2070. Robert Southey to John Rickman, [March 1812] ⁠* 

My dear R.

I must answer the first part of Mrs R’s letter, leaving Edith to reply to the rest hereafter. – Roberts’s Editors [1]  seem to have managed matters very ill. the book has been published six months, & I suppose they have left the subscribers to send for their copies; – by which means not one half will ever be called for. The better way will be for Mrs R. to send to Longmans (he being the publisher) for those as many copies as she can distribute, & to desire those friends who are not within her reach to give orders for the book to their booksellers.

Will you supply me with the Accounts for 1810. [2]  I can cut them down, according to the pattern which you set in 1809. But if this be not many minutes work, it would save delay & heavy postage between this & Edinburgh, if you would mark the omissions as you did last year, & frank them direct to Mr James Ballantyne. Printer. Edinburgh.

Canning seems to be playing a new game. Does he mean to become the head of the headless opposition, – or to make a third party with M. Wellesley? – What has made the Marquis resign? [3]  [remainder of MS missing]