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Bodleian Library, MS Eng. Lett. c. 22. Previously published: Charles Cuthbert Southey (ed.), Life and Correspondence of Robert Southey, 6 vols (London, 1849–1850), I, pp. 184–188 [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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Never talk to me of obstinacy — for contrary to all the dictates
of sound sense — long custom & inclination I have spoilt a sheet of
paper by cutting it to the shape of your fancy. Accuse me not of irascibility —
for I wrote to you ten days back & though you have never vouchsafed an
a<n>swer am rewriting with all the mildness & goodness of
a philosopher. Call me Job — for I am without cloaths
know then most indolent of mortals that my baggage is not yet arrived — that I am fearful of its safety & <yet> less troubled than all the rest of the family who cry out loudly upon my puppet-show dress & desire I will write to enquire concerning it. favour me then as soon as possible with the when you sent it & the how — on what day — by what conveyance & from whence the conveyance departed. perhaps business may extort a line from you.
now I am much inclined to fill this sheet & that with
verse, but I punish myself to torment you — you shall have half a prose letter.
the college bells are dinning the Kings proclamationrd Philosopher dreams of an immense treasure under the
column that held the magic mirror — timber scaffolding props the column
& when the workmen have dug till the column is solely supported by the
timber — the three Philosophers set fire to it & run away. down drops
the glass & is broken. in consequence Hannibal conquers the Romans
& they pour melted lead down the throat of Crœsus in revenge —
now good night — egregious nonsense execrably written is all you merit — o my cloaths — o Joan —
Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh P.
this may perhaps pass one of yours or of your brothers on the road — I have been long expecting to hear from you — the history of Philosophy tho amusing & replete with instruction is yet too mystical to dwell upon for any length of time — is it not one proof of human absurdity that men possessed of the talents of Plato Aristotle & Epicurus should rather advance nonsense respecting theology & cosmogeny than fairly <confess> their ignorance & the unimportance of the subject? to deny the existence of a Deity were impossible — & to suppose that Deity otherwise than perfect — were contradictory to Reason. thus far Reason can lead us with safety — she can likewise judge from the benignity of an all good creator in what manner Man may act most gratifying to all-mighty benevolence — this is real Philosophy — but when Fancy thrusts herself into the throne of Reason & boldly leads into the regions of abstraction metaphysics & absurdity — instead of admiring the ingenuity we should rather lament abilities so perverted.
Of the various sects that once adorned the republic of Athens to me that of Epicurus whilst it maintained its original purity appears most consonant to human Reason — I am not speaking of his metaphysics & atomary system they are (as all cosmogonies must be) ridiculous, but of that system of ethics & pleasure combined which he taught in the garden — when the Philosopher declared that the ultimate design of life is happiness & happiness consists in virtue — he laid the foundation of a system which might have benefitted mankind — his life was the most temperate — his manners the most affable displaying that urbanity which cannot fail of attracting esteem.
Plotinusroyal highness
would give him a ruined city in Campania — which he might rebuild &
people with Philosophers governed by the laws of Plato — from whom the city
should be called Platonopolis. Gallienus who was himself an elegant scholar —
was pleased with the plan but his friends dissuaded him from the experiment. the
design would certainly have proved impracticable in that declining &
degenerate age — most probably in any age — new visionary enthusiasts would have
been continually arising — fresh sects formd & each would have been
divided & subdivided till all was anarchy — yet I cannot help wishing
the experiment had been tried — it could not have been productive of evil
& we might at this period have received instruction from the history of
Platonopolis.
under the Antonines
I could rhapsodize most delightfully upon this subject — plan out
my city — such a city — no palaces no hovels — all simplex munditusbaiting
<correcting> a few of Platos absurdities with some of my own)
& almost deifying Alcæus