1738. Robert Southey to [? Unknown Correspondent] [fragment], 30 January 1810⁠* 

[MS missing]

The first proof of Kehama [1]  went back yesterday. It was a great joy to receive it, & that joy was not a jot diminished by the certain foreknowledge that this poem will be abused without mercy by all its reviewers & seven eighths of its readers. To add to its unusualities I am [MS missing]

[MS missing] Edith is not so well, a little fever [MS obscured by binding] clamminess at night, – feverish mouth in the morning – & many [MS missing] symptoms of worms, tho we have never been able to detect any. She has [MS missing] flesh, – & tho we think her better of late, is still far from well – [MS missing] shall go to Lloyds in a week or two, & I hope change of air will do h[MS missing]

[MS missing] God bless you

RS.

Jan^y 30. 1810.