3938. Robert Southey to John Murray, 20 December 1822

 

Address: To/ John Murray Esqre 
Watermark: [partial] upper part of shield
Endorsement: 20 Decr 1822/ R. Southey Esq
MS: National Library of Scotland, MS 42552. ALS; 3p.
Unpublished.

Keswick. 20 Dec. 1822.
My dear Sir

You would have had this portion of copy

(1)

Copy for Southey’s Book of the Church (1824).

some days ago, if I had not been earnestly employed upon my annual ode, which, this year has been to the praise & glory of Scotland.

(2)

Southey had to compose a New Year’s ode in fulfilment of his duty as Poet Laureate. His poem for 1823 was first published as ‘Scotland, an Ode, Written after the King’s Visit to that Country. By Robert Southey, Esq. Poet Laureat’, The Bijou: Or Annual of Literature and the Arts (London, 1828), pp. 81–88.

Thank you for the books. D’Israeli as usual is very amusing, communicating a great deal of curious information in a very agreable manner.

(3)

Isaac D’Israeli, A Second Series of Curiosities of Literature: Consisting of Researches in Literary, Biographical and Political History; of Critical and Philosophical Inquiries; and of Secret History (1823).

You have sent me a volume of Nichols’s Illustrations,

(4)

John Nichols, Illustrations of the Literary History of the Eighteenth Century: Consisting of Authentic Memoirs and Original Letters of Eminent Persons; and Intended as a Sequel to The Literary Anecdotes (1817–1818).

instead of the Lives of Bp. Newton, Pocock, & some other divines, in two volumes, published, if I mistake not, by him.

(5)

The Lives of Dr. Edward Pocock, the Celebrated Orientalist, by Dr. Twells; of Dr. Zachary Pearce, Bishop of Rochester, and of Dr. Thomas Newton, Bishop of Bristol by themselves; and of the Rev. Philip Skelton, by Mr. Burdy (1816), no. 1737 in the sale catalogue of Southey’s library. This book was not published by John Nichols but by the firm of C. and J. Rivington.

– I will return this book with some others, as soon as I have done with Beringtons History

(6)

Joseph Berington (1743–1827; DNB), The History of the Reign of Henry the Second, and of Richard and John, his Sons; With the Events of the Period, from 1154 to 1216. In which the Character of Thomas a Becket is vindicated from the Attacks of George Lord Lyttelton (1790).

The King has sent me a very gracious message about my book,

(7)

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

& in the most flattering manner.

I wait anxiously for the books about the war in Catalonia.

(8)

Southey had read John Mitford’s ‘On Spanish Literature, with some Account of Francisco de Olivarez’, New Monthly Magazine, 10 (October 1818), 221–223. It mentioned Olivarez’s Account of the War in Catalonia (1815) in four volumes, published at Seville, 1815; Anecdotes of Chiefs Employed in the Catalan War (1816); and Memoirs of the Spanish Monarchy to the Abdication of Charles 4 & the Usurpation of Joseph Bonaparte (1816). However, none of these works seem to exist. Southey had already asked Murray to try and acquire them; see Southey to John Murray: 10 July 1820, The Collected Letters of Robe…

The subject belongs to the first chapter of our next volume.

Can you by any possible means procure Wm Hamilton Reads Account of the Infidel Societies in London?

(9)

William Hamilton Reid (d. 1826), The Rise and Dissolution of the Infidel Societies in this Metropolis (1800).

– It is of main importance that I should have it for my next article – which will be on the causes & progress of Infidelity – at home & abroad.

(10)

Southey’s review of Henri Grégoire (1750–1831), ‘Histoire de la Théophilantropie, depuis sa Naissance jusqu’à son Extinction’, part of Grégoire’s Histoire des Sectes Religieuse, qui, Depuis de Commencement du Siecle Dernier Jusqu’a l’Epoque Actuelle, sont Nées, se sont Modifiées, se sont Éteintes dans le Quatre Parties du Monde, 2 vols (Paris, 1814), II, pp. 55–171, Quarterly Review, 28 (January 1823), 493–536, published 8 July 1823. The book was no. 2838 in the sale catalogue of Southey’s library.

Believe me Dear Sir
yours very truly
Robert Southey

Notes

1. Copy for Southey’s Book of the Church (1824).[back]
2. Southey had to compose a New Year’s ode in fulfilment of his duty as Poet Laureate. His poem for 1823 was first published as ‘Scotland, an Ode, Written after the King’s Visit to that Country. By Robert Southey, Esq. Poet Laureat’, The Bijou: Or Annual of Literature and the Arts (London, 1828), pp. 81–88.[back]
3. Isaac D’Israeli, A Second Series of Curiosities of Literature: Consisting of Researches in Literary, Biographical and Political History; of Critical and Philosophical Inquiries; and of Secret History (1823).[back]
4. John Nichols, Illustrations of the Literary History of the Eighteenth Century: Consisting of Authentic Memoirs and Original Letters of Eminent Persons; and Intended as a Sequel to The Literary Anecdotes (1817–1818).[back]
5. The Lives of Dr. Edward Pocock, the Celebrated Orientalist, by Dr. Twells; of Dr. Zachary Pearce, Bishop of Rochester, and of Dr. Thomas Newton, Bishop of Bristol by themselves; and of the Rev. Philip Skelton, by Mr. Burdy (1816), no. 1737 in the sale catalogue of Southey’s library. This book was not published by John Nichols but by the firm of C. and J. Rivington.[back]
6. Joseph Berington (1743–1827; DNB), The History of the Reign of Henry the Second, and of Richard and John, his Sons; With the Events of the Period, from 1154 to 1216. In which the Character of Thomas a Becket is vindicated from the Attacks of George Lord Lyttelton (1790).[back]
7. The first volume of Southey’s History of the Peninsular War (1823–1832).[back]
8. Southey had read John Mitford’s ‘On Spanish Literature, with some Account of Francisco de Olivarez’, New Monthly Magazine, 10 (October 1818), 221–223. It mentioned Olivarez’s Account of the War in Catalonia (1815) in four volumes, published at Seville, 1815; Anecdotes of Chiefs Employed in the Catalan War (1816); and Memoirs of the Spanish Monarchy to the Abdication of Charles 4 & the Usurpation of Joseph Bonaparte (1816). However, none of these works seem to exist. Southey had already asked Murray to try and acquire them; see Southey to John Murray: 10 July 1820, The Collected Letters of Robert Southey. Part Six, Letter 3509; 27 February 1821, The Collected Letters of Robert Southey. Part Six, Letter 3641; 11 June 1821, The Collected Letters of Robert Southey. Part Six, Letter 3693; and 27 July 1822, Letter 3877; and 1 November [1822], Letter 3911.[back]
9. William Hamilton Reid (d. 1826), The Rise and Dissolution of the Infidel Societies in this Metropolis (1800).[back]
10. Southey’s review of Henri Grégoire (1750–1831), ‘Histoire de la Théophilantropie, depuis sa Naissance jusqu’à son Extinction’, part of Grégoire’s Histoire des Sectes Religieuse, qui, Depuis de Commencement du Siecle Dernier Jusqu’a l’Epoque Actuelle, sont Nées, se sont Modifiées, se sont Éteintes dans le Quatre Parties du Monde, 2 vols (Paris, 1814), II, pp. 55–171, Quarterly Review, 28 (January 1823), 493–536, published 8 July 1823. The book was no. 2838 in the sale catalogue of Southey’s library.[back]
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