4076. Robert Southey to Herbert Hill, 27 October 1823

 

Address: To/ The Reverend Herbert Hill/ Streatham/ Surrey
Stamped: KESWICK/ 298
Postmarks: E/ 30 OC 30/ 1823; OF. NOON/ OC. 30/ 1823
MS: Keswick Museum and Art Gallery, WC 237. ALS; 3p.
Unpublished.

Keswick. 27. Oct. 1823

It is my intention to make Streatham my head quarters, but I cannot proceed thither in the first instance for sundry reasons. It is very possible that we may arrive in London at night, this being a matter in which we shall have no choice, but must take the chance of the road. As the time is thus uncertain, so is the day, depending upon the weather. Rain may prevent us from seeing some of the objects which we hope to visit. If all things prove favourable we may sleep at Matlock on Saturday the 8xx th pass the Sunday morning there, & proceed after in the afternoon to Derby. There we shall part with our fellow travellers,

(1)

Louisa Charter, and Elizabeth Charter (1782–1860), friend of the poet George Crabbe (1754–1832; DNB). They were the sisters of Emma Peachy, first wife of William Peachy, and nieces of Sir Charles Malet (1752–1815; DNB), 1st Baronet, a prominent diplomat with the East India Company. Peachy had lent the Charter sisters his home on Derwent Island. They were accompanied by Lady Susanna Malet, née Wales (1779–1868), widow of Sir Charles Malet, 1st Baronet (1752–1815; DNB), maternal uncle of the Charter sisters. Their other companion was one of the three children born in India to Sir Charles Malet and Amber Kaur (b. 1772): Eliza (b. 1791); Henry Charles (1793–1844); and Louisa (b. 1795). They accompanied Malet to Britain in 1798 and were brought up with his children by Susanna Malet. Eliza Malet married, in 1812, Robert Ekins (1785–1874), Vicar of Godalming 1810–1833, Rector of Folke, Dorset 1833–1843, Perpetual Curate of North Wootton 1843–1854. Southey is probably referring here to Louisa Malet.

make some calls, & reach Cole Orton to dinner on the Monday. There I think of staying either two or three days, as we may feel disposed. Sir George will send us to Loughborough, & then we must trust to fortune. The most likely thing is that we shall have to travel from thence by night. But whether we shall reach London on Saturday the 15th – or one two or three days sooner depends (setting other chances aside) upon so uncertain a thing as the weather. Of course I shall let Henry hear of me from Cole Orton.

I shall be glad to reach Streatham as soon as I can, & settle to work there, – for I shall have my last chapter to write,

(2)

The Book of the Church, 2 vols (London, 1824), II, pp. 468–528.

& also a paper to finish for the QR.

(3)

Timothy Dwight (1752–1817), Travels in New-England and New-York (1821–1822), no. 881 in the sale catalogue of Southey’s library, reviewed by Southey in Quarterly Review, 30 (October 1823), 1–40, published 17 April 1824.

But if we arrive on the Saturday I shall hardly be able to get out of town till Tuesday.

The very thought of moving, now it is so near, gives me a sort of bowelquake.

Love to my Aunt & the children -

God bless you
RS.

Notes

1. Louisa Charter, and Elizabeth Charter (1782–1860), friend of the poet George Crabbe (1754–1832; DNB). They were the sisters of Emma Peachy, first wife of William Peachy, and nieces of Sir Charles Malet (1752–1815; DNB), 1st Baronet, a prominent diplomat with the East India Company. Peachy had lent the Charter sisters his home on Derwent Island. They were accompanied by Lady Susanna Malet, née Wales (1779–1868), widow of Sir Charles Malet, 1st Baronet (1752–1815; DNB), maternal uncle of the Charter sisters. Their other companion was one of the three children born in India to Sir Charles Malet and Amber Kaur (b. 1772): Eliza (b. 1791); Henry Charles (1793–1844); and Louisa (b. 1795). They accompanied Malet to Britain in 1798 and were brought up with his children by Susanna Malet. Eliza Malet married, in 1812, Robert Ekins (1785–1874), Vicar of Godalming 1810–1833, Rector of Folke, Dorset 1833–1843, Perpetual Curate of North Wootton 1843–1854. Southey is probably referring here to Louisa Malet.[back]
2. The Book of the Church, 2 vols (London, 1824), II, pp. 468–528.[back]
3. Timothy Dwight (1752–1817), Travels in New-England and New-York (1821–1822), no. 881 in the sale catalogue of Southey’s library, reviewed by Southey in Quarterly Review, 30 (October 1823), 1–40, published 17 April 1824.[back]
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