4185. Robert Southey to Herbert Hill, 9 May 1824

 

Address: To/ The Reverend Herbert Hill/ Streatham,/ Surry
Stamped: KESWICK/ 298
Postmarks: E/ 12 MY 12/ 1824; [partial] 10 F NOON/ MY 12/ xx 24
Seal: red wax; design illegible
MS: Keswick Museum and Art Gallery, WC 242. ALS; 4p.
Unpublished.

Keswick. 9 May. 1824

I have no reason to complain of neglect in Canning, or any one else, upon the score of my commission.

(1)

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…

A letter from Mr Chinnery

(2)

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).

to whom he gave that commission, was duly transmitted by him to Wynn, & so to me; my instructions for a specific search at Seville were returned to Madrid thro the same official steps, & the other day I received assurances that a son of Sir J Downies

(3)

Sir John Downie (1777–1826), Assistant Commissary of the British Army in Portugal 1808–1810. Downie founded the Legion of Extramadura from Spanish irregular forces in 1810 and was made a colonel in the Spanish Army. He was Commander of the Alcazar, the royal palace and military fortress in Seville, 1814–1826. As Downie had only married in 1810 it is unlikely that a son of his would be enquiring for Southey’s books in Seville.

was going to Seville, & would there enquire for the books; – that a certain Friar, who knew more concerning books than is commonly known by Friars, would be applied to, & that if the books were not to be found on sale, application would be made to individuals for them. Nevertheless I shall not delay longer, – & have only laid aside that portion of my subject for the present, that I may provide by a paper in the QR. for my Midsummer bills

(4)

Southey’s review of John Johnson (1769–1833; DNB), Memoirs of the Life and Writings of William Hayley, Esq. the Friend and Biographer of Cowper, Written by Himself; with Extracts from his Private Correspondence, and Unpublished Poetry; and Memoirs of his Son Thomas Alphonso Hayley, the Young Sculptor (1823), no. 1179 in the sale catalogue of Southey’s library, Quarterly Review, 31 (March 1825), 263–311.

The slip of the pen concerning Charles 5 has been corrected,

(5)

The Book of the Church, 2 vols (London, 1824), II, p. 8, where Charles V (1500–1558; Holy Roman Emperor 1519–1556, King of Spain 1516–1556) was misidentified as the brother, rather than the nephew, of Catherine of Aragon (1485–1536; DNB), first wife of Henry VIII (1491–1547; King of England 1509–1547; DNB).

& a slip of the press where Henri 4 is put instead of H. 3.

(6)

The Book of the Church, 2 vols (London, 1824), II, p. 341, where Henry IV (1553–1610; King of France 1589–1610) was misprinted for Henry III (1551–1589; King of France 1574–1589).

There has been a cry on all sides for references. I cannot afford leisure to make them at present. And there has been a less reasonable cry for dates, – as if in such a book the succession of the Sovereigns was not a sufficient chronological indication. There is a report at Taunton that the book has been bought up, – because it did not please all parties: & that I have consented to have it thus withdrawn, upon receiving 1000 £ for such consent. This is the wise story which the Taunton Bookseller

(7)

Possibly John Poole (c. 1754–1841), bookseller and printer at Taunton since the late eighteenth century.

assured my Aunt Mary to be matter of fact, adding that in consequence the work was much more enquired for. Why it should have been set afloat it is impossible to conjecture, but the bookseller must have known that what he was repeating xx was not only <merely> a lie, but an absurd & an impossible lie. It is however as harmless as it is unaccountable.

I have been sitting closely to work, so that my second volume

(8)

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

will proceed rapidly when the printing begins. Moreover I have made considerable progress with the Tale of Paraguay,

(9)

Southey’s A Tale of Paraguay (1825).

& have added two Inscriptions to my Peninsular series

(10)

Southey’s inscriptions on the Peninsular War, most of which were unpublished until the eighteen finished poems were collected in Poetical Works, 10 vols (London, 1837–1838), III, pp. 122–156. Southey had just finished ‘Lines. To the Memory of a Young Officer, Who was Mortally Wounded in the Battle of Coruña. By Robert Southey, Esq. Poet Laureate’. This was published in The Literary Souvenir; Or, Cabinet of Poetry and Romance (London, 1826), pp. [341]–344. The identity of the other poem that Southey had been working on is less clear; it might have been ‘Inscription for a Monument at Arroyo, in …

(amounting now to 19) – when the history is compleated I shall probably let Murray publish them in the quarto volume form to accompany it, – for those persons who may be pleased to purchase verse as well as prose. To unite such a series is a task of singular difficulty.

I should have been heartily glad to have seen Mrs Michell

(11)

Sampson Michell (1755–1809) was a British sailor who rose to be an Admiral in the Portuguese Navy. His wife, Ann Shears (1765–1838), was the daughter of a surgeon at Bedminster and a granddaughter of Emmanuel Collins (fl. 1732–1762), a clergyman, alehouse-keeper, poet and schoolmaster, who had taught Herbert Hill.

had she made her visit to Peckham while I was about town. It is to be hoped your household affairs will soon be in order again: of all discomforts that of inhabiting a house which is undergoing a revolution is one of the greatest.

Bertha I hope begins by this time to be reconciled to strange scenes & strange places, for so timid & retiring a disposition it was a great trial; but she will be the better for it, & she could not have been committed to kinder keeping. I am sorry however that she & her sister will be absent during Edwards visit, – for we shall miss them in our lake & mountain parties. Edith indeed I miss in more ways than one. – It is a comfort to think that Edwards year of servitude is almost over.

(12)

Edward Hill was a pupil at Westminster School and had passed ‘The Challenge’ to become a King’s Scholar and member of ‘College’, a group of forty boys with their own accommodation, special dress and privileges, including the right to proceed to a Closed Scholarship at Trinity College, Cambridge, or Christ Church, Oxford. However, he had been bullied in his first year in College.

It will make a great difference in his situation

In my Aunts case whatever occupies & amuses her mind is likely to do good, – & the sea may do this. Change of air I believe to be very often effectual where medicine can do nothing, – & I wish you had gone with her instead of remaining in dirt, & discomfort, & in the unwholesome stink of the paint.

God bless you
RS.

Notes

1. 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. Southey had then sought the assistance of George Canning. Finally, Southey had written to John Mitford, 12 April 1824, Letter 4171.[back]
2. 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]
3. Sir John Downie (1777–1826), Assistant Commissary of the British Army in Portugal 1808–1810. Downie founded the Legion of Extramadura from Spanish irregular forces in 1810 and was made a colonel in the Spanish Army. He was Commander of the Alcazar, the royal palace and military fortress in Seville, 1814–1826. As Downie had only married in 1810 it is unlikely that a son of his would be enquiring for Southey’s books in Seville.[back]
4. Southey’s review of John Johnson (1769–1833; DNB), Memoirs of the Life and Writings of William Hayley, Esq. the Friend and Biographer of Cowper, Written by Himself; with Extracts from his Private Correspondence, and Unpublished Poetry; and Memoirs of his Son Thomas Alphonso Hayley, the Young Sculptor (1823), no. 1179 in the sale catalogue of Southey’s library, Quarterly Review, 31 (March 1825), 263–311.[back]
5. The Book of the Church, 2 vols (London, 1824), II, p. 8, where Charles V (1500–1558; Holy Roman Emperor 1519–1556, King of Spain 1516–1556) was misidentified as the brother, rather than the nephew, of Catherine of Aragon (1485–1536; DNB), first wife of Henry VIII (1491–1547; King of England 1509–1547; DNB).[back]
6. The Book of the Church, 2 vols (London, 1824), II, p. 341, where Henry IV (1553–1610; King of France 1589–1610) was misprinted for Henry III (1551–1589; King of France 1574–1589).[back]
7. Possibly John Poole (c. 1754–1841), bookseller and printer at Taunton since the late eighteenth century.[back]
8. The second volume of Southey’s History of the Peninsular War (1823–1832).[back]
9. Southey’s A Tale of Paraguay (1825).[back]
10. Southey’s inscriptions on the Peninsular War, most of which were unpublished until the eighteen finished poems were collected in Poetical Works, 10 vols (London, 1837–1838), III, pp. 122–156. Southey had just finished ‘Lines. To the Memory of a Young Officer, Who was Mortally Wounded in the Battle of Coruña. By Robert Southey, Esq. Poet Laureate’. This was published in The Literary Souvenir; Or, Cabinet of Poetry and Romance (London, 1826), pp. [341]–344. The identity of the other poem that Southey had been working on is less clear; it might have been ‘Inscription for a Monument at Arroyo, in Molina. By Robert Southey, Esq., Poet Laureate’, Friendship’s Offering. A Literary Album (London, 1827), pp. [147]–148.[back]
11. Sampson Michell (1755–1809) was a British sailor who rose to be an Admiral in the Portuguese Navy. His wife, Ann Shears (1765–1838), was the daughter of a surgeon at Bedminster and a granddaughter of Emmanuel Collins (fl. 1732–1762), a clergyman, alehouse-keeper, poet and schoolmaster, who had taught Herbert Hill.[back]
12. Edward Hill was a pupil at Westminster School and had passed ‘The Challenge’ to become a King’s Scholar and member of ‘College’, a group of forty boys with their own accommodation, special dress and privileges, including the right to proceed to a Closed Scholarship at Trinity College, Cambridge, or Christ Church, Oxford. However, he had been bullied in his first year in College.[back]
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