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National Library of Wales, MS 4813D. ALS; 2p. . Not previously published.
These letters were edited with the assistance of Ian Packer and Lynda Pratt
All quotation marks and apostrophes have been changed: " for “," for ”, ' for ‘, and ' for ’.
Any dashes occurring in line breaks have been removed.
Because of web browser variability, all hyphens have been typed on the U.S. keyboard.
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Southey's spelling has not been regularized.
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You are one of the few persons to whom I must always communicate
whatever of good or of evil befalls me in this chequered life. It has pleased God to
give me a son. – Whether this be for
good or for evil time alone can show, – but one means for rendering it a blessing, is
to receive it as such. Few things could have been more unexpected, than that after an
interval of six years,in the forty fifth we should have
another child, the mother, like myself,
being in her forty fifth year. And when the expectation began, I looked to this event as a thing rather as one to be prepared
for, than to be wished. – Matter of contentment at least, if not as yet of joy, it
has become; – & the more so because the
mother was in no small danger, & the child had nearly perished in the birth. Twelve hours
have elapsed, & all things are going on well, – God be thanked.
It will be a great satisfaction to me if you & Grosvenor, who are my two oldest friends, will stand in
the same relation to this boy, that you did to his
brother.