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Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, University of Texas, Austin. Previously published: Charles Ramos (ed.), The Letters of Robert Southey to John May: 1797–1838 (Austin, Texas, 1976), pp. 91–93.
These letters were edited with the assistance of Carol Bolton, Tim Fulford and Ian Packer
For permission to publish the text of MSS in their possession, the editor wishes to thank the Beinecke Rare Books and Manuscript Library, Yale University; Berg Collection of English and American Literature, The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations; the Bodleian Library Oxford University; the British Library; Boston Public Library; the Syndics of Cambridge University Library; the Syndics of the Fitzwilliam Museum Cambridge; Haverford College, Connecticut; the Historical Society of Pennsylvania; the Hornby Library, Liverpool Libraries and Information Services; the Houghton Library, Harvard University; the John Rylands Library, Manchester; the Kenneth Spencer Research Library, University of Kansas; Luton Museum (Bedfordshire County Council); Massachusetts Historical Society; McGill University Library; the National Library of Scotland; the Newberry Library, Chicago; the New York Public Library (Pforzheimer Collections); the Pierpont Morgan Library, New York; the Public Record Offices of Bedford, Suffolk (Bury St Edmunds) and Northumberland, the Master and Fellows of Trinity College, Cambridge; the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne; the Trustees of the William Salt Library, Stafford, the Wisbech and Fenland Museum; the University of Virginia Library.
A research grant from the British Academy made much of the archival work possible, as did support from the English Department of Nottingham Trent University.
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The main reason of so long a silence on my part has been that having some tidings of my brother Tom to communicate, & being daily in expectation of a letter from him – I waited in hope
of receiving it. – The boats of the Galatea attempted to cut out a sloop called the Lilly from Guadaloupe, & the attempt
proved very disastrous, & so has never been gazetted. We heard this from London – in consequence I made enquiry by a friend at the
Admiralty who saw a private letter from one who had been in the action & fairly inferred that as Toms name was not mentioned in it, he was safe. Shortly after, a paragraph appeared in our
Whitehaven paperstated <added> that the First Lieutenant
fell also. I read this myself – & you may guess how it went thro me like an electric shock however it is never my custom to
accredit things lightly. it was mentioned that the Surgeon was killed – I argued that neither Surgeon nor Master could be in the boats
– consequently the xxx paragraph was erroneous in part & possibly in the whole – so I wrote again to London – tho I
confess persuaded in my heart that my brother had fallen, knowing that he would be foremost in any attempt which required exertion
& could lead to promotion. the answer was that a Lieutenant was slain – but of a different name – for the official account had
arrived. In a few days came a letter from Tom to tell me that he had been brought
to a Court Martial for disobedience of orders, neglect of duty & contempt of his Captain.Galatea 1803–1805.Galatea, made an unsuccessful attempt to cut out the
French privateer General Ernouf (formerly the British sloop of war Lilly) lying at the
Saintes near Guadeloupe. Of the 90 men sent on the mission 65 were killed or wounded. Southey suspected that his brother was among
the dead. Thomas had been the first lieutenant but was absent from the raid because had been placed under arrest. Charles Hayman (d.
1804) was made first lieutenant in his stead and died in the attack.Mars
engaged the French ship Hercule off the coast of Brittany. Nearly 400 men, and both captains, died in the
fight; Thomas Southey, on board the Mars, was wounded.which the expiration of which term the minutes would in all probability arrive from Antigua. where he had
been tried, & where he had immediately gone to the Commodore. – I wrote immediately to bid him draw on me
I have written to Harry about his mad wishes to be at
Cambridge, in such a style as will, or ought to, effectually put an end to them.xxx concerning our house is broken off, &
we are of course at liberty to remain. – Should an army be sent to Portugal it would be of infinite advantage to me if I could procure
an civil office in the establishment. I could do the official business & my own with ease – & be enabled by
living with my Uncle to save nearly the whole of the salary. There is not
much chance of this under the present administration but I shall try my own strength, & also write to my Uncle – who most likely
will think of it himself.
If I had known in time of <young> Mr Walpoles intention I would have retranslated the Ode of
Luis de Leon
I also am a loser by the Critical Review. something from 10 to 30 £ the balance of a long account, which Hamilton for
two years after I had ceased to write for him delayed to settle, & now it is gone.Cath Anti Catholic
essay which must therefore be deferred for <to> my quartos. – They loiter with the notes to Madoc – my part has long
been done. – Sir Wm Jones was a wonderful man – but he is over-rated. latterly he abandoned himself to vague
speculations, & all his life long he was envious. Witness his treatment of Anquetil Du Perron, & his twice translating what he
knew Wilkins had already undertaken – from a paltry desire of being first instead of cooperating with a man as learned as himself to
communicate as much knowledge as they could.xxxxx no longer waste that time in criticising bad books which
would be so much more pleasantly occupied in writing better, but as I make no other sacrifice than that of time I am well off.
The Edithling has been vaccinated & is well.