1308. Robert Southey to Charles Danvers, 20 April 1807 ⁠* 

My dear Danvers

I have a fear upon me least Coleridge should get at my books, & carry any of them off with them <him>: for in the first place he spoils every decent book on which he lays his hands, & in the next place the moment it in his hands he considers it to all intents & purposes as his own, & makes no scruple of bescrawling it, of giving it away, – in-short of doing any thing with it, – except taking care of it & returning it to its owner. – Perhaps I am too late, – but at any rate as soon as you can, set a man to box them up, & ship them off to me, – all except the box of German books, which may remain with the other articles where it is, being well secured: – the glass & china only may come with the books.

One box I would have sent by waggon containing the two Mss volumes – which will come to light in the search <packing> – that vol: of the Voyages & Travels which contains Nicholas Del Techos Hist: of Paraguay, [1]  the Scriptores Rerum Hispanicarum [2]  a folio of cruel weight, – & then as many of the smaller books as will fill the box, chusing those which by the costliness of their dress seem to be of most value – & having them well secured with paper. Sam Reid will I doubt not have the goodness when they reach Liverpool to look after them & see that they are forwarded either to Whitehaven or Workington, it matters not which. It is now a good time of year for the coast, – you will let me know the number of packing cases &c; – & this – Dear Charles – is the last trouble you will have with this, hitherto, unlucky library, – which is now thank Heaven about to be of some use, & to find its resting place. – I dare say you are little pleased at my settling here; – yet every body else (except perhaps my Uncle ) sees the fitness of the situation; & I think if you consider above all things, & above all what the expence of removal & furnishing a house would be, & how little able I am to meet the expence, you will see not only that I have chosen wisely, – but that in fact I could not have chosen otherwise. – So do not take this last trouble with an unwilling spirit, – but think rather what a joy it will be to me to see all my books about me, & to feel myself settled also – for be sure that tho I am, God be thanked, a chearful man under all circumstances, I shall be a happier one when all disquieting thoughts of uncertainty & unsettledness are thus removed.

Once in two years I mean to visit London, – & if you do not contrive to meet me there, I will make Bristol in my way there or back, – which indeed may conveniently be done – for the sake of halting at Liverpool, & afterwards at Penkridge with Miss Barker. My first journey will be in the close of this year, & then I promise you a visit on my way to Taunton.

God bless you –

yrs very affectionately

Robert Southey.

The Batalha [3]  book should come in the box of linen which Edith is to have sent by waggon. But tie it & seal it – before you part with it to secure it from possible harm. I dread female fingers, Mrs C’s among the numbers. They never can see prints unless they touch them. – In this same box send me a or rather in a little hamper with it send me some underground – alias Jerusalem artichokes for planting setting. They are not known in this county, & will be a great addition to our stock of culinary vegetables. – Tell Rex that Dr Aikin has curtailed defrauded him of two laughs at two Millerisms expunged from the said last Omniana by the said D^r – for which the final quotation that he has tacked on (which is as old as Joe himself) is but a very bad substitute. [4] 

Should C. talk of taking any books say that I make a point of not lending my Uncles, & you know not which are his, nor which mine – all the Italian are his, & these he is most likely to chuse for himself, – for in plain English his borrowing is something worse than begging.

Monday 20. April 1807

Of course you will hire men to pack them, & spare no useful cost of paper – cordage &c &c –