Address: To/ John Murray Esqre/ Albemarle Street/ London
Stamped: KESWICK/ 298
Postmark: E/ 14 AU 14/ 1823
Watermark: Kingsford/ 1814
Endorsement: Aug. 1824/ R Southey Esq
MS: National Library of Scotland, MS 42552. ALS; 3p.
Unpublished.
I return the mss
(1)
Southey was returning to Murray the manuscript of Coleccion de los Viajes y Descubrimientos que hicieron por mar los Espanoles desde fines del Siglo XV etc (1825), no. 3552 in the sale catalogue of Southey’s library, which brought to light many hitherto unpublished documents in Spanish archives concerning early Spanish explorations and voyages to America. It included Bartolomé de las Casas’s (1484–1566) abridgement of the journal of Christopher Columbus (1451–1506), detailing his first and third voyages. Murray did not publish an edition of these, though he later issued Washington Irving’s (17…
by this night’s mail. It is very curious, & very well deserves to be published. For tho it contains little if any thing of importance which has not been stated by P. Martiri, Herrera & Muñoz,
(2)
Peter Martyr d’Anghiera (1457–1526), Decades (1530); Antonio de Herrera y Tordesillas (1549–1626), Historia General de los Hechos de los Castellanos en las Islas y Tierra Firme del mar Oceano que llaman India Occidentales (1601–1615) – Southey possessed an edition of 1728, no. 3563 in the sale catalogue of his library; and Juan Bautista Munoz (1745–1799), Historia del Nuovo-Mundo (1793) – Southey possessed an edition of 1797, no. 1263 in the sale catalogue of his library. All these works dealt with the discoveries of Christopher Columbus.
still it is a great point to have it in the ipsissima verba
of Columbus.
Whether it would be saleable in this country, or in any other at this time, is a different question. I am afraid not, so as to make it answer as an ordinary speculation.
It remains to consider whether it be worth while to publish it, for the sake of the honour which is to be obtained by giving such a curiosity to the public. And I should think subscribers enough might be found who would be glad to pay a curious price for it. In that case I entirely agree with Blanco that the original ought to be printed, – & perhaps a translation would not be necessary.
Can you learn for me by whom No 1160 in this Catalogue
(4)
Catalogue of the Curious Library of Don J. Antonio Conde, Part the Second. Being an Extraordinary Collection of Spanish Books and Manuscripts, and Oriental Literature Printed and Manuscript (London, 1824), p. 83. The sale catalogue described parts of the library of José Antonio Conde y Garcia (1766–1820), a Spanish scholar and historian.
(Coronica del Rei D Joam 1. por Gomes Yañez)
(5)
‘Coronica del Rey Dom Joao de boa memoria primero de Portugal deste nome, composta por Gomez Yanez. Acabado de trasladar no anno 1545, 3 vol.’ This was a chronicle by Gomes Eanes de Zurara (c. 1410–c. 1474) of the reign of John I (1357–1433; King of Portugal 1385–1433).
was purchased? – It is a mss which would be of great importance to me when I prepare my Hist. of Portugal
(6)
Southey’s ‘History of Portugal’ was never finished or published.
for the press.
Believe my dear Sir
Yrs very truly
Robert Southey
