1673. Robert Southey to Herbert Hill, 31 August 1809 ⁠* 

Harry two days ago announced to me the birth of my cousin. I am glad you have a child, & also that it is a boy, – I am glad too that the name of Herbert has been taken care of, since you have for the present preferred another.

What I have done to Molina has been very little, – I have only the first volume in the original & have seen none of the translations, – which however the American translated, whoever he be seems diligently to have examined. [1]  It seemed a proper place for abstracts from Agueros [2]  & Falkner, [3]  & accordingly there I placed them, with a few stray notes thro the volume. [4] 

My authority about the Paraguay is your Noticias do Lago Xx Xarayes [5]  – by some nameless traveler who drew up his narrative for the Academy, – I have re-collated what is written with the original, & have certainly made no mistake on my part. The question then is whether xxxxxxx <this> authority is to be relied on, – if you think it is not, I will either cancel the leaf, or state in a note the contrary opinion. [6] 

As for the Anta, [7]  my note about him is certainly accurate; – he is as much an amphibious animal as the Hippopotamus, – & I dare say has upon that score been eaten with a safe conscience upon fast days. Your <two> drawings to which the allusion was made are here. So is a drawing of the Tamandua or Ant-Eater, [8]  whom you seem to Xxx confound with the Tapir or Anta in your letter. – Some of the errata I cannot turn to, my sheets reaching no farther than p 208. I sent off the 14^th Chapter about a fortnight ago by way of Mr Perceval ; & have the 15^th written & ready to send, – & about half the 16^th One more concludes the volume, for I fear there will not be room for Texeiras voyage [9]  which should else come in. it occupies 19 pages in my first copy, which are nearly equal to forty of the printers, & this with the notes & bibliography would I fear swell the book too much.

I have just concluded an engagement with the Ballantynes which will occupy me closely till the end of the year, so that I shall be able to do nothing more than bring out this volume. It is to write the historical part of the Edinburgh Annual Register which they are starting. [10]  They engaged some other person, [11]  & have paid for their sample & cancelled it, – upon which they came to me first for the Spanish affairs, & shortly after for all. Their proposal was that I should regularly undertake it, & receive 400£ a year for the task. – I have consented only for one year that they may see how I suit them, & I how the far it is compatible with better pursuits. The pay is very great, & will come seasonably. They talked of 30 sheets – I stated the folly of spinning out matter beyond what it would bear, & this therefore is at my discretion. How completely unprepared I am for the task I have fully explained to them, – nevertheless they have no remedy. – nobody else would be more xx <prepared> is to them a satisfactory answer, – so I must do my best, which will be a great deal better than, under such circumstances, they can have any right to expect.

Your Angola MSS [12]  I ought to see, & indeed all your papers concerning P. Africa [13]  about which I am very ignorant. [14] 

The running title of my book should have been as it stands upon the first MS. Hist. of Brazil & Paraguay, – I must say something equivalent to this in the Preface, & then all that relates to the discovery of the countries will appear to be integral as they are indispensable parts of the work. Their necessary connection will be manifest in the second volume. when the foundation of the Guarani Reduction [15]  is described, – which I shall enter upon immediately after finishing the Dutch War, [16]  – but it will I fear cost me a journey to some publick Library wherever the Epist. Paraguaica [17]  may happen to be accumulating dust & cobwebs. I am gratified at finding you like the work better upon a continuous perusal; – it pleases me better than I expected, for as you may perceive by the sort of exordium which is prefixed I was fully sensible of the difficulties which were inseparable from the subject. The labour has been very great, every part having been written twice over, & the chapter about the savages three times. What I am doing for Ballantyne will go to press in its first state, & yet you will see that it will be thought a fine style, & a highly polished one, by persons who will call this x careless xxx.

Those Rio Grandes have provoked me, – if I can discover any alias it shall be adopted. [18] 

Your quarto MSS about Genoa was sent to Staunton because I thought you wanted all the books connected with Italian history.

I could have the Derw. Stewardship if it suited me in spite of all the borough interest in Northumberland, – for Lord Lonsdale can command it & his interest would weigh down any two Dukes. But it requires more time than I would sacrifice for any salary. [19]  Canning has sent me word that if he has any influence when Dutens dies I shall succeed him, [20]  – meantime to be Historiographer to M^r Ballantyne is just as good a thing, & so far better as that I have a chance of cheating the Income Tax & a certainty of escaping other deductions, to the tune of about 20 per cent more–The Annual Review is defunct [21] – if the Coroners inquest should set upon its body they may pronounce that it died of starvation.

Harry is beginning to write the History of the Crusades, – a subject which he set his mind upon some years ago, & which is a choice one in all respects. His wife seems to be ambitious for him, – which is a good thing, – & I think when he gets on a little way, the subject itself will keep up xx <his> interest in it. He has both the Bishops & the Chapter-Library at command, [22]  – in which there are most of the main documents, – & Ville-Hardouin [23]  which happens to be one of the rarest I bought at Coimbra. I have given him my plan for keeping his books – which it cost me much experience to discover, & which will save him considerable labour. The chief Arabic documents have been translated into Latin.

If the sources of the Riv S Francisco are known insert them for me in an account of that river which you will find in the 16 Ch. [24]  I expect to send that & the 15^th together on Sunday – – The passage about the Paraguay I inserted in the proof sheet, – it is not in the two Chapters which thro Longmans carelessness were not <never> sent you. The note about the Anta was also an insertion suggested as necessary by Rickman. – Do you see Murphys new work announced? [25] 

RS.

Keswick. Aug 31. 1809