4052. Robert Southey to John Taylor, 8 August 1823

Address: To/ John Taylor Esq^re
Seal: red wax; design illegible
MS: Beinecke Library, Osborn MSS File ‘S’, Folder 14178. ALS; 3p.
Unpublished.

Keswick. 8 Aug. 1823

Sir

I certainly think that the note referring to Lord Burghersh

⁽¹⁾

ought not to be printed, & that it will be proper to expunge the passages which I have marked with a pencil in p.p. 206-7-8.

⁽²⁾

Landor is not more hasty in throwing off such passages than he is ready to withdraw them upon the suggestion of any one whom he esteems. – I have struck out also the names of the Italian Judges: their insertion is of no consequence here, & his safety is consulted by the omission.

⁽³⁾

I do not observe any thing in the fair sheets which requires to be cancelled. There are some opinions from which I dissent; a little which I do not understand, – & a great deal which I heartily approve & admire.

Thank you for the books. Your Lady

⁽⁴⁾

T[MS obscured]st & I crost each other in the road near Neufchatel.

I remain Sir
Yours obediently
Robert Southey.

Notes

1. In the surviving portion of the note in Walter Savage Landor, Imaginary Conversations of Literary Men and Statesmen, 2 vols (London, 1824), I, p. 206, Landor stated that ‘There is in Italy a little state governed by a woman’, to which Britain appointed an, unnamed, envoy. This state was Parma, governed by Marie Louise (1791–1847), Duchess of Parma 1814–1847. The Minister was John Fane, 10th Earl of Westmorland (1784–1859; DNB), at this time styled Lord Burghersh, Envoy to Tuscany 1814–1830, to Parma 1820–1831 and to Modena and Lucca 1818–1831. Landor scorned the necessity for the post: ‘What reed or rush, in its rottenest plight, but serves for the spawn of our aristocracy to stick on!’[back]

2. Walter Savage Landor, Imaginary Conversations of Literary Men and Statesmen, 2 vols (London, 1824), I, pp. 206–208. There pages were part of Dialogue XIII between Charles-Marguerite-Jean-Baptiste Mercier Dupaty (1746–1786), author of Lettres sur l’Italie écrites en 1785 (1785) and Leopold II (1747–1792), Grand Duke of Tuscany 1765–1790, Holy Roman Emperor 1790–1792. They attacked a number of people whom Landor had encountered in Italy, especially Edward Dawkins (1792–1865), Burghersh’s secretary and later Minister to Greece 1828–1835, whom Landor believed had insulted his wife, Julia Landor, née Thuillier (1794–1879).[back]

3. Imaginary Conversations of Literary Men and Statesmen, 2 vols (London, 1824), I, pp. 213–217, contained much criticism of the legal system and judges in Tuscany, based on Landor’s quarrels with his landlord, and a court case Landor became involved in with his maidservant.[back]

4. Southey stayed at Neuchatel 27–29 May 1817 on his continental journey of that year. The ‘Lady’ he crossed paths with was Frances Jane Carey (c. 1754–1860), author of Journal of a Tour in France, in the Years 1816 and 1817 (London, 1823), pp. 423–424, who visited Neuchatel on 29–30 May 1817. Her book was published by Taylor and was no. 540 in the sale catalogue of Southey’s library.[back]

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4052. Robert Southey to John Taylor, 8 August 1823

4052. Robert Southey to John Taylor, 8 August 1823

The Collected Letters of Robert Southey: Part Seven

Lynda Pratt, Ian Packer