My dear Wynn
You will find me at Keswick. we arrived
here on Wednesday. the Monday we breakfasted, owing to a
chaise-accident, at a delightful little alehouse overlooking
the Dee & within three miles of Wynnstay. twas my
first introduction to the famous old river.
The Moallakat [1] appears to
me more tolerable than any thing that has yet appeared of
Oriental poetry. bad enough it is, yet there are some
passages of nice description. After reading all that Sir
Wm Jones [2] had translated, & all thought & dreamt
about the orientals I cannot but think that his genius has
been much over-rated. learning indeed he had equal to his
ostentation, but a taste truly miserable.
This country is very beautiful – but very
cold. it disappoints expectation. you will look for larger
lakes & loftier mountains. the more I see them the more
they become objects of admiration. but Skiddaw is a dwarf to
Monchique – & I wish myself again at Cintra.
God bless you.
yrs truly
RS
Sunday evening.
Notes* Endorsement: Aug 1801
MS: National
Library of Wales, MS 4811D
Unpublished.
Dating
note: Southey’s letter to Grosvenor Bedford of
Wednesday, 19 August 1801, Letter 599, stated he would
leave for Keswick on the following Saturday, 22 August
and arrive on ‘about’ Tuesday, 25 August. As this letter
was written the following ‘Sunday evening’ it should be
dated 30 August 1801. BACK [1] A series of seven Arabian poems. Southey
read them in translation in The Works of Sir
William Jones, 6 vols (London, 1799), IV,
pp. 244-335, and made notes; see Common-Place
Book, ed. John Wood Warter, 4 series
(London, 1849–1850), IV, pp. 106-107. BACK [2] Sir William Jones (1746-1794;
DNB), Britain’s foremost
orientalist. BACK |
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