4299. Robert Southey to Edith May Southey, 20 December 1824

 

MS: British Library, Add MS 47888. ALS; 3p. 
Unpublished.

Very magnificent Daughter

I have desired Bedford to send you 30 £.

(1)

Southey to Grosvenor Charles Bedford, [19 December 1824], Letter 4298.

Wesley

(2)

Southey’s The Life of Wesley; and the Rise and Progress of Methodism (1820).

is to be had at Longmans, – not at Murrays, who has published nothing for me except the B Church, the Peninsular War & the Life of Nelson.

(3)

Southey’s The Book of the Church (1824), History of the Peninsular War (1823–1832) and Life of Nelson (1813).

Of course what you get at Longmans is to be charged to my account.

You will hear from Mrs Joshua

(4)

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

whether there be any chance of your returning with Miss Bristow,

(5)

Possibly Miss Ann Bristow (1765–1842) of Portinscale.

which if it should so fall out would be the best arrangement that could be devised; but this I fear is not likely. Her stay seems to be uncertain, & she may have visits to make on the way. We must be on the look out for the first opportunity of convoy that offers after the beginning of February. Any delay after that time will be so much disappointment here.

Lady M.

(6)

Lady Susanna Malet, née Wales (1779–1868), the widow of Sir Charles Malet, 1st Baronet (1752–1815; DNB).

shall have the Paraguay

(7)

Southey’s A Tale of Paraguay (1825).

– of which certain copies shall be at your disposal. But do not look for it too soon. For tho I shall certainly soon finish it (being some way in the last canto) – the prints will xxx occasion some delay.

(8)

Richard Westall (1765–1836; DNB), painter and illustrator, had been commissioned to provide two illustrations for A Tale of Paraguay (1825).

Your xx weather must be better than ours or we should not hear of your walking. It is a long while since we have had a dry day, or seen a gleam of sunshine. So wet a winter I never remember, nor such a series of bad weather as we have experienced during the last three months.

When I have told you that we are all well (thank God) – that Rumpelstilschen

(9)

One of the feline inhabitants of Greta Hall.

is grown very corpulent, – & that we see nobody, & hear nothing xxx except the wind, & now & then Jeffrey at nights,

(10)

Robert Southey, The Life of Wesley; and the Rise and Progress of Methodism, 2 vols (London, 1820), I, p. 442. John Wesley’s (1703–1791; DNB) sister, Emelia (1693–1779), recounted how the Wesley family’s home was haunted by a ghost, ‘Jeffrey’, but her mother, Susanna Wesley (1669–1742), was convinced the noises in the house were caused by rats. She used a horn to try and drive the rats out of the house.

– what more shall I say?

Why, I have recollected this: that “the royal patent self-illuminating pocket lamp”

(11)

A small tin box, out of which a wick, soaked in oil, protruded. When the string hanging from the other end of the box was pulled, a match struck against the wick, thus (hopefully) igniting it. The wick was said to burn for 18 hours. The invention was widely advertised, for example, in The Atheneum; or, Spirit of the English Magazines, 1 (July 1824), 282.

is sold where the Seidlitz powders

(12)

Seidlitz powers were a mixture of tartaric acid, potassium sodium tartrate and sodium bicarbonate, used as a laxative.

are, 136 Bond Street,

(13)

Savory and Co., 136 New Bond Street – a chemist’s shop.

– & also, which is nearer you, in Oxford Street at Sangers 150, & Barkers 125.

(14)

Sangers, 150 Oxford Street and Mathew Barker, 125 Oxford Street were also chemists.

You had better send one in the box, the price is not mentioned in the advertisement. It produces light by pulling a string.

Love & kind remembrances to all
God bless you
RS.

Keswick 20 Dec. 1824.

Notes

1. Southey to Grosvenor Charles Bedford, [19 December 1824], Letter 4298.[back]
2. Southey’s The Life of Wesley; and the Rise and Progress of Methodism (1820).[back]
3. Southey’s The Book of the Church (1824), History of the Peninsular War (1823–1832) and Life of Nelson (1813).[back]
4. Probably Mary Calvert (1804–1890), daughter of William Calvert. She married Joshua Stanger (1801–1854), son of James Stanger, in 1824.[back]
5. Possibly Miss Ann Bristow (1765–1842) of Portinscale.[back]
6. Lady Susanna Malet, née Wales (1779–1868), the widow of Sir Charles Malet, 1st Baronet (1752–1815; DNB).[back]
7. Southey’s A Tale of Paraguay (1825).[back]
8. Richard Westall (1765–1836; DNB), painter and illustrator, had been commissioned to provide two illustrations for A Tale of Paraguay (1825).[back]
9. One of the feline inhabitants of Greta Hall.[back]
10. Robert Southey, The Life of Wesley; and the Rise and Progress of Methodism, 2 vols (London, 1820), I, p. 442. John Wesley’s (1703–1791; DNB) sister, Emelia (1693–1779), recounted how the Wesley family’s home was haunted by a ghost, ‘Jeffrey’, but her mother, Susanna Wesley (1669–1742), was convinced the noises in the house were caused by rats. She used a horn to try and drive the rats out of the house.[back]
11. A small tin box, out of which a wick, soaked in oil, protruded. When the string hanging from the other end of the box was pulled, a match struck against the wick, thus (hopefully) igniting it. The wick was said to burn for 18 hours. The invention was widely advertised, for example, in The Atheneum; or, Spirit of the English Magazines, 1 (July 1824), 282.[back]
12. Seidlitz powers were a mixture of tartaric acid, potassium sodium tartrate and sodium bicarbonate, used as a laxative.[back]
13. Savory and Co., 136 New Bond Street – a chemist’s shop.[back]
14. Sangers, 150 Oxford Street and Mathew Barker, 125 Oxford Street were also chemists.[back]
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