4199. Robert Southey to William Peachy, 15 June 1824

 

Address: To/ Major-General Peachy/ 80. Wimpole Street/ London.
Stamped: KESWICK/ 298
MSS: British Library, Add MS 28603. AL; 4p. Berg Collection, New York Public Library. ALS; 1p.
Unpublished.
Note on MSS: The letter survives as two manuscript fragments: the larger four-page fragment in the British Library (which comprises p. 1, and the top three quarters of pp. 3 and 4, including the address leaf); and the smaller one-page fragment in the Berg Collection (which comprises the lower quarter of pp. 3 and 4, including the closing signature).

Keswick. 15th June. 1824
My dear Sir

Your welcome letter of the 5th would have been more welcome, if its contents had not led me to infer that you have no intention of visiting the Island this summer. Had you been here last year, you might have obtained full information concerning Jersey from Miss Bowles, who is by the mothers side of Jersey parentage.

(1)

Caroline Bowles’s mother was Anne Burrard (1753–1817), the daughter of Madeleine Ann Durell (1728–1792) of Jersey. Madeleine Ann Durell’s parents were Jean Durell (1704–1739), Advocate-General of Jersey 1726–1739, and Anne Le Cloche (1709–1789), heiress of Longueville Manor. Caroline Bowles grew up in a household that included her grandmother, Madeleine Ann Durell, and great-grandmother, Anne Le Cloche, both of whom were bilingual in French and English.

By her account I believe it is a delightful place, but where a state of happy & enviable simplicity has of late years been altered without being improved. I am acquainted with only one account of this & the neighbourhood Island, & that account is nearly 200 years old, having been drawn up by Peter Heylyn,

(2)

Peter Heylyn (1600–1662; DNB), A Survey of the Estate of France and Some of the Adjoyning Ilands (1656), no. 1187 in the sale catalogue of Southey’s library. This work included an account of the Channel Islands that Heylyn wrote while he was chaplain to Henry Danvers, 1st Earl of Danby (1573–1643; DNB), Governor of Guernsey 1621–1644. It was on Danby’s recommendation to William Laud (1573–1645; DNB), Bishop of London 1628–1633, Archbishop of Canterbury 1633–1645, that Heylyn was appointed a chaplain to Charles I (1600–1649; King of Great Britain 1625–1649; DNB) in 1630.

& presented by him to Laud then Bp of London. It is historical, political & ecclesiastical, & Laud approved of it so highly that he recommended the Author to be one of the Kings Chaplains. This is a very able book, & I have reason to regret that I had not read it before my Book of the Church

(3)

Southey’s The Book of the Church (1824).

was published, – as it contains something of importance which must be inserted in some future edition of that work. – I am not acquainted with any other thing else upon the subject, except that there is an Account of Guernsey & the other Channel Islands, by Dr Macculloch, in the first volume of the Geological Transactions, published in 1811.

(4)

John MacCulloch (1773–1835; DNB), ‘Account of Guernsey, and the other Channel Islands’, Transactions of the Geological Society, 1st series, 1 (1811), 1–22.

Probably this is merely a mineralogical paper; it may however be worth while to look at it, & it is a book which you will be sure to find in the library of the Royal Institution.

(5)

The Library of the Royal Institution of Great Britain (founded 1799) in Albemarle Street, London.

There is a new establishment of this kind, called the Metropolitan Literary Institution,

(6)

The Metropolitan Literary Institution was founded in 1823 at 6 Chatham Place, London. Members could take advantage of a circulating and a reference library and a reading room, and attend lectures by invited speakers. Its Honorary Secretary was James Jennings.

& they have been pleased to elect me an honorary member. To a person resident in town this might be of some advantage, & I wish the usufruct could be transferred to some one who might profit by it.

I am much obliged to you on the score of my brothers book,

(7)

Southey was seeking subscribers for Tom Southey, Chronological History of the West Indies (1827).

& should have to send his acknowledgements & kind remembrances, if I had seen him since yours of the 11th arrived. For myself, I have been now ten days a close prisoner with my annual catarrh, which has made its attack this year with its usual violence; but as its course has been more rapid than usual, I hope its departure will be proportionally speedier. It laid me up for the greater part of the a week upon the Sopha, in a darkened room, & this is the first day that I have been able to pursue my wonted employments without intermission. It hxxx xxxxx is in my chest that I feel it now, where I trust it is not likely to remain long, – but it will be some time before I shall get into good condition, [MS missing] relaxed.

[MS missing] for it leaves me

Senhouse has not written to me since he left England, – but I believe you may learn how to address him from Miss E Charter.

(8)

Elizabeth Charter (1782–1860), sister of William Peachy’s first wife, and friend of George Crabbe (1754–1832; DNB).

I am sorry to hear that Bowles is out of health. Remember me to him most kindly, – & tell him it will not be long before I shall show myself alive among the poets

We miss Edith & Bertha, as you may suppose, very much. As yet Dr & Mrs Hughes are the only strangers <Lakers> we have seen. He is a Canon of St Pauls – & was tutor to three of the royal Dukes.

(9)

Hughes was tutor to three of George IV’s brothers: Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland (1771–1851; DNB); Augustus Fredrick, Duke of Sussex (1773–1843; DNB); and Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge (1774–1850; DNB).

His son, who was of Oriel is the author of a very pleasant book concerning the South of France.

(10)

John Hughes (1790–1857; DNB), An Itinerary of Provence and the Rhone, Made During the Year 1819 (1822).

My library has lately been adorned by a cast from an ivory cup belonging to my friend Bedford, which Chantry has pronounced to be the finest thing he ever saw of its kind, the cast indeed is of his making. The artist is not known, but it seems to be of Benvenuto Cellini’s

(11)

Benvenuto Cellini (1500–1571), Italian goldsmith, sculptor and artist.

age, & may not improbably be his work. The subject is Silenus & a groupe of Bacchanals.

(12)

Silenus was a companion of Dionysus, the Greek god of wine; a bacchanal was a follower of Bacchus, the Roman equivalent of Dionysus.

I have sent my second vol. of the Peninsular War

(13)

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

to the press, – & written a review of Hayleys Memoirs,

(14)

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, published 11 March 1825.

chiefly for the sake of treating a Gentleman & a Scholar – as a Gentleman & a Scholar ought to be treated. Our Ladies join in kindest remembrances to yourself, & with me to Mrs Peachy –

Believe me my dear Sir
yours with sincere regard
Robert Southey.

Notes

1. Caroline Bowles’s mother was Anne Burrard (1753–1817), the daughter of Madeleine Ann Durell (1728–1792) of Jersey. Madeleine Ann Durell’s parents were Jean Durell (1704–1739), Advocate-General of Jersey 1726–1739, and Anne Le Cloche (1709–1789), heiress of Longueville Manor. Caroline Bowles grew up in a household that included her grandmother, Madeleine Ann Durell, and great-grandmother, Anne Le Cloche, both of whom were bilingual in French and English.[back]
2. Peter Heylyn (1600–1662; DNB), A Survey of the Estate of France and Some of the Adjoyning Ilands (1656), no. 1187 in the sale catalogue of Southey’s library. This work included an account of the Channel Islands that Heylyn wrote while he was chaplain to Henry Danvers, 1st Earl of Danby (1573–1643; DNB), Governor of Guernsey 1621–1644. It was on Danby’s recommendation to William Laud (1573–1645; DNB), Bishop of London 1628–1633, Archbishop of Canterbury 1633–1645, that Heylyn was appointed a chaplain to Charles I (1600–1649; King of Great Britain 1625–1649; DNB) in 1630.[back]
3. Southey’s The Book of the Church (1824).[back]
4. John MacCulloch (1773–1835; DNB), ‘Account of Guernsey, and the other Channel Islands’, Transactions of the Geological Society, 1st series, 1 (1811), 1–22.[back]
5. The Library of the Royal Institution of Great Britain (founded 1799) in Albemarle Street, London.[back]
6. The Metropolitan Literary Institution was founded in 1823 at 6 Chatham Place, London. Members could take advantage of a circulating and a reference library and a reading room, and attend lectures by invited speakers. Its Honorary Secretary was James Jennings.[back]
7. Southey was seeking subscribers for Tom Southey, Chronological History of the West Indies (1827).[back]
8. Elizabeth Charter (1782–1860), sister of William Peachy’s first wife, and friend of George Crabbe (1754–1832; DNB).[back]
9. Hughes was tutor to three of George IV’s brothers: Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland (1771–1851; DNB); Augustus Fredrick, Duke of Sussex (1773–1843; DNB); and Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge (1774–1850; DNB).[back]
10. John Hughes (1790–1857; DNB), An Itinerary of Provence and the Rhone, Made During the Year 1819 (1822).[back]
11. Benvenuto Cellini (1500–1571), Italian goldsmith, sculptor and artist.[back]
12. Silenus was a companion of Dionysus, the Greek god of wine; a bacchanal was a follower of Bacchus, the Roman equivalent of Dionysus.[back]
13. Southey’s History of the Peninsular War (1823–1832).[back]
14. 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, published 11 March 1825.[back]
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