3511. Robert Southey to John Miller, 16 July 1820⁠* 

Keswick. 16 July. 1820

Dear Sir

It has neither been from disrespect nor forgetfulness that I have thus long delayed to thank you for your xxxxx xxxxxxx [1]  & the letter which accompanied them. They were put into my hands at the Inn door, while I was waiting for the Stage Coach. My time in London was so compleatly filled up with hurrying & wearying engagements of various kinds, that reading was impossible. I am now once more at home & in quiet; & having received the packages of books which followed me, the first which I read has been your volume. Till I had perused it I would not thank you for it, – for a letter of thanks in such cases, written before the book is read, may often be rightly understood as implying in the writer a wish not to express any opinion to xxxx a disinclination to read the work <it>, or an apprehension that, having read it, the opinion which he should form would not be one that he could communicate to the author.

I have read your Xxxxxxxx with more than common pleasure; – with the double gratification of feeling myself every where in sympathy with the writer, & of finding a calm, settled & secure conviction of the great truths of Christianity supported by an original train of argument, which the more it is considered the stronger it must appear. I have read it too with advantage as well as delight – & if I compleat a little work upon which I am at this time employed [2]  you will find me sometimes following pursuing a track of thought which you have opened.

When I saw you at Balliol [3]  it was in so large a company & for so short a time, that I brought away with me a few names only, & very imperfect recollections of any individual person whom I had not seen before. My eyes which serve me excellently well in their duty at home, are slow in learning strange faces, especially when they come many together; & I have the more inconvenient defect of not having that readiness of mind in company, of which I feel no want in private. Otherwise, when I heard your name, I should have asked you whether you were not acquainted with Xxxxxxxxx [4]  who bequeathed to me a singular charge in a most extraordinary manner. It is well that his papers were not consigned to any person who held opinions similar to his own; (Godwin, for instance, who I hear has been very inquisitive concerning them) – for, in spite of the dreadful insanity of which they contain the most decided proofs, a publication might have been made from them which would have done infinite mischief, & would perha I verily believe have occasioned as many acts of suicide as Goethe has to answer for. [5]  – If I publish any thing from these papers, I will take especial care that it shall neither do injury to the living, nor dishonour to the dead. [6] 

Farewell Sir. I hope we shall one day meet again, & with better opportunity for occasion; – at any rate we shall not meet as strangers. – If you should ever find leisure & inclination to visit the land of Lakes & Mountains, it will give me great pleasure to see you, & to offer you a bed xx if our spare room be unoccupied, – if it not, such hospitality as I can.

Believe me my dear Sir

Yrs truly & respectfully

Robert Southey.