3065. Robert Southey to John Rickman, 10 January 1818⁠* 

My dear R.

I send you Courtenays [1]  letter, – he is a worthy & well meaning man, who has all the disposition for doing good, if he had but the xxxxxx ability.

I have done a good deal, & altho what I have done should not prove to be amalgamable with your communications, there will be no labour lost: – for all that is not relevant to the thread of your argument may be set aside to form a separate paper. [2]  It is evident that you have a clear & connected whole in your mind, bearing as it ought to do with full weight & force upon one point: – two head pieces xxxx xxxx might interfere with each other, – so I will act as mouth piece only. I had been spinning perhaps an overfine thread, – partly for want of straight forward matter; & partly to take off common attention from the main argument, by the garnish with which it was drest up, – like gilding a pill, or sugaring the cup from which a child takes bitter physic. Not that it is mere garnish, – on the contrary it may make a wholesome & substantial dish by itself in a following number. –

So I shall make Murray wait, – & go to work upon your papers in good hope that they may be found materially instrumental in forwarding a great work.

God bless you

RS.

Keswick. 10 Jan^y. 1818.