3971. Robert Southey to John May, 3 March [1823]

Endorsement: N^o. 232. 1823/ Robert Southey/ Keswick 3^d
March/ rec^d. 6^th/ ans^d 7^th> d^o.
MS: Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, University of Texas, Austin. ALS; 2p.
Previously published: Charles Ramos (ed.), The Letters of Robert Southey to John May: 1797–1838 (Austin, Texas, 1976), p. 192 [where it is misdated [3 March 1822]].
Dating note: Year is taken from the endorsement; Southey misdates the letter ‘1822’.

My dear friend

I received by yesterdays post the inclosed bills, – in payment of my first volume.

⁽¹⁾

– For 150£ – (a few pounds more or less) I am engaged (you shall know how, hereafter) – & I expect to be called upon for it in the course of the present month.

⁽²⁾

Let me draw upon you for it. – The two remaining volumes will be clear of any demands upon them, & I can engage for both in the course of eighteen months. The payment for them shall be transmitted to you, as soon as it is made – & I pray you, do not judge of my will by my poor ability in such things. I owe you a long & large debt of kindness, & whatever money I may realize shall never be placed anywhere but in your hands, as long as it can be of any use to you.

Your xxxx xx strong beer is xx in my cellar, where I am very happy to see it, & where I expect shortly the farther pleasure of seeing a barrel of Devonshire <cyder> on each side of it, – excellent supporters.

⁽³⁾

I was surprized as well as sorry to hear you had been laid up with the gout. We learnt it from Sara Coleridge; – for it is long since I heard from you, & as for the Doctor, he scarcely ever writes.

All here unite in kindest remembrances.

God bless you my dear friend
Yrs affectionately
Robert Southey

Keswick. 3 March. 1822.

⁽⁴⁾

Notes

1. The first volume of Southey’s History of the Peninsular War (1823–1832).[back]

2. This money was required for a set of illustrations to accompany Southey’s Roderick, the Last of the Goths (1814). Richard Westall produced six such illustrations, Illustrations of Roderick, the Last of the Goths. A Poem, by Robert Southey, Esq. from the Drawings of R. Westall, R.A. (1824), nos 2627–2628 in the sale catalogue of Southey’s library. Longman published them and purchasers could arrange for the engravings to be bound into their copy of Roderick. Southey secretly invested in this venture.[back]

3. The cider was a present from Nicholas Lightfoot.[back]

4. Southey’s misdating.[back]

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3971. Robert Southey to John May, 3 March [1823]

3971. Robert Southey to John May, 3 March [1823]

The Collected Letters of Robert Southey: Part Seven

Lynda Pratt, Ian Packer