4263. Robert Southey to Neville White, 13 October 1824

 

MS: MS untraced; text is taken from John Wood Warter (ed.), Selections from the Letters of Robert Southey, 4 vols (London, 1856)
Previously published: John Wood Warter (ed.), Selections from the Letters of Robert Southey, 4 vols (London, 1856), III, pp. 442–443.

Keswick, Oct. 13. 1824.

My dear Neville,

First, let me thank you for offering to join me in an expedition to Holland, when I may find it possible to undertake one.

(1)

Neville White did accompany Southey on his visit to the Low Countries in 1825.

Most truly shall I rejoice to have such a companion. I am, however, under something like a promise of going to Ireland, when I take flight next May, in the hope of escaping from my annual visitation,

(2)

Southey’s hay fever.

to visit the Bishop of Limerick, who came hither about seven weeks ago with the hope of taking me home with him. At that time I was not sufficiently recovered to have ventured from home, even if it had suited me on other accounts to have absented myself from my desk. I am now, thank God, once more in good health, and take a good deal of pains in the way of exercise to keep myself so. The want of a companion in these walks is supplied by a book, so that the time is not wholly lost; this habit is with me full five–and–twenty years old, and I can read as well when walking as at the fire–side.

Your newspaper amused me, though I was sorry to see how eagerly an ill feeling seizes upon every opportunity of showing itself. The festival

(3)

The Norwich and Norfolk Festival, held on 21–24 September 1824. Occasional fundraising concerts for the Norwich and Norfolk Hospital had been held since 1772, but the Festival of 1824 established the event on a triennial basis. It consisted of six performances in St Andrew’s Hall. The newspaper that Neville White sent Southey is difficult to identify with certainty. It might have been the Norwich Mercury, 9 October 1824, which contained articles and correspondence about the poor lighting and smell of gas in St Andrew’s Hall.

must have made Norwich all alive, and will, I hope, be renewed as often as is prudent. Perhaps there is no other mode of bringing so many people together for the purpose of enjoyment which is so entirely unexceptionable, even if the charitable application of the money were not considered; and this is a very disinterested opinion, from one who has no faculty, and consequently no taste, for music.

Mr. Amyott

(4)

Amyot was a native of Norwich and had practised as a solicitor there before moving to London in 1806.

is an acquaintance of mine, and a very obliging person he is. I am indebted to him for procuring me some Peninsular information some years ago. I am very glad to hear Mr. Wilkin has commenced printing,

(5)

This refers to an edition of the works of Sir Thomas Browne (1605–1682; DNB), a Norwich resident, doctor and writer on a huge range of subjects. ‘The Whole Works and Correspondence of Sir Thomas Browne, Knt. M. D. of Norwich’ was advertised as forthcoming with Longmans, for example, in the London Courier and Evening Gazette, 2 October 1824. This was an early indication of Simon Wilkin’s edition, which did not appear until 1835–1836. Southey did not review this work, though he obtained a copy, no. 376 in the sale catalogue of his library.

and am very sure that I shall do him more service than I could have done by becoming his editor. The matter of my reviewing the work is settled.

You ask me concerning the “Methodist.” I sent a copy of the letter to the Bishop of London;

(6)

Mark Robinson (d. 1836), a Beverley draper, who was seeking to lead a group of local Methodists into union with the Church of England, had written to Southey on 13 January 1824; see Charles Cuthbert Southey (ed.), Life and Correspondence of Robert Southey, 6 vols (London, 1849–1850), V, pp. 161–164. Southey had forwarded a copy of his letter to William Howley, the Bishop of London.

he thanked me for it, and in a sensible reply observed upon the difficulty of doing anything in the way of a formal negotiation. Meantime individual discretion might do something, and he thought the Methodists might very usefully be encouraged in the colonies, and perhaps in Ireland also. I had a second communication from Mark Robinson, who is a local preacher at Beverley. You will, of course, understand that he knows nothing of my laying the business before the Bishop. The second letter related to the probability of the church Methodists separating from the Conference,

(7)

The ‘Church Methodists’ in Beverley did separate from the main body of Methodists in 1825 and built their own church in the town.

and showed a great tendency among them to split into parties. I am inclined to think that Methodism has in this country reached the point in which the main body will not be progressive in numbers, rather maintaining its population than increasing it, and losing as many by defection and schism as it acquires by proselytism and birth. But this rather alters the nature of the danger to the Establishment than diminishes it; for every new sect that branches off has a fresh principle of increase. I asked Mark Robinson to direct me to information concerning some of these sects, – the Ranters,

(8)

A pejorative name for the Primitive Methodists, who had separated from Methodism in 1807–1811.

&c., which he has not yet done. If I could obtain sufficient documents, it is most likely that I should prepare a paper on the subject. God bless you, my dear Neville.

Yours affectionately,
R.S.

Notes

1. Neville White did accompany Southey on his visit to the Low Countries in 1825.[back]
2. Southey’s hay fever.[back]
3. The Norwich and Norfolk Festival, held on 21–24 September 1824. Occasional fundraising concerts for the Norwich and Norfolk Hospital had been held since 1772, but the Festival of 1824 established the event on a triennial basis. It consisted of six performances in St Andrew’s Hall. The newspaper that Neville White sent Southey is difficult to identify with certainty. It might have been the Norwich Mercury, 9 October 1824, which contained articles and correspondence about the poor lighting and smell of gas in St Andrew’s Hall.[back]
4. Amyot was a native of Norwich and had practised as a solicitor there before moving to London in 1806.[back]
5. This refers to an edition of the works of Sir Thomas Browne (1605–1682; DNB), a Norwich resident, doctor and writer on a huge range of subjects. ‘The Whole Works and Correspondence of Sir Thomas Browne, Knt. M. D. of Norwich’ was advertised as forthcoming with Longmans, for example, in the London Courier and Evening Gazette, 2 October 1824. This was an early indication of Simon Wilkin’s edition, which did not appear until 1835–1836. Southey did not review this work, though he obtained a copy, no. 376 in the sale catalogue of his library.[back]
6. Mark Robinson (d. 1836), a Beverley draper, who was seeking to lead a group of local Methodists into union with the Church of England, had written to Southey on 13 January 1824; see Charles Cuthbert Southey (ed.), Life and Correspondence of Robert Southey, 6 vols (London, 1849–1850), V, pp. 161–164. Southey had forwarded a copy of his letter to William Howley, the Bishop of London.[back]
7. The ‘Church Methodists’ in Beverley did separate from the main body of Methodists in 1825 and built their own church in the town.[back]
8. A pejorative name for the Primitive Methodists, who had separated from Methodism in 1807–1811.[back]
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