3945. Robert Southey to [Thomas Frognall Dibdin], 3 January 1823

 

MS: Tipped into a graingerised copy of The English Bards and Scotch Reviewers, by Lord Byron. Illustrated with Portraits and Views, the First and Fourth Editions, with the alterations from the Fifth Edition (London: n.p., 1811), pp. [141–2], Hornby Library, Liverpool City Libraries. ALS; 2p.
Unpublished.
Note on correspondent: The correspondent is identified by the letter’s content; see Southey to [Thomas Frognall Dibdin], 9 December 1822, Letter 3929.

Keswick. 3 Jany. 1823.
My dear Sir

Your first letter led me into a temptation, from which your second sets me free. – The sum which the publishers offer for two quarto volumes, is just one half of what I should require for one.

(1)

On 9 December 1822 (Letter 3929), Dibdin had proposed that Southey should undertake a continuation of Thomas Warton (1728–1790; DNB), The History of English Poetry from the Close of the Eleventh to the Commencement of the Eighteenth Century (1774–1781). Southey did not take up the offer and a new edition appeared in 1824, edited by Richard Price (1790–1833; DNB), no. 2986 in the sale catalogue of Southey’s library. The proposed publisher of Southey’s continuation of Warton’s work was Thomas Tegg (1766–1845; DNB), well known for producing popular works and abridgements of literary standards. So…

Of course therefore there is an end of the matter.

I guessed that Mr Haslewood was the person to whom you alluded. I called upon him one & twenty years ago in consequence of his Chatterton collections,

(2)

Southey to Joseph Haslewood, 12 July 1802, The Collected Letters of Robert Southey. Part Two, Letter 694. Southey’s call was to receive assistance with his The Works of Thomas Chatterton (1803), an edition of the writings of Thomas Chatterton (1752–1770; DNB).

– & by what I then saw of him, & have since seen of his labours, xxxxx know how justly you have appreciated him.

Can you inform me where there exists a copy of the Comedies of Gil Vicente,

(3)

Gil Vicente (c. 1465–1536) wrote over forty plays. A posthumous edition of his works, Compilação de Toda as Obras de Gil Vicente (1562), appeared in five volumes, with the comedies occupying volume two and the farces volume four.

whom the Portugueze assert to be the father of the Spanish drama? You, who know every thing about books, are more likely to direct xxxx me in my search for this, than any other person. I should be glad to know also if the Cancioneiro of Resende is to be found in England.

(4)

The Cancioneiro Geral (1516), compiled by Garcia de Resende (1470–1536), contains nearly 1,000 lyrics in Portuguese and Castilian.

I made considerable extracts from it at Lisbon in the year 1801. But these are not sufficient for my purpose, & whenever it is in my power, I must peruse the book.

If chance should ever lead you this way, it would give me great pleasure to show you my Portugueze collection, – which in manuscripts I dare say is richer than any other in England.

Farewell my Dear Sir
& believe me
Your obliged & obedient
Robert Southey.

Notes

1. On 9 December 1822 (Letter 3929), Dibdin had proposed that Southey should undertake a continuation of Thomas Warton (1728–1790; DNB), The History of English Poetry from the Close of the Eleventh to the Commencement of the Eighteenth Century (1774–1781). Southey did not take up the offer and a new edition appeared in 1824, edited by Richard Price (1790–1833; DNB), no. 2986 in the sale catalogue of Southey’s library. The proposed publisher of Southey’s continuation of Warton’s work was Thomas Tegg (1766–1845; DNB), well known for producing popular works and abridgements of literary standards. Southey did not undertake any work for him.[back]
2. Southey to Joseph Haslewood, 12 July 1802, The Collected Letters of Robert Southey. Part Two, Letter 694. Southey’s call was to receive assistance with his The Works of Thomas Chatterton (1803), an edition of the writings of Thomas Chatterton (1752–1770; DNB).[back]
3. Gil Vicente (c. 1465–1536) wrote over forty plays. A posthumous edition of his works, Compilação de Toda as Obras de Gil Vicente (1562), appeared in five volumes, with the comedies occupying volume two and the farces volume four.[back]
4. The Cancioneiro Geral (1516), compiled by Garcia de Resende (1470–1536), contains nearly 1,000 lyrics in Portuguese and Castilian.[back]
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