Address: To/ The Reverend Herbert Hill/ Streatham/ Surry
Stamped: KESWICK/ 298
Postmarks: E/ 24 AP 24/ 1823; 10 F. NOON 10/ AP 24/ 1823
Seal: red wax; design illegible
MS: Keswick Museum and Art Gallery, WC 230. ALS; 4p.
Unpublished.
I wish very much to hear how Edward proceeds, as by this time it must be known whether he succeeds or not.
(1)
Edward Hill had taken ‘The Challenge’, a gruelling examination at Westminster School to select the school’s King’s Scholars. This position had considerable advantages, including the right to proceed to a Closed Scholarship at either Trinity College, Cambridge, or Christ Church, Oxford.
The challenge is so entirely an affair of cramming, that much more depends upon his help
(2)
Each boy taking ‘The Challenge’ was entitled to be assisted by an existing King’s Scholar, who was known as his ‘Help’.
than upon himself; & should he fail, there are circumstances which may well reconcile one to his failure, – one of which is the consideration that two years schooling would be saved,
(3)
King’s Scholars remained at Westminster School for four years after their success in ‘The Challenge’ and then proceeded to take up their Closed Scholarship. Southey suggests that if Edward Hill did not become a King’s Scholar, he could leave Westminster School much earlier.
& that time might more advantageously be employed.
Would you like Errols lot to be cast in the East Indies, if Wynn should remain in his present station till he is old enough to secure an appointment?
(4)
As President of the Board of Control, Wynn had the right to nominate boys to either: cadetships at Addiscombe Military College, which trained officers for the East India Company’s army; or to writerships (the lowest civil service post) in the East India Company. This latter option often involved two years’ training at the East India College at Haileybury. Boys had to be aged 14 to enter Addiscombe or 16 to enter Haileybury.
– In that case I know it would only be for me to ask & have. We can talk upon this when we meet.
Tom sailed last week
(5)
Tom Southey sailed from Whitehaven on 20 April 1823 on the brig Maria and reached Quebec on 27 May. He investigated emigrating to Canada but decided against this option. The Maria carried 53 settlers. Some of those from Cumberland had received assistance from their parishes to emigrate.
with a horrid cargo of paupers on board, depxx transported by their parishes from this country, in a manner which having thus come to my knowledge, is likely to be prevented in future. The account which I gave of it to Wynn,
(6)
Southey to Charles Watkin Williams Wynn, 19 April 1823, Letter 4004.
has brought down some queries to me from the Colonial Office. The poor creatures are shipt off at 3 £ a head, & left to shift for themselves as they can when they arrive at Quebec. Now Government has at this time a plan under consideration for ridding us of such persons but in a becoming manner, – taking charge of their embarkation & transport, & not losing sight of them till they are settled upon grants in Upper Canada, with a sufficient outfit there, & provisions for twelve months.
(7)
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.
Yesterday to my surprize I received an invitation to – the Lord Mayors dinner,
(8)
Following the procession to install the new Lord Mayor of the City of London, it is customary for the Mayor to host a banquet in the Guildhall to honour their predecessor. Distinguished guests are invited and there are numerous toasts and speeches. This occasion occurred on 10 November 1823. Southey, however, did not leave Keswick until 3 November 1823. As the new Lord Mayor was Robert Waithman (1764–1833; DNB), Whig MP for the City of London 1818–1820, 1826–1833, and the occasion was marked by speeches by leading Whigs, Southey may not have enjoyed the occasion if he had attended.
which I should have liked well to have accepted, were it possible for me to be in town at that time. Long after it, however, I hope I shall not be. Like a tired horse I generally quicken my pace when the end of the journey is perceptibly near.
(9)
Southey was writing The Book of the Church (1824).
Murray has sent me Franklins Journey, – the prints to which are very beautiful & peculiar.
(10)
Sir John Franklin (1786–1847; DNB), Narrative of a Journey to the Shores of the Polar Sea in the Years 1819, 1820, 1821, and 1822 (1823), no. 1128 in the sale catalogue of Southey’s library. This contained 31 engravings by Edward Francis Finden (1791–1857; DNB), based on drawings by members of Franklin’s company.
– I am expecting the last volume of Turners History,
(11)
Sharon Turner, History of England (1814–1823), no. 2838 in the sale catalogue of Southey’s library.
– which I shall review by & by in a series of papers, together with Lingards,
(12)
John Lingard (1771–1851; DNB), The History of England, from the First Invasion of the Romans, 5 vols (1819–1823). Southey possessed the first three volumes of this work, published in 1819, no. 1634 in the sale catalogue of his library. Lingard had trained as a priest at the English College at Douai and then taught there 1782–1793. Southey did not review the books listed here for the Quarterly Review.
– the latter upon all subjects connected with the Romish Church is as dishonest as you might expect a man to be who was bred at Douay. It is well for us that they do not perceive the impolicy of such dishonesty.
The French act unwisely in beginning with an attempt on St Sebastians, unless – which is xxx very likely, they are acting like themselves with bad faith – & in the intention of making conquests.
(13)
A French army had invaded Spain on 7 April 1823 to restore royal absolutism. It initially advanced into north-western Spain. However, it lacked the equipment to besiege towns, and the city of San Sebastian did not fall until 27 September 1823.
Between two such parties a wish would be misemployed so I can look on without anxiety, tho not without interest. – Is this Conde de Amarante the Silveira who won that title, – or his son?
(14)
Francisco da Silveira Pinto da Fonseca Teixeira, 1st Count of Amarante (1763–1821), was a Portuguese commander during the Peninsular War 1808–1813 who was rewarded with the title of Count in 1811. His son, Manuel da Silveira Pinto da Fonseca Teixeira, 2nd Count of Amarante (1784–1830), had led an unsuccessful revolt against the Portuguese liberal regime on 23 February 1823.
How is Harry’s poor boy?
(15)
Robert Southey, Jnr (b. 1817).
– And how are you going on at Streatham? – My household, thank God, are in tolerable health, & I have nothing to complain of, except that I am less alert with the pen than I was formerly when it worked to less purpose.
Love to my Aunt & the young ones, – for whom I shall have good part of Grimms story book
(16)
Jacob Ludwig Karl Grimm (1785–1863) and Wilhelm Karl Grimm (1786–1859), Kinder-und Hausmärchen (1812), translated as German Popular Stories (1823) by Edgar Taylor (1793–1839; DNB).
by heart when I see them. My next I trust will fix the time of my departure.
God bless you
RS.
