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British Library, Add MS 30,927. Previously published: Kenneth Curry (ed.), New Letters of Robert Southey, 2 vols (London and New York, 1965), I, pp. 107–109.
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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I was with Edith when your letter arrived. we are in lodgings in Kingsdown & I as usual about to be busied with the printers — & exhibit a volume of Letters written during a short residence in Spain & Portugal.
We knew you were off Lisbon & I believe saw the frigate with as much angry impatience as you must have seen the land. your letter never arrived — never trust a Portuguese with any thing — they are the most imposing treacherous sneaking set of rascals that Old Nick ever meddled with & dirted his fingers by touching. it was a merchant-man. that slipped in under your convoy mentioned the name of the frigate.
You will wonder how I got here without coming to Falmouth. but I came in an American bound for Hull which landed me at Portsmouth after a very fine passage. we left Lisbon on Thursday May 5th & that night & the next day & night were becalmed to the South of the rock in sight. a light SW breeze struck up about nine on Saturday morning so gentle however that we had not lost sight of the rock at night. the wind gradually increasd & never varied two points till on the Saturday following they transferrd me & my fellow passenger to the three brothers of Cowes from whence between eleven & twelve at night we landed at Portsmouth. I took my portmanteau on my shoulders & carried it to the Fountain
The election here is just concluded. the blues brought in a Mr Braggeour is a false word — as I am not represented — & taxation without representation is tyranny.) will vote for the continuance of the war — & in this case — as Divine Wisdom has ordained in most cases — the <Bristolians> will find their punishment in their crime.
So much for Bristol news. — poor Lovell! Mary is better than could be expected — & old Mr L provides for her comfortably with affection that does him high honor.
Joan of Arc has passed thro three Reviews with the greatest success — & has obtained as much reputation as I could desire.
Of the Somerville estate. I apprehend from an extract of the will which I have — that we have been fooled with hopes totally unfounded. if young Somerville dies without an heir the estates revert to us — but the greater part of these were life-hold & have dropt to the Lord of the Manor.
Ediths love. direct always to Cottles.
Edward is to go to St Pauls School