1486. Robert Southey to Thomas Southey, 3 August 1808 ⁠* 

August 3. 1808.

My dear Tom

I was, as you may well suppose, right glad to learn that you had joined your ship at last, & now God speed the Dread nought! [1] 

How provoking that you should not be here! The Floating Island came up ten days ago, & there it is now. – & xx if you had been here, we would have put our wits to work, & tried all sorts of experiments upon it. It is about half an acre of the bottom of the Lake forced up to the top, & kept there by what cause Heaven knows, – but probably the same as that which produces the bottom winds. A M^r Wolseley [2]  who is laking here for the summer, & brought letters from Miss Seward, ventured on it, & had some difficulty to get off again, – he says there is a frightful hole in the middle, – which it would be certain death to approach. The first time I saw it was about 20 hours after its appearance. the waters were quite still & I could see the rough sides of its banks, – there were near it holes in the bottom like peat-bogs, – & at a little distance a thin steam might plainly be seen rising from the water. This was not there a few days ago, & the edges of the island, instead of being just on a level with the lake, – or rather just above it, had bent downwards, like the flaps of a table which is heavy laden & supported by insufficient brackets. A very very odd thing it is, & I heartily wish you had been here, – we would have sounded in all directions, got at the hole in the middle by means of planks, & tried whether the island was moveable or not, for the thing desirable it is to tow it away, & examine the place from whence it came.

Lakers have flowed in upon us like a spring tide. Stafford of Liverpool was the first; – he came with a M^r Duckworth of Manchester, [3]  a man whose appearance was very prepossessing & who brought a large family of daughters with him. Sharpe made his appearance next & remained a week at the Queens Head. [4]  Lord Darnley [5]  called upon him here one morning which I suppose was meant as the least formal way of being introduced to me, – a very good natured man. I dined with him at the R Oak, [6]  & he begged leave to renew his acquaintance when he came again, He & his Countess have fallen in love with the Island, – but tho I like them well, I should be very sorry to change the Lady of the Lake for any other Lady, & the Imperial for any thing less than Imperial. [7] 

Wolesley [8]  was at Westminster with me, – at the head of the school when I went there. he is botanizing, & learning Welsh out of my books. His wife is a goodnatured woman, & xx but she makes unmerciful morning visits. [9]  You may remember the name of an Admiral who was his Uncle. [10]  – Beside them a Mr Browne & his daughter are lodging here, they are young & not handsome, but to be much liked when they are known – & the father a fine respectable man, with a good solid understanding. He also wants the island, – & would buy Pocklingtons house [11]  I believe if it be to be sold. Miss Barkers Uncle from Llandaff called on Monday – post haste in the way to Glasgow, – he would not stay to sup here press him whatever I could, – & he sent Edith a brace of excellent pines, [12]  – which you should have been here to have criticised, & compared with those which grow in the open air in their native climate.

Tom Smiths present of a N Wiltshire cheese came last week, & the rug which had travelled in company as far as Kendal was left there for another carriers-day.  [13]  Tomorrow we expect it. Clarksons Hist. of the Slave Trade is arrived – as a presentation copy. [14]  The title page of the Cid [15]  was returned yesterday to the Printer. Freres translations are by this time in his hands; they are to be printed in an Appendix, with the original below, in a smaller type & this & the Table of Contents will fill about three sheets more. A fortnight will compleat the whole & by that time it will probably be published. My last [16]  told you I was just finishing the 9 section of Kehama, [17]  – the 10^th is now just drawing to its end: it is a long one 270 lines written, – & about thirty or forty more to compleat it. When compleated the new part of the poem will be rather longer than what was written before. Your transcript stands still – because as all the new part is written in rhyme, it becomes necessary to rhyme all before it, except what is in some very strongly marked metre, – or has some very strong passion to bear it up.

Miss Wood [18]  has been prevented from coming by a most unpleasant circumstance. Some friends of Humphrey Senhouse were on a visit at Nether hall, – & the Lady owing it is said to travelling in the hot weather fell ill, & was in danger when we last heard.

My cold is fairly gone – I was up Skiddaw last week with Wolseley, – a magnificent cloud rose under our feet when we were on the top, – it rose from the Dod, – filled it compleatly, & cut off our view of Basenthwaite, – but repaid us with something far finer. It was truly a grand sight to behold it rising below like bright smoke in the sunshine. The boat wants you. We took Sharpe out to tea in it, & I have rowed the women up to the floating island, which is near the shore, by the birch grove between Pocklingtons [19]  & Lodore. The Lake has been so low that one day when I went out to bathe & took Job with me, in going across the oars touched the bottom <at> every stroke, – & it was not possible to get into the river. Our weather has been <as> fine since you left us as it had been for six weeks before, – & yet there has been rain enough in the night, & in day showers.

Pelayo [20]  is not yet begun, nor will it be till I flag with Kehama which will not be yet for one or two cantos, for I see my road clear before me. In the next Arvalan is to be smashed against the great adamant at the Pole, – & then he will lie ‘cased in polar ice’ & howling to his father, till Kehama accomplishes that sacrifice which Ladurlad spoilt by killing the horse, – & ousts Indra from the Swerga. [21]  Then there is to be ‘boderation’ in that Heaven, – the Curse takes effect again & Kalyal is sent to the famous temple of Juggernaut – where all sorts of strange things will are to happen. [22]  There will be bustle & business enough, & the farther it gets on, the finer it is likely to be.

Herbert is in Bettys [23]  phrase ‘a grand talker grown’ he tries to say every thing, & seldom fails to make himself understood. Emma continues as quiet & as good a sleeper as ever & my daughter is the worthiest of children.

God bless you.

RS.