4243. Robert Southey to William Peachy, 9 September 1824

 

Address: To/ Major General Peachy/ Sidmouth/ Devonshire
Stamped: KESWICK/ 298
MS: British Library, Add MS 28603. AL; 4p.
Unpublished.

Keswick 9 Sept. 1824
My dear Sir

I have allowed your last letter to remain unanswered longer than it would otherwise have done; partly in the expectation that I might give you some news of your friends the Bishop of Jamaica

(1)

Christopher Lipscomb (1781–1843), Vicar of Sutton Benger, Wiltshire 1818–1824, first Bishop of Jamaica 1824–1842.

& Dr Gabell,

(2)

Henry Dison Gabell (1764–1831; DNB), Rector of St Lawrence, Winchester 1788–1831, Ashow, Warwickshire 1812–1831, and Binfield, Berkshire 1820–1831; Headmaster of Winchester College 1810–1823.

whom it gave me some reason to look for: but they have not as yet made their appearance. We have however had that most excellent & able man the Bp of Limerick, who came here partly with the hope of persuading me to accompany him to Ireland, & whom I have promised to visit in the month of May next, for in truth I was not well enough to have gone with him, even if it had suited my arrangements to leave home at this season. On the same day the American Bishop Hobart

(3)

John Henry Hobart (1775–1830), Bishop of New York 1816–1830. He undertook a prolonged visit to Europe in 1823–1825, in an attempt to improve his health.

dined with us, – & I could not help wishing that the West Indian Prelate, & the new Bishop of Chester, whom I expect to see here had happened to arrive also, as such a meeting of mitred heads would have been not a little extraordinary in Keswick.

We were on Helvellin last week with your friends the Malkins,

(4)

Probably Frederic Malkin (1802–1830), author of The History of Greece from the Earliest Times to its Final Subjection to Rome (1829), and Arthur Malkin, civil engineer and writer. They were the two younger sons of Benjamin Heath Malkin (1769–1842; DNB), the headmaster of the grammar school at Bury St Edmunds 1809–1828. William Peachy had married secondly in 1812 a widow called Susannah Henry (dates unknown); Mrs Peachy’s mother was an inhabitant of Bury St Edmunds; see Robert Southey to John Spedding, 12 September 1818, The Collected Letters of Robert Southey. Part Five, Letter 3192.

& they were with us yesterday evening. I hope it is not so painful for them to engage in conservation, as it is for me to listen to them; they experi appear to labour dreadfully in bringing out their words (especially the elder) & the fear of mistaking what they say renders it more difficult to catch their meaning. – One of them would bring out a word of seven syllables one day. The misfortune is the more pitiable as they are both young men who would have a great deal to say, if they could utter it with more facility.

We have seen very little company this season, & no other person of any note or name, – except the young Duke of Buccleugh,

(5)

Walter Montagu Douglas Scott, 5th Duke of Buccleuch (1806–1884; DNB), Lord Privy Seal 1842–1846, Lord President of the Council 1846.

– a youth of very prepossessing manners & appearance. Clarkson has just announced that he shall with me on Saturday next, & I know not that we have xxxxxx any other guest to expect. Keswick is in a fair way of being deserted by all its visitable neighbourhood. The Fryers

(6)

Joseph Harrison Fryer (1777–1855) of Whitley House, Northumberland. Fryer was a surveyor, geologist and mining engineer who spent part of each year at Keswick. At this time he was renting Ormathwaite, a large house about a mile and a quarter from Keswick. He married Mary Laetitia Wilbraham (1799–1874), who had been Tom Southey’s lodger, in June 1822.

remove this week to a house near Cockermouth. Ponsonby

(7)

John Ponsonby (1778–1841) of the Royal Navy, who had rented various properties in the Keswick area. He moved to Springfield, near Whitehaven.

has bought a place not far from Whitehaven, – & the Calverts

(8)

William Calvert and his wife Mary (c. 1775–1834), née Mitchinson.

will follow their daughter to town

(9)

Mary Calvert (1804–1890), daughter of William Calvert. She married Joshua Stanger (1801–1854), son of James Stanger, in 1824 and moved to London.

as soon as they can let their land. The place of any of these families is not likely to be supplied, & the loss of them all, – is not likely to increase your inducements for repairing to the Island, I fear. We are eating your apples & have eaten your melons, – but we should like them better if they did remind us of your absence

We miss the elder girls

(10)

Edith May and Bertha Southey.

too, who tho the house is not empty, have left a void in it.

As for news when I have told you that the bookbinder is found guilty of forgery, & will go to bind books (if he can find any there) at Botany Bay;

(11)

William Crampton (c. 1785–1843), a Keswick bookseller, had obtained a copper plate to forge one-guinea banknotes of the Whitehaven Bank of Johnston, Adamson, Hope & Co. He was condemned to death at Carlisle Assizes on 26 August 1824, but recommended to mercy and sentenced to three years’ imprisonment.

that Mr MacAdam

(12)

John Loudon McAdam (1756–1836; DNB), a pioneering road-builder and Surveyor-General of Metropolitan Roads from 1820. McAdam was employed to build a new road from Penrith through Keswick to Cockermouth (now the A66). His principal employer was Greenwich Hospital; he persuaded them to combine all roads to their lead mines into a single turnpike trust, the Alston Trust.

has introduced a colony of Irishmen to work upon the roads; & that two of our numerous bad subjects are to take their trial for a brutal assault upon Scott the carrier,

(13)

Jonathan Scott (1777–1824), who worked as a carrier between Penrith and Whitehaven, died on 21 September 1824 following an assault. Thomas Ronson and Thomas Edmondson were charged in March 1825.

– you will have heard all that Keswick affords at this time: unless it be news to hear that we have enjoyed one of the finest & dryest seasons ever remembered in their parts. All the hay was got in without a drop of rain, & good part of the corn has been equally fortunate.

I am closely employed as usual, – chiefly at present upon the second volume of the Peninsular War,

(14)

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

wherein I am making the best use I can of good & abundant materials. My Wom Womankind join with me in kind remembrances to Mrs Peachy & yourself – farewell my Dear Sir

& believe me
yrs faithfully

Notes

1. Christopher Lipscomb (1781–1843), Vicar of Sutton Benger, Wiltshire 1818–1824, first Bishop of Jamaica 1824–1842.[back]
2. Henry Dison Gabell (1764–1831; DNB), Rector of St Lawrence, Winchester 1788–1831, Ashow, Warwickshire 1812–1831, and Binfield, Berkshire 1820–1831; Headmaster of Winchester College 1810–1823.[back]
3. John Henry Hobart (1775–1830), Bishop of New York 1816–1830. He undertook a prolonged visit to Europe in 1823–1825, in an attempt to improve his health.[back]
4. Probably Frederic Malkin (1802–1830), author of The History of Greece from the Earliest Times to its Final Subjection to Rome (1829), and Arthur Malkin, civil engineer and writer. They were the two younger sons of Benjamin Heath Malkin (1769–1842; DNB), the headmaster of the grammar school at Bury St Edmunds 1809–1828. William Peachy had married secondly in 1812 a widow called Susannah Henry (dates unknown); Mrs Peachy’s mother was an inhabitant of Bury St Edmunds; see Robert Southey to John Spedding, 12 September 1818, The Collected Letters of Robert Southey. Part Five, Letter 3192.[back]
5. Walter Montagu Douglas Scott, 5th Duke of Buccleuch (1806–1884; DNB), Lord Privy Seal 1842–1846, Lord President of the Council 1846.[back]
6. Joseph Harrison Fryer (1777–1855) of Whitley House, Northumberland. Fryer was a surveyor, geologist and mining engineer who spent part of each year at Keswick. At this time he was renting Ormathwaite, a large house about a mile and a quarter from Keswick. He married Mary Laetitia Wilbraham (1799–1874), who had been Tom Southey’s lodger, in June 1822.[back]
7. John Ponsonby (1778–1841) of the Royal Navy, who had rented various properties in the Keswick area. He moved to Springfield, near Whitehaven.[back]
8. William Calvert and his wife Mary (c. 1775–1834), née Mitchinson.[back]
9. Mary Calvert (1804–1890), daughter of William Calvert. She married Joshua Stanger (1801–1854), son of James Stanger, in 1824 and moved to London.[back]
11. William Crampton (c. 1785–1843), a Keswick bookseller, had obtained a copper plate to forge one-guinea banknotes of the Whitehaven Bank of Johnston, Adamson, Hope & Co. He was condemned to death at Carlisle Assizes on 26 August 1824, but recommended to mercy and sentenced to three years’ imprisonment.[back]
12. John Loudon McAdam (1756–1836; DNB), a pioneering road-builder and Surveyor-General of Metropolitan Roads from 1820. McAdam was employed to build a new road from Penrith through Keswick to Cockermouth (now the A66). His principal employer was Greenwich Hospital; he persuaded them to combine all roads to their lead mines into a single turnpike trust, the Alston Trust.[back]
13. Jonathan Scott (1777–1824), who worked as a carrier between Penrith and Whitehaven, died on 21 September 1824 following an assault. Thomas Ronson and Thomas Edmondson were charged in March 1825.[back]
14. Southey’s History of the Peninsular War (1823–1832).[back]
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