so well convinced that his desire of being serviceable to me is sincere, that I have been considering how to make him so, as one way of showing myself sensible of his good will. One commission there is which he may be able to execute with little trouble & no inconvenience. It is by procuring for me a book published at Rome in 1791, by P. Pani, a Dominican, & an Inquisitor,
containing an account of a religious Society at Avignon, & the process against one Ottavio Cappelli,
who was one of its members. Its precise title I do not know, – but any bookseller who has the book will recognize it by this account of its contents. If Mr Webb can meet with it he will render me a service, – & I dare say the book is small enough to be allowed room even in a travellers portmanteau.
May I also beg you to make our remembrances to Mr Wilson, & thank him for the Cookery Book, which reached me safely & in good time.
I dare say you will wonder what could induce Mr Wilson to send me a Cookery Book, – for I assure you it was for my use, & not for that of the family. He will see in the next Quarterly Review that I have made use of it, – & you will see there why I wish to possess the publication of the Roman Inquisitor.
– Miss Coleridge & her mother are on their travels in the south, – otherwise I should have to offer their remembrances to him, & their thanks to you.
Archdeacon Jebbs promotion has indeed given me great pleasure, both on his own account, & because it is not possible that such preferment could be more worthily bestowed.
I think myself very fortunate in having met him when I was last in town. Such appointments are honourable to those who make them, & tend, as far as human means may avail, to make the Church what it ought to be, – which is one of the surest means for improving the condition of the world.
Believe me Madam
very truly
Your obliged & obedient servant
Robert Southey.