Address: To/ John Rickman Esqre
Endorsement: Fm./ R.S./ 9. Novr. 1824
MS: Huntington Library, RS 454. ALS; 4p.
Previously published: Charles Cuthbert Southey (ed.), Life and Correspondence of Robert Southey, 6 vols (London, 1849–1850), V, pp. 193–194 [in part].
I see by the papers that Mr Telford recommends paving roads where there is much heavy carriage.
(1)
Thomas Telford, First Report of the Commissioners Appointed under the Act of 4 Geo. IV c. 74 for Vesting in them certain Bridges now Building; &c. and for the Further Improvement of the Road from London to Holyhead (London, 1824), p. 7.
In some of the Italian cities the streets are paved in stripes, the wheels run upon two lines of smooth pavement, as over a bowling green, with little sound & no jolting, & the space between where the horses go is common pitching. This is the case at Milan & at Como, – & probably in most other places.
(2)
The convenience of this arrangement had struck Southey as soon as he entered Milan on 14 June 1817, on his continental tour of that year.
– Macadamizing the streets of London is likely I think to prove Quackadamizing.
(3)
John Loudon McAdam (1756–1836; DNB) had invented the process of ‘macadamising’ roads by constructing them from a layer of small stones on a base of larger stones, with a camber to ensure rainwater ran off the surface. McAdam’s ideas were supported by a Select Committee of the House of Commons on the Highways of the Kingdom (1823).
But the failure will lead to something better.
Lord Byron is gibbetted by his friends & admirers.
(4)
Thomas Medwin (1788–1869; DNB), Journal of the Conversations of Lord Byron: Noted During a Residence with his Lordship at Pisa, in the Years 1821 and 1822 (1824).
Dr Stoddart
(5)
John Stoddart (1773–1856; DNB), editor of the ministry-supported New Times.
sent me those newspapers in which he had commented upon these precious Conversations, – the extracts there – & in the M Herald are all that I have seen – & they are quite enough.
(6)
New Times, 25–27 October 1824, where Stoddart used the newspaper he edited to comment extensively on Byron and Medwin’s Conversations. In the final article of 27 October 1824, Stoddart paid particular attention to attacking Byron’s The Vision of Judgment (1822), which had parodied Southey’s A Vision of Judgement (1821), and defending Southey against Byron’s ‘vindictive hatred’. The Morning Herald had published extracts of Medwin’s book, for example on 25 October 1824.
I see too that Murray has been obliged to come forward & prove his Lordship a lyer.
(7)
Medwin’s Conservations recorded a good many criticisms of Murray by Byron. Most importantly, Medwin suggested that Murray had broken a contract between the publisher and Byron. Murray responded with a pamphlet, ‘Notes on Captain Medwin’s Conversations of Lord Byron’ (1824), which was widely distributed to, and reproduced by, the press, for example, in the Morning Post and Morning Chronicle, 6 November 1824.
I am vindictive enough to wish he had known how compleatly he failed of annoying me by any of his attacks. – This Capt Medwin should be called Lord B’s Blunderbuss. There is something viler in regrating slander as he has done, than in originally uttering it. In his Lordship there were the motives of envy, hatred & malice at work. Evil passions possessed him. But this fellow has no other impulse than the desire of gain
If this finds you in town, & you can lay your hand on the Report on the Salmon Fishery
(8)
Report from the Select Committee on the State of the Salmon Fisheries of the United Kingdom, and on the Modes of Improving Them (1824). The Greta and Derwent rivers, nearby Greta Hall, offer good opportunities for salmon fishing.
– I should like to have it, – as a subject of some local interest. – I am working away steadily & with good will, making good progress with my second volume – & with the Colloquies.
(9)
The second volume of Southey’s History of the Peninsular War (1823–1832) and Sir Thomas More: or, Colloquies on the Progress and Prospects of Society (1829).
– We are all well – & Cuthbert in the very honeymoon of puerile happiness. – being just breeched.
God bless you
RS.
Keswick. Nov. 9. 1824
