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 rce35 letterEEd.26.35 Romantic Circles, http://www.rc.umd.edu, University of Maryland College Park, MD March 15, 2009

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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. 12–14 [in part; verse 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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35. Robert Southey to Grosvenor Charles Bedford, 26 December 1792 Address: Grosvenor Charles Bedford Esqr/ Old Palace Yard/ Westminster/ Single SheetStamped: BRISTOLPostmark: ADE/ 29/ 92Watermark: G R in a circle and figure of BritanniaSeal: Black wax [design illegible]Endorsement: 26 Decr 1792MS: Bodleian Library, MS Eng. Lett. c. 22Previously published: Kenneth Curry (ed.), New Letters of Robert Southey, 2 vols (London and New York, 1965), I, pp. 12–14 [in part; verse not reproduced]. Wednesday Dec. 26. 92
Bristol
My dear friend

I hoped to have seen you before this day. that hope like most of mine is disappointed. my father is now in heaven. on Monday week I attended him to the grave. who knows but my next visit thither may be final — I ought to have written to you before but the subject was painful & you will excuse me. he had been long declining. evident however as this was I still deceived myself. when I passed thro Bath to Oxford I staid at my fathers & saw him in his bed — he prest my hand with affection & for the only time in his life blest me. why it was I know not but it struck me that I never should see him more. I never did. in a better world I shall.

Of this no more — the subject is painful to me & cannot be agreable to you. to his loss I am resigned. I am even thankful for it when I consider how grievous a burden is a heart opprest by injustice & misfortune. our meeting you see is thus deferrd & the melancholy silence of sorrow wears away with me that season appropriated to festivity. I have however resources in my own reflexions & solitude I have never found irksome — one book succeeds another — I take the pen for relaxation & at least possess negative happiness.

you will visit me at Baliol at the InstallationWilliam Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland (1738–1809; DNB), Prime Minister 1783 and 1807–1809, was installed as Chancellor of the University of Oxford on 1 July 1793. I hope. there will be a great chair a good fire & a bottle & I flatter myself with the hope of introducing you to the only man upon earth whom I at once love & respect.It is unclear to whom Southey is referring. he has half promised me his company. I depend upon yours — the opportunities of happiness are so rare that we ought to snatch them eagerly ere they disappear. where is young Wynn? he never will write to me & I am tired with expostulating. I asked him to send Collins’s letter long before the end of term & he has never noticed the letter perhaps he never received the letter. this government trick of opening private correspondence is very unpleasant. next come lettres de cachet Bastille & good night to poor BasilSt Basil (c. 330–379), founder of eastern monasticism. A pseudonym used by Southey when writing in The Flagellant (1792). —

Collins’ last I have, & thank him for. your postscript did not surprize. but you have a sad trick of keeping letters long after they are wrote. the MillerSouthey is referring to the traditional song sometimes known as ‘The Miller of Dee’, particularly the lines ‘I care for nobody, no not I,/ If nobody cares for me’. was a true Philosopher & I wish I was of his school — such doctrines are far more calculated for promoting happiness than the abstruse wisdom of the Samian.Pythagoras (580/72–500/490 BC), Greek philosopher, born on the island of Samos. the metaphysics of Plato the dry reason of Aristotle or the grossly-interpreted tenets of Epicurus.Epicurus (341–270 BC), Greek philosopher, founder of Epicureanism. I might add the witty impiety of Voltaire & the artful infidelity of Hume.David Hume (1711–1776; DNB), philosopher and historian. the man who destroys religion deprives us of the only substantial happiness. you will believe me. I cannot write. my intention was to fill the sheet but it impossible to command attention when one particular subject engrosses the mind. do write me & believe me in every situation

most sincerely yours Robert Southey

I send you this merely to fill up — you will it no ways equal to the former

TitusThe Emperor Titus Flavius Sabinus Vespasianus (AD 40–81; reigned AD 79–81). to BereniceA Jewish princess (c. AD 28–?), daughter of Herod Agrippa I (10 BC–AD 44) and sister of Herod Agrippa II (b. AD 27/28), Kings of Judea. Mistress of Titus.

“The Sun shall from the West his course pursue Eer Titus prove to Berenice untrue Eer that ill fated hour Nights shadowy sway Shall mantle oer the full meridian day All oaths all vows all love itself be vain Or Fortune rear JerusalemTitus was responsible for the destruction of Jerusalem by Roman troops in AD 70. again. Lovd of my soul still Memory calls to view These vows which Love & Titus breathd to you. As now thy lines thy characters I trace Swift flies the mantling transport to my face The well known seal I kist & instant prest With more than mortal transport to my breast As high the glowing tide of rapture flows For one short moment I forget my woes Trembling I broke the seal — my name appears Half blotted out with Berenices tears — She wept on Titus name — nor Titus flies To kiss the tear away from Beautys eyes! And couldst thou weep for me & I delay To dry those tears one hour my eager way? Ah Berenice still oer this hapless head Must Fate her heaviest clouds relentless spread Like Aprils opening morn my life begun Clear smild the sky & favouring shone the sun Still as he rose he brightend on my view Still still alluring till eclipsed by you. VespasiansTitus’ father, the Emperor Titus Flavius Vespasianus (AD 9–79; reigned AD 69–79). humble offspring first in arms I rushd to follow Glorys glittring charms Fearless of wounds & prodigal of life There Titus strove where fiercest ragd the strife On as I rushd to Fames attractive call I saw thy face & disregarded all — Sorrowing I found myself in chieftain state Blind to the splendour but perceivd the weight Oft as I fled to thee my eager speed Has curst the slowness of the jaded steed Oer mountains but the base to hills as high Their summits lost amid the pendant sky Oer these by Hope & Love impatient led With unabating course thy Titus sped. As oer the neighbouring mountain swift he went Hope wingd the glance adown the steep descent Impatient Fancy saw the spot appear Than worlds or wealth of worlds to me more dear Thence have I seen thy hand or seemd to see Support that Face which Love had turnd to me. And canst thou think that Fortunes power can wrest Each dear-belovd remembrance from my breast Can days or years of anguish mantle oer Those blissful moments which are now no more — Those moments when each melting eye ball strove To express the fierce emotions of my love High beat each heart to passions flowing tide And Love forgot there was a world beside. Again methinks adown the hill I fly Again I seem to catch the mutual eye Again beats high this breast to Loves alarms Again I rush — I clasp thee in my arms — Fond scene away — unman my soul no more Alas Those hours of ecstasy are oer — Yes Berenice too weak the voice of Power To call forth Pleasure from her blissful bower Where from the sight of courts retird she lies And hears affrayd the harsh command & flies To her in happier solitude unknown Each hourly peril that attends a throne — The throng incensd — grave Wisdoms saw severe Dangers gaunt form & wildly glancing Fear Dark browd Deceit that drugs the honeyd bowl Meet not her eye nor terrify her soul — Yet these on courts & monarchs still attend To guard weak Caution to partake no friend. Lovd of my soul these perils still await In grim attendance round thy Titus state The fawning courtier on each word attends The weal of nations on each act depends Suspicion stalks around with jaundiced mien And poisons every prospect round the scene. Still still Remembrance paints that cruel day When from thy arms harsh Fortune calld away — Twas Evenings closing hour — the sky serene No gloomy cloud nor harsher Fate was seen We sat together in the jasmine bowr And watchd the silent step of Twilights power This better hand in thine intwind — I past The other gently round thy yielding waste We talkd of days of future love & bliss Nor knew the last of Love & Bliss was this I heard the couriers speed — swift oer my frame A deadly chill presaging misery came The hand unlockd its grasp — the eye that gazd On thee with rapture bent to earth defacd Trembling I took the scroll — oh fatal day That forcd me from the scene of joys away Accursed hour that swiftly gliding saw The hapless Titus yield to Fortunes law No Time the wounds you made from hence can wear No Time no Splendour can efface Despair. Inhuman Fortune why decrees the hand To stretch its sway oer every subject land Oer others every bliss of life bestow — Yet doom the heart to pine with endless woe Why rather Nature didst thou not more kind Ordain me offspring of some rustic hind Teach me to bow the neck of labouring ox Impress the furrow guide my fathers flocks Then might some country lass my heart have won Mate not unequal for a peasants son — Willing perhaps might one my vows receive Nor then could Fortune force me to deceive Upon each act would hang no Empire’s weig[MS torn] No soulless Stoics interrupt my fate But at eves leisure hour we’d walk And there unspied & unmolested talk Talk of our future joys — & every friend For such I then should have — around attend When crownd with garlands of each rustic flower We bowd beneath the Priest to HymensGreek god of marriage. power Till at the length secure from Envys rage And bent beneath the gentle hand of age We saw around our sons a hardy train Manure the glebe & furrow all the plain Gain with their restless hands old ages store & till that land their fathers tilld before Till Time at length mature should bring the doom & sons & grandsons wait us to the tomb. Yet een than this was Titus once more blest Bliss more unsullied filld his faithful breast Een then when tyrant NerosThe Emperor Nero Claudius Caesar Drusus Germanicus (AD 37–68; reigned AD 54–68). iron hand Delugd with patriot blood the servile land When virtuous SenecaLucius Annaeus Seneca (4 BC–AD 65), philosopher and dramatist, committed suicide after being accused of involvement in the Pisonian conspiracy against Nero. bowd down his head When first of Bards immortal LucanMarcus Annaeus Lucanus (AD 39–65), author of the Pharsalia, forced to commit suicide when his involvement in the Pisonian conspiracy against the emperor Nero was discovered. bled Far from the guilty scene to me each day But witnessd Love & Pleasures softning sway Methinks each blissful room each spot I view The bower the palace hallow’d all by you That sacred bower the seat of every bliss Where first I dard to seize the glowing kiss That bower where oft fatigued with Wars red fight I gazd on thee & only felt delight Hide Memory hide the rest — that fatal bower That sent me from the arms of Love to power Oh come my Love with all thy heavn of charms Oh come once more to Love & Titus arms Come thou most fair most lovely most divine Come let thy heart responsive beat to mine I see I see thee now — those eyes no more Like gems bedimmd this perjurd man deplore No longer sad shall wear the hour away No longer Sorrow mark the livelong day I see thee now high flows my hearts warm tide I see but thee, nor heed the world beside Ah no avoid me — fly me farther yet} these lines I think are PopesA rough paraphrase of Alexander Pope (1688–1744; DNB), ‘Eloisa to Abelard’ (1717), lines 289–291. Avoid me hate me if thou canst forget} if so scratch them out & put two in their place — Fly — hate this wretch — unblest unkind unjust} I have no book to see. This wretch most wretched vainly stild august Weak would be Dutys shield to fence this heart To guard this breast from Loves resistless dart Pride Prejudice would instant quit the field And Nature & the Man be proud to yield. In vain I’d fly thee best belovd — in vain Would lose thy visage mid the courtier train Amid the gaudy show the fawning throng The weight of empire & of cares among That form appears so fair so lovd of thine So fair so lovely & which once was mine. Was! what dire imports on that word attend Can Love so blest so heavenly find an end Must such ecstatic moments haste away Will nought avail Times fatal course to stay? Rapid he fled when Titus viewd that face Now slow he lags along with leaden pace Now heavy laden with a weight of woe Longer than years of bliss the minutes go — No joys no peaceful moments eer await The hapless Titus mid the pomp of state. Can Pomp assuage these burning pangs? or eer Teach Memory to forget that thou art fair? Can Splendor eer efface from Titus breast That Berenice was kind & he was blest? Ah no. in vain the tempting harlots face Puts on each smile & each alluring grace Each smile each grace alluring but recall How much my Berenice exceeds them all. How blest would Titus (best belovd) to thee Fly from this weight of cares & misery The noise of courts the voice of Fame despise And seek for favor only in thy eyes! Hid in obscurity in silence blest Of all that heavn can give in thee possest No hovering clouds of care would intervene No Fear no Jealousies pollute the scene Content & Bliss should seek our secret grove & every joy be centerd found in Love Perhaps sweet offspring of connubial bliss Our children climb to gain the fathers kiss Away sweet scene — no more torment this breast Be all the senseless store now confest Come rigid Duty triumph in thy sway I must be wretched but I will obey Rome spacious streets red drenchd with Roman gore Titus Vespasians love shall neer deplore No widows heartfelt groans for him arise No orphans curses pierce the avenging skies If Titus died DomitianTitus Flavius Domitianus (AD 51–96; reigned AD 81–96), younger brother of Titus. must succeed But neer will I resign for Rome to bleed. Supremely wretched as supremely great Still will I drag along this load of state Oppressd with Miserys weight I still will bear Bane of each hour the image of my fair With Roman Pride will seek to steel my mind And most unhappy strive to bless mankind.

————No widows ... ————: Written in right hand margin of fol. 1 r.

<Of these epistles a few words. four years back I wrote one from B. to Titus & began an answer. the only copy I had was with all my earliest pieces in a foul book, I lent this to one whom I conceivd would take care of it. the book was lost to my eternal sorrow for all in it is bad. & I have reason to think it is still preservd — so some time hence these cursed rhymes will rise up in judgement against me. the epistle was very bad & I could only recollect the beginning — the two first lines as they now stand are all that remain of it.

you now have both & if you will add alter & correct them — by continual correction they may in time be good. the first is best. this last hardly tolerable. I will hint some topics which I could wish you to touch upon. some lines in answer to those “the silent lute &c. wish of Titus to place Berenice upon the throne. unwilling to hold her in any other rank than that of partner in his throne. you will find many others. Beaumont & FletcherFrancis Beaumont (1584/5–1616; DNB) and John Fletcher (1579–1625; DNB) collaborated on a number of plays. wrote plays together. — surely it more practicable to write poems.

you will wonder at this crammd sheet after last nights inability to proceed. but idleness is the worst of companions. I want employment & know you like a long letter.

you will let me hear from you soon & do say how affairs go on in London & send me the names of the prisoners in the tower.The rumour that some British radicals had been imprisoned in the Tower of London was false, and dismissed in the Times, 5 December 1792. surely it is better to run mad with politics than to turn maniac or frantic. next Tuesday begins a new year. I expect a good epistle from you upon that day & promise you one which I shall set about immediately upon concluding this. remember however that I hope to hear from by return of Post. will you send me the ode you did for your brother quique pii vates & Phœbo digna locuti.Virgil (70–19 BC), Aeneid, Book 6, line 662. The Latin translates as ‘good bards, whose songs were meet for Phoebus’. you shall have plenty in return of all sorts. I have a tolerable Satire addrest to you but cannot send it by the Post upon this levelling subject — another in embrio upon the grand Leveller Death. say what you will he puts all upon an equality & may one day (no matter how soon) level me with the well wiggd Doctors & well titled champions of Aristocracy. it is very seldom I hear from you — so I remain like a solitary oyster feeding upon thought — a most unsubstantial diet. in this hoggish city my acquaintances are few my friends fewer. friends however I have elsewhere & what need to care for the world beside? let the world wag how it will — let Despotism triumph or Freedom prevail I will still use my pen if I can in peace — if I must quit it for the musquet it is but cutting off a few years perhaps of disappointed hopes.>Of these epistles ... hopes: Inserted in the margins of fol. 1 r.

<For your friendly invitation & that of Collins accept my best thanks & make my excuse to them. remember me to your Brother likewise — 1792 is expiring — good god how many events have transpird — from the fall of GualbertusJohn Gualbert (c. 995–1073), founder of the Vallombrosian order. The pseudonym ‘Gualbertus’ was used by Southey for his controversial attack on flogging as an invention of the devil in the fifth issue of The Flagellant (29 March 1792). to that of Louis!Southey is comparing his expulsion from Westminster School, for publishing an essay against flogging, with the indictment of Louis XVI (1754–1793; reigned 1774–1792) on 11 December 1792. Louis was executed on 21 January 1793. from my libel upon rod to Paines upon sceptres! Southey is comparing his essay against flogging in The Flagellant, no. 5 (29 March 1792), 75–89, with Thomas Paine (1737–1809; DNB), The Rights of Man, the second part of which appeared in 1792. of all this more by Tuesday. my letter shall reach you then. are you in any of these tremendous associations? our church wardens have devised a curious test all loyal subjects are desird to sign their names to an address. such is their artifice that to my knowledge they made a child of ten years old write his name. thus they mean to know those who believe not in the divine right &c. never shall the name of your friend be prostituted so basely.>For your ... so basely: Inserted at top of fol. 1 r.