3958. Robert Southey to Herbert Hill, 26 January 1823

 

Address: To/ The Reverend Herbert Hill/ Streatham/ Surrey
Stamped: [illegible]
Postmarks: E/ 28 JA 28/ 1823; [partial] 10 FN/ JA/ 182
MS: Keswick Museum and Art Gallery, WC 226. ALS; 4p.
Seal: red wax; design illegible
Previously published: John Wood Warter (ed.), Selections from the Letters of Robert Southey, 4 vols (London, 1856), III, pp. 375–377 [in part].

Can you tell me the Marques de Astorga’s

(1)

Vicente Joaquin Osorio de Moscoso y Guzman, 16th Marquis of Astorga (1756–1816), President of the Supreme Junta in Seville 1808–1809. The title was an ancient one, dating back to 1465, but Southey had to content himself by describing the Marquis as ‘a grandee of the highest class, and the representative of some of the proudest names in Spanish history’ (History of the Peninsular War, 3 vols (1823–1832), II, p. 33).

names, – that is what are the old families which centered in him, – for I believe he was the representative of a great many, – & I should like what I have written concerning him a great deal better, if two or three of the noblest names were introduced in it. The want of a Spanish Nobiliario,

(2)

Juan Batista Lavana (1550–1624), Nobiliario de D. Pedro Conde de Barcelos Hijo del Rey D. Dionis de Portugal (1640), no. 3571 in the sale catalogue of Southey’s library.

& of a topographical work, like the Corografia,

(3)

Manoel Aires de Casal (1754–1821), Corografia Brazilica, ou Relacao Historico-Geografica do Reino do Brazil (1817), no. 3252 in the sale catalogue of Southey’s library.

for Spain, sends me often to hunt thro some score of books for what after all, sometimes I cannot find. I have contracted an uneasy habit of superfluous accuracy, which is an expensive one by the consumption of time that it occasions, but if the fruit is not worth the cost, it is nevertheless worth something.

I am proceeding with the second volume,

(4)

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

in high good humour with my work. Whenever Murray provides me with the history of the Catalan war

(5)

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…

it shall go to press & if I were free from other calls, it would be no difficulty for me with the preparations which I have made, to bring out the volume in six months, & the concluding one in six more. Murray has not written to me since its publication: – & the only opinion concerning it which has reached me from a stranger, was in a letter of Lord Colchesters to Rickman which R. sent me.

Trant

(6)

Brigadier-General Nicholas Trant (1769–1839; DNB), an Irish army officer who was assigned to command Portuguese forces. He served with distinction in many actions in the Peninsular War 1808–1813.

has written to me & volunteered some communications which I shall be glad to receive, relating to Soults invasion.

(7)

Jean-de-Dieu Soult (1769–1851), the French Marshal who commanded the invasion of northern Portugal in 1809.

My second volume I expect will come down to Massena’s expulsion.

(8)

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.

How do you bear this uncomfortable weather? It is now a fortnight since we have seen the face of the earth, & strong Easterly winds are prevailing, against which no clothing is sufficient.

Government has a plan before it for assisting parishes to relieve themselves of their able-bodied poor, by lending money to carry them to Canada.

(9)

Parliament had voted £30,000 in 1822 to finance the settlement of poor Irish families in Upper Canada. Sir Robert Wilmot-Horton (1784–1841; DNB), Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies 1821–1828, was eager to extend this idea and produced ‘An Outline of a Plan of Emigration to Upper Canada’ in January 1823. He proposed that parishes all over the United Kingdom should be able to mortgage their poor rates in order to repay loans from the government, which would finance sending the parishes’ paupers to Canada. Each family would receive 100 acres of land.

Wynn has sent me the plan as it comes from the colonial office. The money is to be repaid, with interest, from the poor rates, – which upon every head so removed will xx sav find an immediate saving of about four fifths, – while at the same time the breed of paupers is diminished, & more work left for the hands that remain. Clarkson & I talked of such a scheme last summer, & he had been acting upon the same views in his own parish,

(10)

Playford, near Ipswich.

which he had persuaded to ship off two or three families.

Wynn I think will have some difficulty to dispose of his bishopric. Every person who has any hope of preferment at home will say nolo episcopari

(11)

‘did not want to be bishop’.

when they are proferred a mitre at Calcutta.

(12)

The death of Thomas Middleton (1769–1822), first Bishop of Calcutta 1814–1822, had created a vacancy for the only Anglican episcopal see in India. Peter Elmsley had declined the post and it was eventually accepted by Reginald Heber.

– I would recommend your neighbour Dealtry,

(13)

William Dealtry (1775–1847; DNB), Rector of Holy Trinity Church, Clapham, 1813–1845, which neighboured Herbert Hill’s parish at Streatham. He was a well-known evangelical and had a connection to India as he had been Professor of Mathematics at the East India College 1806–1813.

if I did not think it would be doing both him & his parishioners an ill office. He might very possibly think it his duty to go, if it were proposed to him, & perhaps would be more likely to think so, because there would be a great sacrifice of ease & comfort.

It is a good thing that Arbuthnot

(14)

Charles Arbuthnot (1767–1850; DNB), Joint Secretary to the Treasury 1809–1823.

is removed from the Treasury, – & not less so that Herries is sent there, – the man of all others most fit for that situation. He will be as useful there as Arbuthnot has been inefficient. How he will succeed as a speaker I do not know. But he is an excellent man of business, his views are sound, & he has no want of decision, or of firmness. He is very intimate with Bedford, – & I have known him more than twenty years, upon such terms that I feel myself bound to dine with him whenever I visit town. – It is gratifying to see how most of my friends & acquaintance have, in so many different lines, risen to their proper stations: & it is not the less gratifying because I continue at the foot of Skiddaw, – which for that is my proper station. At present, thank God, we are all well, & going on as usual, without any interruptions, one day like another. To day indeed has furnished an exception, worthy of an Extraordinary Gazette, – for a pole-cat was caught in the back-kitchen, – in the rat-trap. – It was in high odour – the first I ever saw, or smelt

Love to my Aunt & the boys, – not however forgetting Georgiana. The time of trial for Edward is coming on; – a long & strict trial it is & I shall be glad for his sake when it is over.

(15)

Edward Hill was about to take ‘The Challenge’ at Westminster School, a prolonged competition to become a King’s Scholar and join College. If he was successful he would gain considerable privileges, including the right to proceed to a Closed Scholarship at Trinity College, Cambridge, or Christ Church, Oxford.

God bless you
RS.

Keswick. 26 Jany. 1823.

Notes

1. Vicente Joaquin Osorio de Moscoso y Guzman, 16th Marquis of Astorga (1756–1816), President of the Supreme Junta in Seville 1808–1809. The title was an ancient one, dating back to 1465, but Southey had to content himself by describing the Marquis as ‘a grandee of the highest class, and the representative of some of the proudest names in Spanish history’ (History of the Peninsular War, 3 vols (1823–1832), II, p. 33).[back]
2. Juan Batista Lavana (1550–1624), Nobiliario de D. Pedro Conde de Barcelos Hijo del Rey D. Dionis de Portugal (1640), no. 3571 in the sale catalogue of Southey’s library.[back]
3. Manoel Aires de Casal (1754–1821), Corografia Brazilica, ou Relacao Historico-Geografica do Reino do Brazil (1817), no. 3252 in the sale catalogue of Southey’s library.[back]
4. Southey’s History of the Peninsular War (1823–1832).[back]
5. 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]
6. Brigadier-General Nicholas Trant (1769–1839; DNB), an Irish army officer who was assigned to command Portuguese forces. He served with distinction in many actions in the Peninsular War 1808–1813.[back]
7. Jean-de-Dieu Soult (1769–1851), the French Marshal who commanded the invasion of northern Portugal in 1809.[back]
8. 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]
9. Parliament had voted £30,000 in 1822 to finance the settlement of poor Irish families in Upper Canada. Sir Robert Wilmot-Horton (1784–1841; DNB), Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies 1821–1828, was eager to extend this idea and produced ‘An Outline of a Plan of Emigration to Upper Canada’ in January 1823. He proposed that parishes all over the United Kingdom should be able to mortgage their poor rates in order to repay loans from the government, which would finance sending the parishes’ paupers to Canada. Each family would receive 100 acres of land.[back]
10. Playford, near Ipswich.[back]
11. ‘did not want to be bishop’.[back]
12. The death of Thomas Middleton (1769–1822), first Bishop of Calcutta 1814–1822, had created a vacancy for the only Anglican episcopal see in India. Peter Elmsley had declined the post and it was eventually accepted by Reginald Heber.[back]
13. William Dealtry (1775–1847; DNB), Rector of Holy Trinity Church, Clapham, 1813–1845, which neighboured Herbert Hill’s parish at Streatham. He was a well-known evangelical and had a connection to India as he had been Professor of Mathematics at the East India College 1806–1813.[back]
14. Charles Arbuthnot (1767–1850; DNB), Joint Secretary to the Treasury 1809–1823.[back]
15. Edward Hill was about to take ‘The Challenge’ at Westminster School, a prolonged competition to become a King’s Scholar and join College. If he was successful he would gain considerable privileges, including the right to proceed to a Closed Scholarship at Trinity College, Cambridge, or Christ Church, Oxford.[back]
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