1024. Robert Southey to John Rickman, 23 January [1805] ⁠* 

Wednesday Jan^y 23.

Dear Rickman

Your letter, for the main part, was answered before it was received, so that for that matter I have only to thank you for what you have done in it. It never was my opinion that the expedition would take place, till the papers xx positively affirmed it. I cannot think any military man would advise it, knowing the state of the Portugueze army, – still less that we should be so mad as to send troops to a city, so near the seat of pestilence, & so perilously exposed to it. Being a spare bodied man myself, more in danger of diseases of debility than of inflammation, I have – at this distance – no fear of the fever, & think that my constitution & plentiful fumigations would secure me if it came in my way. At least it is not that fear – which should keep me from going to Lisbon to do my work thoroughly.

The Metrical Tales you will before this time have received [1]  – if my directions have been executed by Longman. a mere republication whereof in some former letter I advised you, [2]  – issued at no expence of time, & no risk of loss – in the xxxxx hope of some little profit. – little enough it will be, as only 500 are printed & Artaxerxes [3]  & I are to share equally. I thought I had explained to Lamb about the Cottonian extracts in a letter written some time ago. [4]  the plan of the Specimens is to arrange them chronologically from every poet – i.e. versifier – who had died between the years 1685 – & 1800, – in fact a sequel to George Ellis’s book, [5]  done by R.S. for the lucre of gain. having brief notices of the xxxx writers prefixed. had the series extended farther back I should have begged more assistance from Lamb. as it was I applied about Cotton, knowing that he had made extracts from him, – not having read the book myself tho I possess it – & – under the nose – not being very desirous to xxxx trust my lazy deputy where any taste was required.

Toms conduct has been so far approved by Sir Samuel Hood [6]  that he has made him First Lieutenant of the Amelia – a larger & finer frigate than that wherefrom he was dismissed, [7]  – & his new Captain [8]  says that the Commodore speaks so highly of him that he expects to see him a Commander ere long. I knew Tom had acted well, but was not quite so sure that he had acted prudently.

Should my Uncle be driven from Portugal, & my design of going over in consequence frustrated – I should put the first volume to press in the course of next winter. [9]  Of materials arranged – & unarranged for the several divisions, I have xxxxx <more than> as much as would make seven such volumes as the Sharonical [10]  – a great capital of labour lying dead. With the needful works of reference at hand, nothing more is required than to transcribe them for the printer – for I have all the arrangement methodized in my own mind, & could fit in the new matter to its place as I wrote on. I am confident that the work is what it ought to be. that every thing having followed this for my rule – to relate every thing – to be as & to write first as intelli – nay – you shall have it in a Triad – the three excellencies of historical composition – language as intelligible as possible – as concise as possible, & as rememberable as possible. [11]  Nothing provokes me like a waste of words. Me judice [12]  I am a good poet – but a better historian, & the better for having been accustomed to feel & think as a poet. A new but happily a last cargo xxxx interrupted me just as I was setting to. [13]  they are almost killed off, & meantime I had collected matter for a chapter on the Hindoos, & begun the Fuero Viejo, the Code of Castilian laws which succeeded to the Gothic code. [14]  I shall do a world of work this summer – if nothing happens to prevent me.

Tell George I that I shall write to him as soon as I am at leisure – to acknowledge the receipt of 3/6 & certain books – for which I thank him.

You have been very kind to G. Fricker. his migration to London has thus far been very fortunate. but I do not approve the way in which it was brought about – more than you do. Coleridge is very zealous to serve others – & is capable of making xxx sacrifices & acting very generously on such occasions. but in this case as he had no time to act – he should have done nothing unless he could have done more. [15]  Had I thought it expedient to bring George to London on a temporary situation – for the chance of his getting a permanent one – I should have gone to work the straight way, & applied to you. Coleridge should not have done it, because I had not, & he must have known that had it seemed proper to me I should. His name & mine are usually coupled by strangers, not by those who know us. we have very few common friends – indeed scarcely any. the friends of one are nothing more than acquaintance of the other – when so much. The total difference of our habits & manners is the cause, – the way he has of trying to please strangers, & the mortal dislike I have of that way. Every body sees wherein we differ, because it is in those points which touch every body. the things wherein we agree belong xxx to a confidential fire side. – We are uneasy at his long silence, no letter of a later date than June.

God bless you.

RS.