4187. Robert Southey to Grosvenor Charles Bedford, [16 May 1824]

 

Address: To/ G. C. Bedford Esqre/ Exchequer/ Westminster
Stamped: KESWICK/ 298
Postmark: E/ 19 MY 19/ 1824
Endorsements: 16 May 1824/ Recd 19th; 16 May/ 1824.
MS: Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford, MS. Eng. lett. c. 26. ALS; 4p.
Previously published: Charles Cuthbert Southey (ed.), Life and Correspondence of Robert Southey, 6 vols (London, 1849–1850), V, pp. 180–183 [in part; misdated 1 June 1824].
Dating note: Dating from the endorsement.

My dear G.

You deserve to be rated for saying that nothing is so cold as friendship, in saying which you belie yourself, & in inferring it as my opinion from what I said, you belie me. A friend will not take half the trouble to do you a trifling service, or afford you a slight gratification, that an enemy would to you do you a petty mischief, or inflict annoy your comfort or injure your reputation. But this same enemy would not endanger himself for the pleasure of doing you a serious injury, whereas the friend would go thro fire & water to render you an essential benefit, – & if need were risque his own life to save yours. Now & then indeed there appears a Devil-incarnate who seems to find their <his> only gratification in the exercise of malignity, – but these are monsters, & are noted as such. If I formed an estimate of human nature from what I observed at school, I should conclude that there was a great deal more evil in it than good, if from what I have observed in after life, I should draw the contrary inference. Follies disappear, – weaknesses are out grown, & the xxxxx discipline of society corrects more evils than it breeds. You & I, & Wynn, & Elmsley & Strachey are (as concerns the inner man) very much wha at this time what each must always expected the others to be. But who would have expected so much abilities from the two Burdetts

(1)

Sir Francis Burdett; and his younger brother and staunch supporter William Jones Burdett (1774–1840). Both had been educated at Westminster School. Sir Francis Burdett was a pupil at Westminster 1778–1786, until he was expelled for his part in a school rebellion; William Jones Burdett was admitted in 1783.

(mischievously as those abilities are directed.) Who would have thought that Corne,

(2)

William Corne (c. 1776–1818), a clergyman educated at Westminster School (admitted 1789) and Christ Church, Oxford (1793–1797). He was later Proctor of Oxford University 1808–1809 and Prebendary of Lichfield Cathedral 1800–1818.

boorish & hoggish as he was would have become a man of the kindest manners & gentlest disposition, – & that Shag Byng

(3)

John Byng, 1st Earl of Strafford (1772–1860; DNB), a Westminster contemporary (admitted 1786) of Southey and Bedford. He followed a military career and commanded the 2nd Guards Brigade at the Battle of Waterloo (1815).

would have figured as a hero at Waterloo? It is true that opposite examples might be called to mind: but the balance would be found on the right side.

Your consignment will probably arrive on Thursday the 27th & considering the frangible contents of the box,

(4)

Bedford had commissioned a plaster copy of a glass cup he possessed, to present to Southey. Bedford believed the cup to be the work of Benvenuto Cellini (1500–1571), the Italian goldsmith and sculptor.

I shall open it with fear & trembling. I wish you would send one of these casts to the Fitz-William Museum at Cambridge;

(5)

Fitzwilliam Museum (founded 1816), the arts and antiquities museum of the University of Cambridge.

– it would be to the Cups honour & to your own: & I think you would do so, if you were to see that Museum, – how many fine things they have there, what an ornament it is to the place, & what a proper pride they take in displaying & increasing it.

I am much gratified by what you tell me from Mr Roberts. Such opinions tend greatly to strengthen my inclination for setting about a Book of the State

(6)

Southey did not write this companion to his The Book of the Church (1824).

– which tho not capable of so deep & passionate an interest, might be made not less useful in its direct tendency. The want of books would be an obstacle – for I am poorly provided with English history, & have very little help within reach. I should want, – (& do want for other objects also) the publications of the Record Committee.

(7)

Commissioners on the Public Records of the Kingdom had been periodically appointed since 1800. They authorised the publication of the Statutes of the Realm (1810–1825) in 9 volumes as well as a large number of medieval records.

They were originally to be purchased, – but they were beyond my means. The sale of them is given up I think

(8)

Southey was incorrect and these publications could still be purchased; he may have gained the impression that sales had been discontinued from the Account of Books Published under the Record Commission (1818), which had revealed sales were poor.

(at least there was a Report recommending that it should be discontinued, as producing little) – & the remaining copies must be lying as lumber: & yet tho there is a pleasant opinion abroad that I can have any thing from Government which I please to ask for, I mig might as well whistle for a South Wind against this blast from the East, as ask for a set of these books, well assured as I am, that there is no man living to whom they would be of more use, or who would make more use of them. My end is not answered by borrowing books of this description: & I will explain to you why. When a book is my own, I read or look thro it & mark it as I proceed, & then by very brief references am enabled to refer to & compose from it at any future time. But if it is a borrowed book, the time which it costs to provide myself with extracts for future use may be worth more than the cost of the work: a lesson which I have learnt of late years xxxx at no little price.

God bless you
RS.

Your Godson is commenced Hxx-hxxxx-hxx-xr <Hic-hæc-hoc-er>

(9)

Forms of the Latin pronoun ‘this’, which were often the first thing that children learning Latin encountered. Charles Cuthbert Southey was taking his first steps in the language.

Notes

1. Sir Francis Burdett; and his younger brother and staunch supporter William Jones Burdett (1774–1840). Both had been educated at Westminster School. Sir Francis Burdett was a pupil at Westminster 1778–1786, until he was expelled for his part in a school rebellion; William Jones Burdett was admitted in 1783.[back]
2. William Corne (c. 1776–1818), a clergyman educated at Westminster School (admitted 1789) and Christ Church, Oxford (1793–1797). He was later Proctor of Oxford University 1808–1809 and Prebendary of Lichfield Cathedral 1800–1818.[back]
3. John Byng, 1st Earl of Strafford (1772–1860; DNB), a Westminster contemporary (admitted 1786) of Southey and Bedford. He followed a military career and commanded the 2nd Guards Brigade at the Battle of Waterloo (1815).[back]
4. Bedford had commissioned a plaster copy of a glass cup he possessed, to present to Southey. Bedford believed the cup to be the work of Benvenuto Cellini (1500–1571), the Italian goldsmith and sculptor.[back]
5. Fitzwilliam Museum (founded 1816), the arts and antiquities museum of the University of Cambridge.[back]
6. Southey did not write this companion to his The Book of the Church (1824).[back]
7. Commissioners on the Public Records of the Kingdom had been periodically appointed since 1800. They authorised the publication of the Statutes of the Realm (1810–1825) in 9 volumes as well as a large number of medieval records.[back]
8. Southey was incorrect and these publications could still be purchased; he may have gained the impression that sales had been discontinued from the Account of Books Published under the Record Commission (1818), which had revealed sales were poor.[back]
9. Forms of the Latin pronoun ‘this’, which were often the first thing that children learning Latin encountered. Charles Cuthbert Southey was taking his first steps in the language. [back]
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