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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. 189–190 [in part; one paragraph].
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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now Selim
how the Bishop would stare to hear of an Epicurean Xtian — or a
republican one. these good old orthodox wiggipotentates when they rail at
speculation appear to me like so many owls looking at the sun & hooting
with rage. Horseley
You see in what a increasing epistolary cue I am going on — hand & head
equally willing but poor eyes unable — if I should get blind — Homer Ossianexecutors — there, a pun spoilt in the execution — that last makes
amend. I am going to bed well pleasd with myself — to dream of you &
heaven & happiness unless the dæmon of dismal dreams pops under my
pillow & harrows up my heart with some of his chimeras — oh if life were
all one agreable dream — or rather if death were — would there be a crime in
taking laudanum as an opiate? good night.
——————
Grosvenor I shall burst — such a catastrophe — such an enterprize — such a fall — Charles Collins — the sober prudent discreet Charles Collins! of all men in the world the one who could shrug up his shoulders at the Flagellant to think that he should expose himself & become the standing jest of Christ Church the genteel college. write to him pity him condole him laugh at him. I shall run mad with the idea.
Grosvenor would you believe it — Charles Collins was a member of a society entituled Societas scientium literariorum studiosorum Oxoniensium — instituted for the purposes of debating & (as Wynn says) forming a library to rival the Bodleian. this had been laudable in private. but they draw up a quarto volume of statutes & institutes & march up for the Vice Chancellors permission to obtain a room for public debating!!!!!! he replied (most memorable reply!)
The Vice Chancellor cannot prevent you from making yourselves fools in private but he will assuredly take care that you shall not disgrace the University by doing it in public!!!!!!!!!!
poor Collins one
of the two C Church members is so ridiculed! Combe tells me — the Dean &
Hall laugh at him & SAWKINS
now is our pretty Plato to be pitied or laughd at? must he be elegized or odified? or be sung in villainous ballads to a scurvey tune? I would walk to Oxford & back for the sake of five minutes laugh. the FLAGELLANT — is revenged. the cubic sage is flagellated — is not this grand & sublime — oh that we could both meet for one hour to write a letter — SAWKINS laughing at CHARLES COLLINS.
——————
Jael
<Agag.>
poor Grosvenor! how lamentably will you be puzzled with this pretty cross
window writing! did you never when you was a child delight in having cross
windows cut upon your bread & butter? I remember the day when it was
luxury to me, bread & butter with brown sugar & glass windows
was an indulgence which delighted me in days when I <was> more
ignorant & more happy. these kind of pleasures are neither sensual nor
mental: appropriate to an age when we are happily ignorant of both. that age was
the happiest I have yet enjoyed — & in all human probability the
happiest I ever shall enjoy. my grandmothernée Bradford. Her first husband was John Tyler, her second, Edward
Hill. She lived at Bedminster, near Bristol.
I have been reading Courtney Melmoths Liberal Opinions
– CCs club ha! ha!
two letters in one week upon the subject! pretty Plato.