4030. Robert Southey to Grosvenor Charles Bedford, 15 June 1823

 

Address: To/ G. C. Bedford Esqre/ Exchequer/ Westminster
Stamped: KESWICK/ 298
Postmark: E/ 1x JU 18/ 1823
Endorsement: 15 June 1823
MS: Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford, MS. Eng. lett. c. 26. ALS; 3p.
Previously published: Charles Cuthbert Southey (ed.), Life and Correspondence of Robert Southey, 6 vols (London, 1849–1850), V, pp. 139–140 [in part].

Keswick 15 June 1823.
My dear G.

Thank you for this seasonable supply. – The worst symptom of advancing age which I am sensible of in myself, is a certain anxiety concerning ways & means; – to that cause I impute it, for I am sure it does not belong to my disposition

You tell me it is not politic to work entirely for posthumous fame. Alas Grosvenor, had you forgotten when you wrote that sentence that by far the greater portion of my life has been consumed in providing for my household expences? As for reputation, of that God knows I have as much as either I deserve or desire. If I have not profited by it as some of my contemporaries have done by theirs, the fault is not owing to my xxx living out of sight. What advantage could it possibly be to me to meet great men at dinner twice or thrice in the season, & present myself as often at court? There is I dare say good will enough among some of the men in power to serve me, – if they knew how: – but if they asked me how, I should not be able to point out a way. For thx xxxxxxx xxx The reason why you see Wordsworths bust in Chantreys study, is because Sir G. Beaumont chose to bespeak it.

(1)

Sir Francis Chantrey had sculpted a bust of Wordsworth. This had been commissioned by Sir George Beaumont and was placed in the gardens of his house at Coleorton. The original is now in the Lilly Library, Indiana University.

Is it impossible for you to break away from London, & lay in a stock of fresh health & spirits by help of fresh air & exhilarating exercise? I wish you would come here & stay with me till I could return to town with you. You would do me good as well as yourself.

We have a cat whose name (after a favourite story) is Rumpelstilzchen.

(2)

Rumpel-Stilts-Kin was an imp who could spin straw into gold; see Jacob Ludwig Karl Grimm (1785–1863) and Wilhelm Karl Grimm (1786–1859), Kinder-und Hausmärchen (1812), translated as German Popular Stories (London, 1823), pp. 213–217, by Edgar Taylor (1793–1839; DNB). The book was an immense success, including with Cuthbert Southey.

He is a good cat. You in London, where the vile boot is in use know nothing of the true cat character.

(3)

Southey is referring to the practice of putting a male kitten head-first into a boot in order to immobilise it while it was neutered.

For friendliness & sociability your Tom is the only Cat. I shall shortly write a Chapter upon this subject.

(4)

See Robert Southey to Edith May Southey, 18 June 1824, Letter 4202.

God bless you.
R.S.

I was in hopes I should have received ere this the cast of your cup.

(5)

Grosvenor Bedford possessed a glass cup which he believed to be by Benvenuto Cellini (1500–1571), the Italian goldsmith and sculptor. Bedford was making a copy to send to Southey.

Why cometh it not?

Notes

1. Sir Francis Chantrey had sculpted a bust of Wordsworth. This had been commissioned by Sir George Beaumont and was placed in the gardens of his house at Coleorton. The original is now in the Lilly Library, Indiana University.[back]
2. Rumpel-Stilts-Kin was an imp who could spin straw into gold; see Jacob Ludwig Karl Grimm (1785–1863) and Wilhelm Karl Grimm (1786–1859), Kinder-und Hausmärchen (1812), translated as German Popular Stories (London, 1823), pp. 213–217, by Edgar Taylor (1793–1839; DNB). The book was an immense success, including with Cuthbert Southey.[back]
3. Southey is referring to the practice of putting a male kitten head-first into a boot in order to immobilise it while it was neutered. [back]
4. See Robert Southey to Edith May Southey, 18 June 1824, Letter 4202.[back]
5. Grosvenor Bedford possessed a glass cup which he believed to be by Benvenuto Cellini (1500–1571), the Italian goldsmith and sculptor. Bedford was making a copy to send to Southey.[back]
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