John Marshall (1765–1845): Wealthy businessman, who developed factory-based flax-spinning in Leeds. He was a close friend of William Wordsworth through his wife Jane Pollard (1770–1847), who had been at school in Halifax with Dorothy Wordsworth. He visited the Lake District regularly following his marriage in 1795, built a country home at Hallsteads on the shores of Ullswater in 1815 and was Sheriff of Cumberland in 1821. Later, in 1832, he bought the Derwentwater Estates. Southey wrote to him in 1827 to inform him that Derwentwater was covered in flies.

John Miller (1787–1858): Clergyman. Educated at the University of Oxford, where he won the Chancellor’s Medal for Latin prose and became a great friend of John Keble (1792–1866; DNB). In 1817 he delivered the University’s Bampton Lectures, on the subject of ‘The Divine Authority of Holy Scripture’. When he met Southey in 1820, Miller was a Fellow of Worcester College, Oxford, and Curate of Bishopstone, Wiltshire. He sent Southey a copy of his work, most probably his Bampton lectures.

Henry Joseph Monck Mason (1778–1858): Legal writer, antiquary and member of the Royal Irish Academy. He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, where he struck up a lifelong friendship with Thomas Moore (1779–1852; DNB). He was called to the Irish Bar in 1800, but never practised, instead holding posts as examiner to the prerogative courts and as Assistant, later Chief, Librarian of the King’s Inns, Dublin. His charitable and educational activities were numerous and included playing an important part in the Society for Promoting the Education of the Poor in Ireland.

See Fricker, Mary (1771–1862)

John Gibson Lockhart (1794–1854): Scottish writer. He made his reputation through his contributions to Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine from 1817 onwards and became Walter Scott’s son-in-law in 1820. He was editor of the Quarterly Review 1825–1853 and completed a monumental Life of Sir Walter Scott (1837–1838). Southey corresponded with him intermittently on professional matters.

Robert Lovell, Junior (1795–1836): The son of Mary and Robert Lovell, his father’s early death left him with few prospects (significantly less than those of Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s children, whose paternal relations were capable of greater generosity). In 1803 the money paid by the Lovell family for his education ceased. Southey and John May tried to get Robert Lovell Junior into Christ’s Hospital. They failed. The boy was apprenticed to a London printer and effectively separated from his mother, who lived with the Southeys in Keswick.

John Mitford (1781–1859): Suffolk clergyman, who took little interest in his parochial duties but played an important role in London literary life. He was a noted editor (especially of the works of Thomas Gray), editor of the Gentlemans Magazine 1834–1850, and close friend of Samuel Rogers and Bernard Barton. In 1810 he wrote to Southey for advice about his poem, Agnes, the Indian Captive (1811).

Mary Anne Lamb (1764–1847): Writer. Sister of Charles Lamb. She suffered from bouts of insanity and in 1796 she killed their mother. After this incident she was cared for by her brother or in asylums. The siblings wrote Tales from Shakespeare (1809) together.

Charles Lloyd, Senior (1748–1828): Quaker banker and translator of Homer. Father of Charles Lloyd.

Nicholas Lightfoot (c. 1771/2–1847): Clergyman and schoolmaster. Son of Nicholas Lightfoot of Moretonhampstead, Devon. Educated at Balliol College, Oxford (matric. 1790, BA 1794). Perpetual curate for Churcheton, Devon from 1795 and Rector of Stockleigh Pomeroy from 1831–1847. Southey met Lightfoot at Balliol and their friendship endured until his death. Southey briefly considered sending his brother Edward Southey to be educated by Lightfoot and in later life stayed with him during visits to the south west of England.