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Bodleian Library, MS Eng. Lett. c. 22. Previously published: Kenneth Curry (ed.), New Letters of Robert Southey, 2 vols (London and New York, 1965), I, pp. 8–11; Charles Cuthbert Southey (ed.), Life and Correspondence of Robert Southey, 6 vols (London, 1849–1850), I, pp. 163–164 [in part].
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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Since my last I have been continually journying backwards & forwards upon business which would not allow me to fix sufficient attention upon any thing else. it is now over — I have time to look about & I hope with fairer prospects for the future. one of my journeys was to my fathers brother at Taunton to request him to assist my father & enable him to recover that situation whence the treachery of his relations & injustice of his friends had thrown him. I had never seen this uncle & you may easily conceive how unpleasant so humiliating an errand must prove to so proud a spirit. he was absent I left a letter & two days ago received an answer & refusal. fortunately my Aunt had prevented the necessity but her goodness does not extenuate his unnatural parsimony. he is single & possessed of property to the amount of 100,000 pounds without a child to provide for. that part of his fortune which he inherited must one day be mine — it will I hope enable me to despise the world & feel myself independant.
I expect Lamb
every minute & have expected him since Thursday. I need not say I shall
be glad to see him as there are very few persons whose presence can give me so
much pleasure — I shall certainly detain him as long as possible & when
he departs set off to enter at Baliol. it wants not long to Xmas & these occupations will
shorten the time till I proceed to London on my way to Rye. Your good friend the Reverend Doctor Vincent may
perhaps visit his friends at Rye — our meeting would be curious — worse I am
sure for him than me — I should only feel indignant. that man may probably one
day be stiled the Right Reverend Father in God
This Doctors liberality & generosity will obtrude upon me. I feel myself in his debt & even your splendide mendax will hardly tempt me to remain quietly so. I certainly could worry him incessantly & that knavish virtue Prudence is all that prevents me — may he be made a Bishop & Reformation take place in the church — what can I wish more mortifying for him?
have you seen any of our Whitehall friends
since? have you called ever upon Mr Clarke?
I am almost tempted to reply to your “let the troops led by
Brunswick &c but you shall probably know my sentiments in a flaming ode
to the spirit of Milton.the last
some poems have been lately printed here by the Revd. E Holder
“I promise to pay to C G Bedford any ode sonnet legendary tale satire or poem of any description which he may demand. value received.
Robert Southey.
this promissory note you know will not hold good till you have accepted it
to return to Holder. he has translated both in the stanza of my
toasted cheese
you promised me long ago eheu fugaces Posthume Posthume?
there is only one motive which makes me regret my rejection at
Christ Church. at Baliol I have no
acquaintance & I conceive the different Colleges much like different
boarding houses. I am much mistaken if their Wisdoms will not one day repent.
there is more joy over one sinner that repenteth than over ninety & nine
just persons. I was no sinner neither do I repent — but they may (&
will) have ninety nine from Westminster without finding one Gualbertus
I am ashamed of my neglect to Collins but as I hope for forgiveness I will deserve him & send him a very penitentiary epistle. ask him from me what he thinks of France now? when he wrote last he shook his head & turned up his eyes upon the subject — with a hum & ha like a wise man who is doubtful of the event & wishes to be thought in the secret.
you see I intended to fill up the sheet but the servant waits to take this & it will rain soon so believe me yours sincerely