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British Library, Add MS 47891. Previously published: Kenneth Curry (ed.), New Letters of Robert Southey, 2 vols (London and New York, 1965), I, pp. 522–524.
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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Southey’s spelling has not been regularized.
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Your letters reminds me of some pleasant days which I had not forgotten, & which it gives me pleasure to
perceive that you remember also. Mr Eltons volume of poems,xxxxx <passages> & always affording the promise of greater things
hereafter. His Hesiod
My knowledge of the trade of literature has I am sorry to say, never been very profitable either to myself or my
friends. Perhaps no poor author ever acquired so little pudding in proportion to his praise. There are only two branches in which a man
of letters can obtain any adequate remuneration for his labour, – by writing for reviews, or for the stage. I need not say how
grievously the stage is in want of poets, & every thing which I have seen of Mr Eltons induces me to think that
he would succeed in this line, which is paid as much above its due proportion as all other kinds of poetry are under paid. He might
offer a play thro Longman to Covent Garden – or I would willingly &
zealously exceed my influence for him at a new theatre which is in preparation at Edinburgh,
Reviewing also is well paid, even at the inferior price of the monthly Reviews. The Annualr Elton thinks his prose as good as his verse (& our best poets
are our best prose-writers) & if he be disposed to amuse himself in this manner, I will mention his name there. Halham who, if I
mistake not is related to him by marriage, has written in the Edinburgh, & could perhaps introduce him xxxx in that
direction.xxxxxxxx
<yearly> a very acceptable addition to my very straitened income. it made me look for my opinions upon many subjects which had
not occupied much of my attention before, & it made me acquire more knowledge of contemporary literature than I should else have
possessed. For the Annual I received four guineas, – as much as the concern could afford, but greatly below the value of my work, for
the former apprenticeship had made me a skilful workman. Two years ago I refused ten guineas per sheet with the promise of a great
advance for the Edinburgh, – upon the ground of my total dissent from all its principles of morals & politics as well as taste. – I
have since had that sum for the Quarterly, & have this very evening been offered twice that sum for a specific article in it.
But it is to the drama that I should especially advise Mr Elton to direct his thoughts, as a
pursuit congenial to his taste & worthy of his talents. There is a natural flow of feeling & of language in his poems (&
this which you have done me the favour to send it is an instance of it) which is excellently adapted to dramatic verse. We
want to have the mixed drama of Shakespeares age restored. Poor John Tobin attempted it,r Elton. I knew him, & speak as much from what was in him, as well as
from what came out from <of> him.
I thank you for the intelligence you give me concerning my Aunt, to whom in consequence of thus knowing where to direct I have written, tho as the letter has to make a tour in search of a frank it will be a day or two longer upon the road than this. If any chance should lead you to our Lakes it will give me great pleasure to be your guide in this neighbourhood, – or if at any time you have a friend travelling this way, a line from you shall be honoured as a draft for all serviceable civilities in my power. Remember me to my Taunton friends when you see them & believe me