1733. Robert Southey to Herbert Hill, [started before and continued on] 13 January 1810 ⁠* 

There is a stupid oversight of mine in the first sheet of the Notes. The Zarate [1]  of the old Translators Epistle Dedicatory, is certainly the Zarate mentioned in Ch. XI, – & this never occurred to me till half an hour after the proof was returned. The extract was made eight years ago when of course I could not know who he was, but I am vexed at my own dullness in not recognizing him in time. <However I have sent up an additional note to identify him.> [2]  – Authors in general are more impatient to see their works launched than their friends are for them. I however have learnt to be as patient as the public, – now & then I give Pople a hint to quicken his pace, & sometimes set the Longmen of the Row to goad him on: – you have seen enough of his promises to know what they are worth; – but other Printers are quite as bad in this respect, indeed rather worse upon the whole, & I have never found any one so attentive to his work. The remaining notes I cannot arrange & send off till my sheets are compleated, – they are ready ‘cut & dried’ – & when this expected parcel arrives may be sent off in half an hour. By way of gaining time I will forthwith dispatch what little is to be said in the as Preface – with the title &c. The notes will not I think exceed six sheets in the whole, so that Poples part may easily be finished by the end of this month; & allowing the whole of February to the binders, we may start by the beginning of March. There is no better season for publishing, & xx seasons are of little consequence to works of permanent interest.

I have given Elmsley a commission for Labats [3]  publications respecting Africa & the W Indies, – for Gregory of Tours, [4]  & the Hist. of the Buccanneers. [5]  A Collection of the various works relating to these men, & to the Pirates also, would be very useful & doubtless furnish some information respecting our parts of S America. Dampier [6]  is the only author whom I have. I should be glad of any others which you might happen to meet with. There is a voyage to Brazil by Atkyns [7]  – a surgeon in the navy some fourteen years ago, which I sent for in vain from a Bristol Catalogue. [8]  he published another vol concerning the Gold Coast & the W Indies, – Brazil is mentioned in the title page of this work, – in consequence of which I sent for the book, – & there found myself referred to his former publication. I am at a loss to conceive how he can have filled a seperate volume about Brazil, but his other book is a good one & has raised my curiosity for this. Cuthell, [9]  in that xxxx alley which you pass thro in Holborn, should be forthcoming with a Catalogue about this time, & I have generally found his collection of books the cheapest as well as best of any in town. Dulan in Soho Square has the most foreign books. [10] 

As for Kehama [11]  there is no trouble in sending the sheets as they are struck off, – Sharp expects to receive & forward them, & will be gratified by seeing them as they pass & talking xx <about> them. I have had no proof yet, tho daily expecting one for the last three weeks.

I am at present a good deal interested about an affair in which you can render me some service, & my Aunt perhaps more, women in such cases being the most useful friends. A young Bristol man (boy he might be called) dying at the age of one & twenty, has bequeathed his papers to two young friends [12]  in trust as a legacy to his sister, [13]  to be published for her benefit. It is a dismal story. Roberts was his name, – his father formerly a Brewer in Horfield Lane had failed, [14]  & the sons salary as a Bankers clerk (70£ a year) was so essential towards the support of the family, that since his death they are sinking fast into absolute poverty, the father being disabled by an apopletic stroke. There was every thing that was good in William, every thing that was promising, & as far as I can learn, nothing but what was promising & good. James a Banker of Birmingham (the author of that sweet poem upon the Otaheitian Girl which I quoted in the Quarterly [15]  has the charge of the papers & manages the publication. I have seen them, – & they are as good both the verses & letters as they could be for one so young, – far better I am sure than any of mine were at the same age. – Now I want subscribers for this volume, – a ten or twelve shilling business – to be paid on delivery of the book. This mode of publication is adopted at my suggestion, because he has left nothing like poor White for the Evangelicals, & that reptile generation [16]  have no ears for any thing except Tabernacle music. We cannot draw upon the canters, so we must levy contributions upon the benevolent. The book I am certain will interest all who see it, but we cannot trust to this – such books never sell to any extent unless fashion, or fanaticism, or something worse carry them off. Get me subscribers where you can, – & if they happen to be above the rank of simple commoners get the money too if they offer it – for with such persons it is usually ‘If you will not when you may’ &c –

_____

Saturday 13^th. Jan^y.

Pople is instructed to send you a proof of the Preface, [17]  in which you will make any alteration that you may make expedient. There is a dedi dedication in which I think you will find nothing that ought to be objected to, & which – with your leave – must stand. You will see that I have advertised for the books [18]  which are still wanting, it will probably bring in some of them.

God bless you

RS.