The Collected Letters of Robert Southey. Part 1: 1791-1797 A Romantic Circles Electronic Edition Southey, Robert, 1774-1843 Lynda Pratt Romantic Circles General Editor, Neil Fraistat General Editor, Steven E. Jones General Editor, Carl Stahmer Technical Editor Laura Mandell 2009-03-15 rce181 letterEEd.26.181 Romantic Circles, http://www.rc.umd.edu, University of Maryland College Park, MD March 15, 2009

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National Library of Wales, MS 4811D. Previously published: Kenneth Curry (ed.), New Letters of Robert Southey, 2 vols (London and New York, 1965), I, pp. 115–116 [in part; ‘To a College Cat’ not reproduced].

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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181. Robert Southey to Charles Watkin Williams Wynn, [10 October 1796] Address: To/ C W Williams Wynn Esqr/ No 5 Stone Buildings/ Lincolns Inn/ London Stamped: BRISTOL Postmark: A.O.C./ 11/ 96Endorsement: Oct. 11/ 1796MS: National Library of Wales, MS 4811DPreviously published: Kenneth Curry (ed.), New Letters of Robert Southey, 2 vols (London and New York, 1965), I, pp. 115–116 [in part; ‘To a College Cat’ not reproduced].

The Duke of NorthumberlandHugh Percy, 2nd Duke of Northumberland (1742–1817; DNB), a soldier and politician. is a man of remarkable arrogance. & his pride & his folly are equally manifest by what you mentiond of his placing his pedigree among the tombs of his ancestors. he found himself very awkwardly situated at Lisbon thro this aristocratic spirit. the English merchants there associate with the first nobles of the country. but the Duke thought fit to draw a line of distinction between them, & always invite the tiers etat by themselves. they were of course offended & he found himself without society.

as for the MSS at Wynnstay you are my authority. I think you mentioned it in a letter from Elton. if I have only dreamt this the dream must have made a strange impression, for it is a circumstance which I have frequently mentioned, & laid some stress upon. at any rate Geoffrey of M.The historian, and Bishop of St Asaph, Geoffrey of Monmouth (d. 1154/1155; DNB), whose works included The Historia Regum Britanniae; see Southey to the Editor of the Monthly Magazine, 6 September 1796 (Letter 175). xx xxxx wrote in Latin & Meirion there is wrong & I corrected his errors. the similarity of the Hebrew & Welsh is indeed very striking. the only tolerable thing of mine in the last magazine, is a short but compleat refutation of the fashionable philosophy of Helvetius.Claude Adrien Helvétius (1715–1771), French materialist philosopher and encyclopaedist; see Southey to the Editor of the Monthly Magazine, 2 September 1796 (Letter 172). a parcel of blockheads there have been talking nonsense pro & con, & in my opinion what I have advanced fully decides the question.

the verdant copy puzzled you. know then that for the accommodation of such of my friends as are curious or are troubled with weak eyes, I <can> get the books died to any shade of green: to me infinitely more agreable than the dazzling reflection from white paper. my little volume of poemsSouthey’s Poems (1797). are just begun & you shall have them in six weeks. the Triumph of Woman the B Bay Eclogues & a Hymn to the Penates form the chief features. I must send you a little piece which is not to be inserted, tho among the happiest that I have written. you will like to see it inserted here & omitted in the Volume.

To a College Cat.Published in Southey’s Annual Anthology (1799).

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Toll on — toll on — old Bell! I’ll neither pray Nor sleep away the hour. the fire burns bright, And — bless the maker of this great-armd chair! This is the throne of comfort! I will sit And study most devoutly: — not my EuclidEuclid of Alexandria (dates uncertain; between 325 and 250 BC), mathematician, whose work includes the Elements. — For God forbid that I should discompose That spider’s excellent geometry! I’ll study thee Puss: — not to make a picture — I hate your canvass cats & dogs & fools Themes that pollute the pencil! let me see The patriots actions start again to life And I will bless the artist who awakes The throb of emulation. thou shalt give A better lesson Puss. come — look at me! Lift up thine emerald eyes! aye — purr away! For I am praising thee I tell thee Puss, And Cats as well as Kings love flattery. For three whole days I heard an old fur gown Bepraisd, that made a Duke a Chancellor:William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland (1738–1809; Prime Minister 1783 and 1807–1809; DNB) was installed as Chancellor of the University of Oxford on 1 July 1793. Trust me, tho I can sing most pleasantly Upon thy well streakd coat, to that said Fur I was not guilty of a single rhyme. Twas an old turn-coat fur, that would sit easy And wrap round any man — so it were tied With a blue ribband. what a magic lies In beauty! thou on this forbidden ground Mayest range & when the Fellow looks at thee Straight he forgets the statute. swell thy tail — And stretch thy claws most democratic beast! I like thine independance. treat thee well — Thou art as playful as young Innocence! But use thee roughly God has given thee claws And thou hast sense to use them. oh that Man Would copy this thy widsom — spaniel fool. He crouches down & licks his tyrants hand And courts oppression. wiser animal I gaze on thee — familiar not enslaved — And thinking how Affections gentle hand Leads by a hair the large limbd elephant, With mingled pity & contempt behold His drivers goad the patient biped beast.

———

In return for your story I will send you a very good one. A Sportsman & a Poet were walking together when they heard a pack of hounds in full cry. hark — cried the Sportsman — what delightful music! — I cant hear it, replied his companion for those damned dogs. — farewell. I will bring the Guerras Civils &cGines Perez de Hita (1544?–1619?), Guerras Civiles de Granada (1595–1604). to town with me.

yrs sincerely RS.

Monday.