3965. Robert Southey to Grosvenor Charles Bedford, 17 February 1823

 

Address: To/ G.C. Bedford Esqre/ Exchequer
Endorsement: 17. Febry. 1823.
MS: Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford, MS. Eng. lett. c. 26. ALS; 2p.
Unpublished.

My dear G.

Thank you for the [Southey inserts musical stave]

(1)

In the manuscript Southey draws a musical stave with notes (a treble clef and two crotchets, top e and top f.). This was a punning way of representing the banknotes Bedford had sent him.

I think I remember the name of Dalton

(2)

John Dalton (dates unknown) was admitted to Westminster School in 1786, while Bedford had been admitted in 1784 and Southey in 1788. Bedford had written to Southey on 15 February 1823, describing a letter he had received from Dalton requesting a loan of £80. Unfortunately for Dalton, Bedford could remember nothing of him from their time together at Westminster.

at Westminster & the ill-looking fellow it belonged to, – a day-boy & a great sky:

(3)

Westminster School slang for someone disagreeable, or an enemy.

– above me in the school & below you, – about half way between us. It is by his ill looks that I call him to mind.

Your account of your ears (organs peculiarly necessary in an Auditors office)

(4)

Bedford was Chief Clerk in the Auditor’s Office 1822–1834, hence Southey’s painful pun on the dual meaning of ‘auditor’.

is very hopeful. The recovery of the sense for two days is strongly in favour of the opinion which pronounces the affection nervous, & not organic. And upon this supposition I would try some doses of the nitrous oxyd,

(5)

Southey had taken nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, as part of experiments at the Pneumatic Institution, Bristol, in 1799. His reactions were published in Thomas Beddoes, Notice of Some Observations Made at the Medical Pneumatic Institution (Bristol and London, 1799), p. 11: ‘a fullness, and dizziness in the head, such as to induce fear of falling. This was succeeded by a laugh, which was involuntary, but highly pleasurable, accompanied with a peculiar thrilling in the extremities – a sensation perfectly new and delightful. For many hours after this experiment, he imagined that his taste and sme…

a bagfull of which used always to quicken my hearing perceptibly, – tho quick enough before.

God bless you.
RS.

Feby 17. 1823.

Notes

1. In the manuscript Southey draws a musical stave with notes (a treble clef and two crotchets, top e and top f.). This was a punning way of representing the banknotes Bedford had sent him.[back]
2. John Dalton (dates unknown) was admitted to Westminster School in 1786, while Bedford had been admitted in 1784 and Southey in 1788. Bedford had written to Southey on 15 February 1823, describing a letter he had received from Dalton requesting a loan of £80. Unfortunately for Dalton, Bedford could remember nothing of him from their time together at Westminster.[back]
3. Westminster School slang for someone disagreeable, or an enemy.[back]
4. Bedford was Chief Clerk in the Auditor’s Office 1822–1834, hence Southey’s painful pun on the dual meaning of ‘auditor’.[back]
5. Southey had taken nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, as part of experiments at the Pneumatic Institution, Bristol, in 1799. His reactions were published in Thomas Beddoes, Notice of Some Observations Made at the Medical Pneumatic Institution (Bristol and London, 1799), p. 11: ‘a fullness, and dizziness in the head, such as to induce fear of falling. This was succeeded by a laugh, which was involuntary, but highly pleasurable, accompanied with a peculiar thrilling in the extremities – a sensation perfectly new and delightful. For many hours after this experiment, he imagined that his taste and smell were more acute, and is certain that he felt unusually strong and chearful. In a second experiment, he felt pleasure still superior – and has since poetically remarked, that he supposes the atmosphere of the highest of all possible heavens to be composed of this gas.’ In Humphry Davy, Researches, Chemical and Philosophical; Chiefly Concerning Nitrous Oxide, or Dephlogisticated Nitrous Air, and its Respiration (London, 1800), p. 508, Southey reported that he ‘felt a fulness in my chest afterwards; and during the remainder of the day, imagined that my taste and hearing were more than commonly quick. Certain I am that I felt myself more than usually strong and chearful. / In a second trial, by continuing the inhalation longer, I felt a thrill in my teeth; and breathing still longer the third time, became so full of strength as to be compelled to exercise my arms and feet.’[back]
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