1141. Robert Southey to
[Thomas Southey](people.html#SoutheyTom),
1–5 January
1806
Address: To/ Lieutenant Southey/ H. M. S. Amelia/ St Kitts/ or
elsewhere/ Single
Stamped: KESWICK/ 298
Postmark: E/ JAN 8/ 1806
MS: British Library, Add MS 47890. ALS; 4p.
Previously
published: Charles Cuthbert Southey (ed.), Life and Correspondence of Robert Southey, 6 vols (London, 1849–1850),
III, pp. 10–14 [in part].
Jany 1. 1806.
Many happy returns
My dear Tom
The trusty Capt White carried the two Reviews & a set of Couriers from [Danvers](people.html#DanversCharles) to Barbadoes. Southey sent copies of the
Annual Review containing his articles to his brother. These were the second number for 1803 and the third for
1804. HMS Trusty was a Royal Navy 50-gun, fourth rate, ship of the line, built in 1782 and broken up in 1815.
Captain White is untraced. I am apprehensive about them because they were directed to Nathan Jackson, Nathan Jackson, the addressee for Tom’s letters in Barbados, has not been traced. & you tell me he has
left the Island. This to begin as matter of business. – Last week came two letters both with the Tortola post mark. The largest island in the Caribbean group, the British Virgin Islands. One an Extract without
number – the other dated St Kitts. One of the Leeward Islands of the West
Indies. Oct. 26th. I was not well enough to reply to this as usual, at the moment. An Influenza had
thought proper to consider me as a fashionable person, & I was taking James’s powders
James’s fever powder, containing phosphate of lime and oxide of antimony as sweating agents, was the invention of the physician and
medical writer, Robert James (bap. 1703–1776). – & had no spirits to write. Now the powders have done their work – I am
well enough to set foot out of the door, & to day begin a course of bark ‘Fever Bark’ was a
popular treatment for illnesses such as influenza. which is to set me strongly up again. – What becomes of all my letters is
quite inexplicable – not one seems to reach you. Two or three of the last have been directed to St Kitts & may
perhaps be luckier. – Dont be cast down Tom. Were I to make laws, no man should be made master & commander till he was thirty years
of age. made you will be at last, & will get on at last as high as your heart can wish – never doubt that, as I never doubt it. As
for Lord Somerville, The Southeys’ distant relation by marriage, John Southey Somerville, 15th
Lord Somerville (1765–1819; DNB). I do not augur much of his will to serve you, from what [Harry](people.html#SoutheyHenryHerbert) & I saw of him here. Depend upon it we are eye sores to him; he wants [John Southeys](people.html#SoutheyJohn) money & loves nobody that bears the name, & stands nearer
<than himself> to the old Gentleman. Lady Shuldham has married Lord the Lord knows who at Vienna. Margaret Irene Shuldham, née Sarney (d. 1811), was the widow of Molyneux Shuldham, Baron Shuldham (1717/18?-1798), a
naval officer and politician. Southey may have met the couple in Lisbon where Baron Shuldham died. Lady Shuldham had previously been
married to John Harcourt (d. before 1802) and her third husband was Richard Meade, 2nd Earl of Clanwilliam (1766–1805), so she
became the Countess of Clanwilliam. Both [my Uncle](people.html#HillHerbertUncle) & myself will
do for you all that we can – heaven knows little enough that is, but we are both in the way of forming acquaintances which may lead to
something. When will it be the Amelias HMS Amelia was a 38-gun Hébé-class
frigate of the French navy captured in 1796 and commissioned into the navy. turn in course of service to return to Europe! I
envy your winter station but do not like the thought of your remaining there during another campaign of yellow fever. In my last I
requested you to collect Lord Probys manuscripts which you had mentioned to me, & send them to [Wynn](people.html#WynnCharlesWW). 5. Stone Buildings. Lincolns Inn. London. I am very desirous that this should be done
– they are for his father Ld Carysfort. William Allen Proby, Lord Proby (1779–1804) was the
eldest son of Sir John Joshua Proby, 1st Earl of Carysfort (1751–1828; DNB). Proby was the captain of HMS Amelia, who, having been sent to the disease-ridden Leeward Islands station, died on 6 August 1804 at Surinam,
from yellow fever. Wynn had asked Southey if Thomas who was currently serving on the Amelia could recover any
of Proby’s papers for his family and friends. For the request, see Southey to Thomas Southey, 7 December 1805, Letter 1130.
Dont send me another Turtle till I am Lord Mayor, & then I shall be much obliged to for one – but for Heavens sake
not till then. I consigned over all my right & title in the green fat to [Wynn](people.html#WynnCharlesWW) by a formal power sent to Coutts the banker, Thomas Coutts (1735–1822;
DNB), banker and head of the successful company Coutts & Co. who was to look out for him, – but of his
arrival not a word yet – ten to one he is digested, & dropt down the quarter gallery. When you are coming home, if you could bring a cargo of dried tamarinds I should like them, because they are very seldom to be got in England. I never saw
them but once dried mark you, in the husk not preserved. the acid is exceedingly delightful. Now remember the
words are when you are coming home & bring. do not attempt to send them, or there will be
trouble – vexation – unnecessary expence – & most likely the loss of the thing itself.
[My daughter](people.html#SoutheyEdithMay) never sees picture of a ship or boat, but she talks of her Uncle
in the ship, & as regularly receives the kiss which he sent in the letter. You will be very fond of her, if she goes on as well
when you come home as she does at present. – [Harry](people.html#SoutheyHenryHerbert) is hard at work for the
last season at Edinburgh, preparing to pass muster & be bedoctored in July. Most likely he will go to Lisbon with me in the autumn
– at least I know not how he can be better employed for a few months than in travelling & spoiling his complexion. – The last news
of [Edward](people.html#SoutheyEdward) is as is to be expected worse & worse. he has swindled
Trinder Sheppard and Trinder: a firm of woollen drapers who had premises at 7 Millsom
Street, Bath. out of five guineas – which he tried to make forty, under pretence that [his Uncle](people.html#SoutheyJohn) had left him 250 pounds a year for life – & that he had left forty with [his Aunt](people.html#TylerElizabeth), for which he wishd to draw. He is living in lodgings in the
College Lower Green, By the cathedral in Bristol. & says he has
turned Roman Catholic. how he lives, or what end he has in view by this pretended conversion Heaven knows, – this only is certain, that
it is impossible to be a greater liar or a greater scoundrel. Dont fret about him [Tom](people.html#SoutheyTom), – it is a bad business, but we cannot help it. – I know nothing of the [Old Gentleman](people.html#SoutheyJohn). who has never noticed Madoc. Southey’s poem Madoc,
published in 1805. Of [Aunt Mary](people.html#SoutheyMary) I hear frequently in the summer from our
neighbours the [Peachys](people.html#PeachyWilliam), who winter regularly at Bishops Ledyard Bishops Lydeard in Somerset, childhood home of [Emma
Peachey](people.html#PeachyEmma). – & she hears of us by the same channel – the Colonel has just sent me a collar of brawn & a little
barrel of pickled sturgeon, & my letter of thanks will carry her news of us. I have heard nothing of [Tom Southey](people.html#SoutheyThomasUncle). To pass from relations to friends, the worst news is that poor Cupid A dog formerly belonging to Southey and left with Charles Danvers. has been hung at last
for robbing a hen-roost. You see what his evil courses have brought him to, in spite of the shilling stick a day which you expended
upon him. I xxx am really sorry for the poor fellow, who bating this infirmity, had infinite good qualities. Joe is
well. Thomas Southey’s dog who had been left with Charles Danvers to look after.
[King](people.html#KingJohn) has two daughters; unhappy man he has been obliged to christen the one Zoe to
please his wife, Emmeline King, née Edgeworth (1770–1817). & the other Psyche to
please his father in law. Richard Lovell Edgeworth (1744–1817; DNB). The
children never possibly can get into the kingdom of heaven as christians with such heathen names. St Peter will certainly never let
them in without seeing a copy of the church register. Miss Phillott Miss Phillott (first name
and dates unknown) was an acquaintance of Bristol days and a member of a prominent family of professionals and tradesmen centred on
Bath. is turned rank Methodist!!! [Danvers](people.html#DanversCharles) lives in Park Street with
his old partner Charles Madox Charles and John Maddox (or Madox; dates unknown) of Park Row,
Bristol. & his (Madox’s) brother, who keep house, & he boards with them, – a plan which he finds very comfortable. I
have some chance of seeing him in London whither I go in March. You cannot imagine how happy he was in this country, & how happy it
made me to see him so. God bless him, there is not a better creature upon the face of the earth!
Your Extracts are very valuable: several never reached me – the more reason why you should omit nothing in your common
place book. Go on I beseech you, – you do not know how easy it would be, with such historical anecdotes as I could furnish to make them
into a curious volume. Tom took Southey’s advice and these materials were published as
A Chronological History of the West Indies in 1828. We will talk about this when you have your next spell
ashore. Meantime let nothing escape you. I have repeatedly suggested questions concerning the churches – meetings – schools &c
&c. – do you ever hear of the Ronans at Antigua. The Ronan family of planters was recorded
in Antigua as early as 1729. In the 1780s Ann Ronan (b. 1765) and Margaret Ronan (b. 1759), daughters of Philip Ronan, lived at
Guana Island, off the Antiguan coast. Which of the family was known to Southey in Bristol the editors have not been able to
discover. or of Broadbent, whom I remember as the biggest boy at Williams Southey
attended a school known as ‘the Fort’ run by William Williams (dates unknown), in Bristol, from 1782 until 1786. His fellow pupil
has not been traced. & a very good natured one. There was a schoolfellow of mine who had a good living in Antigua four or
five years ago, – his name was [Campbell](people.html#CampbellHenry), & perhaps you may remember some
excellent good stories of him by the name [Horse Campbell](people.html#CampbellHenry). He is returned to
England & turned field preacher. Tell me if you have heard any thing of him – for if you have it must be something odd, as he is
the King of all odd fish.
The extraordinary success of Bonaparte, or rather the wretched misconduct of Austria On 26 December 1805 Austria had signed the Treaty of Pressburg with France and left the coalition against
them. has left the continent completely under the controul of France. Our plan should be to increase our cruisers & scour
the seas effectually, to take all we can, & keep all we take, professing that such is our intention, & that we are ready to
make peace whenever France pleases, upon the simple terms of leaving off with our winnings. Meantime we ought to take the Cape, the
French islands in the East (those in the West would cost too many lives & may be left for the Blacks,) Minorca, Sicily & Egypt.
If France chuse to have the mainland the Islands should be ours. I suppose we shall go upon some such plan: as for invasion, the old
story will begin again in the spring, but it is a thing impossible, & you sailors best know this. Lord St
Vincent John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent (1735–1823; DNB) was First Lord
of the Admiralty from 1801–1804. used to say when it was talked off, I do’nt say they can’t come, – I only say that they
can’t come by sea. – What will affect me is the fate of Portugal, for it is now more than ever to be expected that Bonaparte will turn
us out, merely to show that he can do it. The French did invade Portugal in November 1807, and
before that date many British residents, including Southey’s uncle, [Herbert
Hill](people.html#HillHerbertUncle), had returned home. This will be to me a grievous annoyance. It is not unlikely that he will propose peace
after three splendid victories, & it is not impossible that Pitt William Pitt (1759–1806;
DNB), the Prime Minister, whose second term of office was from 1804 to 1806. may accept it, to keep his
place. Heaven forbid. To give up Malta now would be giving up the national honour, it would be confessing that we had lost the game,
whereas we can play the single-handed game for ever. Our bad partners ruin us. The ultimate consequences of the success of France may
not be so disastrous to Europe as is generally supposed –Suppose that the continent be modelled as Bonaparte pleases, which it will be,
& that it remains in peace for twenty or thirty years. He will have disabled Austria it is true, but all the other powers will be
strengthened, & a new state created in Italy, which did not exist before. These will be under French direction, – but still not
French. the difference of language effectually prevents that. Bonaparte will not be a long-lived man, – he cannot be in the ordinary
course of nature. there has been & will be too much wear & tear of him. his successor, if the succession go regularly on as I
suppose it will, will certainly not inherit his talents, & the first born Emperor, will have all the benefits of imperial
education, which is quite sure to make him upon a level with all other Sovereign Princes. By that time the French Generals will have
died off, & we must not forget that it is the Revolution which made these men Generals, & that men no longer rise according to
their merit.
Jany 5. I have just received the following news. ‘Sir, Am Extremely Sorry to be obliged to inform
you that a Turtle that I flattered myself would have survived home; from the excessive long passage & performance of quarantine at
Cork, Falmouth & Sea Reach died in the former port with every one on board the ship. respectfully yr much obliged & obedient
servant Stephen T. Selk. Untraced. – So much for the Turtle Thomas Southey had sent his brother a turtle from the West Indies; see Southey to Charles Watkin Williams Wynn, 24
November 1805, Letter 1125. – I think if Government will make such beasts perform quarantine they ought to pay for the loss –
Surfeits & indigestions they may bring into the city – but of the yellow fever there can be no danger. The court of Aldermen should
take it into consideration.
And now to finish this letter of gossip. – I am in the midst of reviewing which will be over by the time this reaches
you even if contrary to custom it should reach you within decent in regular course. Espriella also will by that time be gone
to press.
Letters from England by Don Manuel Alvarez Espriella. Translated from the Spanish (1807). this & the
History of the Cid I shall have to send you in the summer – I know not whether you remember the story of the Cid – it was designed as
part of the Introduction to my History, but I publish it separately to make room. Southey’s
planned ‘History of Portugal’ was never completed, but his Chronicle of the Cid was published in 1808. Madoc
has been violently abused in the Monthly, John Ferriar (1761–1815; DNB)
reviewed Madoc (1805) in the Monthly Review, 48 (October 1805), 113–122. with such evident
malice that the abuse could do no hurt, even if I were not out of reach of Review altogether. No further news of the sale – in fact if
the edition of 500 go off in two years it will be a good sale for so costly a book. The new edition of Joan of Arc is shamefully
misprinted by Biggs – they have improved the print, & I have improved the poem, by a thousand little alterations, which you would
not perceive unless you compared it with the former copy. The third edition of Joan of
Arc, printed by [Nathaniel Biggs](people.html#BiggsNathaniel) in Bristol, was published in
1806, with some alterations. It included the ‘Vision of the Maid of Orleans’, originally published in the second volume of
Poems (1799), at the end of the poem. For the alterations, see volume 1 of Robert Southey: Poetical Works
1793–1810, gen. ed. Lynda Pratt, 5 vols (London, 2004). I hope it will not be very long before Thalaba goes to
press a second time The second edition of Thalaba the Destroyer was published
in 1809. – Madoc will certainly give a spur to the sale. I shall make no other alterations of importance than that of cutting
the later part of the 9th book, & printing all the notes at the end.
These changes were effected.
[Ediths](people.html#FrickerEdith) love, & [my
daughter](people.html#SoutheyEdithMay) would send you a kiss in return if you could insert any more on receiving it.
God bless you
RS.
Are you herald enough to send me such an account of our arms as will serve to have a seal cut by? The postscript is written at the top of the first page.