4152. Robert Southey to John May [fragment], [begun before and continued on] 7 [March 1824]

 

Address: To/ John May Esqre-/ 4. Tavistock Street/ Bedford Square/ London
Stamped: KESWICK/ 298
Postmark: E/ 10 MR 10/ 1824
Watermark: HS & S
Endorsement: No. 236 1824/ Robert Southey/ – 7th March/ recd. 11th do./ ansd. 11th June
MS: Robert Southey Collection, Harry Ransom Center, The University of Texas at Austin. ALS; 4p.
Previously published: Charles Ramos (ed.), The Letters of Robert Southey to John May: 1797–1838 (Austin, Texas, 1976), pp. 205–206; Charles Cuthbert Southey (ed.), Life and Correspondence of Robert Southey, 6 vols (London, 1849–1850), V, pp. 170–172 [in part].
Dating note: Dating from endorsement and postmark; the top section of fol. 1 is missing; the contents of the letter suggest this may have contained an advertisement for Tom Southey’s Chronological History of the West Indies; see, for example, Southey to Grosvenor Charles Bedford, 7 March 1824 (Letter 4151).

[MS missing]

My dear friend

What success this proposal*

(1)

‘* Of the Publication of a History of the West Indies by subscription’ [Editors note: This is added in another hand at the foot of fol. 1r.]

of my brothers may meet with remains to be seen.

(2)

Tom Southey’s Chronological History of the West Indies (1827), which he was encouraged to write by Southey.

If he can obtain two hundred subscribers, Longman will take the risk of printing 750 copies. The book will be respectable & useful, comprizing a regular view of all that has occurred in those Islands – from their discovery to the present time. – Take it for all in all it is perhaps as disgraceful a portion of history as the whole course of time can afford; – for I know not that there is any thing generous, any thing ennobling, – any thing xxx xx honourable to human or consolatory to human nature – to relieve it – except what may relate to the missionaries. Still it is a useful task to show what those islands have been & what they are: & the book will do this much more fully, clearly & satisfactorily than has ever yet been done.

[MS missing] Three weeks have now nearly elapsed since my return, & they seem like so many days, so swiftly & imperceptibly the days pass by when they are past in regular employment & uniform contentment. My old course of life has become as habitual as if it had never been interrupted. The clock is not more punctual than I am in the division of the day. Little by little I get on with many things, the Peninsular War

(3)

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

is my employment in the forenoon, the Tale of Paraguay

(4)

Southey’s A Tale of Paraguay (1825).

after tea, – before breakfast & at chance times, as inclination xxx leads, I turn to other subjects, & so make progress in all. The only thing at present wanting to my enjoyment is to have something in the press, – that I might have proof sheets to look for: & I shall not long be without this. For tho Mr Chinnery

(5)

George Robert Chinnery (1791–1825), a Treasury civil servant and secretary to George Canning’s embassy to Portugal in 1815. On 3 February 1824 he was appointed Resident Commissioner in Madrid for the Liquidation of British Claims on the Spanish Government, under the terms of a British-Spanish Convention (1823).

has failed to get the book I wanted

(6)

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, published in four volumes at Seville in 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 So…

at Madrid, he has taken measures for seeking it at Barcelona & at Seville; & as it was published in the latter city, there can I think be little doubt of obtaining it; & it cannot be long in reaching me. Meantime I go on with other parts of the history. It is one great advantage of such subjects, that I can have several parts in progress at the same time, & lay any one aside for awhile till I perceive how to proceed with it satisfactorily to myself.

Sunday. 7th.

Today I have received a letter from Locker, who delivers me a message from the Bishop of Durham

(7)

Shute Barrington (1734–1826; DNB), Bishop of Durham 1791–1826.

thanking me for what I have done in the B. of the Church.

(8)

Southey’s Book of the Church (1824).

The Bp of London wrote to express his “high satisfaction.” Both regret that I have not referred to my authors an omission which appears to be generally thought injudicious. The truth is that when I began the book it was with an expectation that it would not exceed a single duodecimo volume, – & that even when enlarged it is still a mere epitome for the most part, – in which I should feel that a display of authorities was out of place. After the proofs of research & accuracy which I have given, I have a right to expect credit: – & in fact the more my credit is examined, the higher it will stand. Whoever may examine my Collections for this, & for my other historical works (& doubtless they will one day be inspected) will find that I have always prepared many more materials than I have used.

Poor Henry has had a mournful house since I left him.

(9)

Henry Herbert Southey’s daughter, Louisa Mary Southey (1821–1824), had just died.

– I hope he may have no cause to be anxious concerning Roberts

(10)

Henry Herbert Southey’s oldest son, Robert Southey, Jnr (b. 1817).

strange attack of fever which came on with so much violence, & went off as suddenly & unaccountably as it went. The life of that child would be felt more deeply & abidingly than that of the poor little girl, not only because he has longer been an object of solicitude & affection, – but because he is old enough to discover a very sweet & hopeful disposition.

My family thank God are well, – Cupn not less engaging than when you saw him. He reads fluently now, & is at this time learning, as matter of amusement rather than business, the Greek alphabet. Of your goddaughter you perhaps may know more at this time than I do. Remember us most kindly to Mrs May & your daughters

(11)

May’s daughters, Mary Charlotte (b. 1804), Susanna Louisa (1805–1885) and Charlotte Livius (b. 1812).

& believe me my dear friend

Yours most affectionately
Robert Southey.

Notes

1. ‘* Of the Publication of a History of the West Indies by subscription’ [Editors note: This is added in another hand at the foot of fol. 1r.] [back]
2. Tom Southey’s Chronological History of the West Indies (1827), which he was encouraged to write by Southey.[back]
3. Southey’s History of the Peninsular War (1823–1832).[back]
4. Southey’s A Tale of Paraguay (1825).[back]
5. George Robert Chinnery (1791–1825), a Treasury civil servant and secretary to George Canning’s embassy to Portugal in 1815. On 3 February 1824 he was appointed Resident Commissioner in Madrid for the Liquidation of British Claims on the Spanish Government, under the terms of a British-Spanish Convention (1823).[back]
6. 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, published in four volumes at Seville in 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. Murray had then written to Spain to try and obtain these books for Southey’s History of the Peninsular War (1823–1832), and Herbert Hill had also offered to help. Finally, Southey had sought the assistance of George Canning.[back]
7. Shute Barrington (1734–1826; DNB), Bishop of Durham 1791–1826.[back]
8. Southey’s Book of the Church (1824).[back]
9. Henry Herbert Southey’s daughter, Louisa Mary Southey (1821–1824), had just died.[back]
10. Henry Herbert Southey’s oldest son, Robert Southey, Jnr (b. 1817).[back]
11. May’s daughters, Mary Charlotte (b. 1804), Susanna Louisa (1805–1885) and Charlotte Livius (b. 1812).[back]
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