4250. Robert Southey to Grosvenor Charles Bedford, 15 September 1824

 

Address: To/ G. C. Bedford Esqre/ Exchequer/ Westminster
Stamped: KESWICK/ 298
Postmark: E/ 18 SE 18/ 1824
Endorsement: 15. Septr. 1824.
MS: Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford, MS. Eng. lett. c. 26. ALS; 4p.
Unpublished.

Keswick. 15 Sept. 1824
My dear G.

A letter from you comes always like a cordial; for I live in a land where I never see the face of a friend unless he comes from afar: & a heavy proportion of the letters which reach me are from persons whom I have never seen, on business or no business, & from per others for whom I care nothing, but who pester me with correspondence. – The half bills are quite sufficient. As soon as I knew the trick which had been played me

(1)

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 the Friend and Biographer of Cowper, Written by Himself; with Extracts from his Private Correspondence, and Unpublished Poetry; and Memoirs of his Son Thomas Alphonso Hayley, the Young Sculptor (1823), no. 1179 in the sale catalogue of Southey’s library, Quarterly Review, 31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. Southey had expected it to appear in Quarterly Review, 30 (January 1824), published 28 August 1824.

I drew upon Megistonos for 50 £, – on account of the Church,

(2)

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

– upon which Church I have been living since I left town, so that with this & with your supply I have just the sum on which I had calculated at this time. –

My opinion of trade & tradesmen is not more favourable than yours. What the motive may be for Megistonos’s uncivil mood, I neither know nor care. How it can be his interest to treat me with intentional incivility is not apparent; – but he may perhaps think it no <his interest>, – & so thxx let him for I shall neither ask nor enter into explanations. The course which I am now taking will enable me (unless I am sorely disappointed) to throw the QR overboard. Less time than an article for that Journal would take will finish the Paraguay Poem,

(3)

Southey’s A Tale of Paraguay (1825).

which will do much toward squaring my accounts in the Row.

(4)

i.e. Southey’s accounts with his publisher Longman.

And an equal portion of time will compleat two vol. of Dr D.D.

(5)

This became The Doctor (1834–1847).

– And till xx both are compleated not a line will I pen for the QR – even if I ever pen another. Moreover I am bound now almost by honour, as well as by inclination & interest to speed forward with Oliver Newman,

(6)

Southey’s unfinished ‘Oliver Newman’, set in New England. A fragment was published posthumously in Oliver Newman: a New-England Tale (Unfinished): with Other Poetical Remains by the Late Robert Southey (London, 1845), pp. 1–90.

one of my Boston friends having taking great pains to collect for me all the books which could be useful in supplying materials for it, – some of these books being exceedingly rare in America – where they were printed. About a third part of this poem is written, & the plan of the remainder is now so mature that I can almost rely upon myself to finish it before next May.

It is not unlikely that your arm suffered from insolation, – no matter – while the head escaped. I am getting into good condition apace, have left off tonics, eat valiantly, walk every day & rub myself down when I return –

God bless you
RS.

You tell me that Wynn had left Dover for some illegible place which I should decypher Stutgard

(7)

Wynn had indeed gone to Stuttgart, the capital of the Kingdom of Wurttemburg, where his brother, Henry Wynn (1783–1856; DNB) had been appointed Envoy Extraordinary 1823–1824.

if Mrs Company Lord & Husband

(8)

As President of the Board of Control, Wynn had ultimate authority over the East India Company, known as ‘John Company’.

could have any business there. Wherever he may be I hope you have received a letter which I sent under cover to him yesterday – inclosing one to my unfortunate brother Edward, – in which I have requested you to insert a 10 £ bill.

Notes

1. 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. Southey had expected it to appear in Quarterly Review, 30 (January 1824), published 28 August 1824.[back]
2. Southey’s The Book of the Church (1824).[back]
3. Southey’s A Tale of Paraguay (1825).[back]
4. i.e. Southey’s accounts with his publisher Longman.[back]
5. This became The Doctor (1834–1847).[back]
6. Southey’s unfinished ‘Oliver Newman’, set in New England. A fragment was published posthumously in Oliver Newman: a New-England Tale (Unfinished): with Other Poetical Remains by the Late Robert Southey (London, 1845), pp. 1–90.[back]
7. Wynn had indeed gone to Stuttgart, the capital of the Kingdom of Wurttemburg, where his brother, Henry Wynn (1783–1856; DNB) had been appointed Envoy Extraordinary 1823–1824.[back]
8. As President of the Board of Control, Wynn had ultimate authority over the East India Company, known as ‘John Company’.[back]
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