641. Robert Southey to John Rickman,
19 December 1801
*
Saturday. 19 Dec. 1801.
Yesterday your note arrived. this morning I
have executed your commission – tho had not Xmas been so
close at hand I should probably have presented a
remonstrance against the wretched calvinistical cant of Hannah More –
& recommended any thing instead – any chance number in
Mr Lanes [1] catalogue
of novels in preference.
When I called with
Allyballycarrickoshauglin [2] at the Cockpit [3] I immediately
discovered the Goul. [4] I wish his picture were
before me – it would call up uglier phantoms than
Fuseli [5] can create xx by digesting raw pork.
My comforts are sadly lessened here. my Mother is
very ill – she will hardly live out the winter. so much of
our time & attention is necessarily taken up in a sick
room – that little is left for any thing else. – xxxx xxxxxx I continue
unemployed – except in attending Walkers Lectures. [6] in all
probability – from being no secretary at all I shall soon be
transmuted into a sort of semi-tutor. Corry is familiar
& friendly. but it is certainly odd that he has never
asked me to dinner.
farewell.
yrs
R S.
Notes
* MS:
Huntington Library, RS 18
Previously published:
Kenneth Curry (ed.), New Letters of Robert
Southey, 2 vols (London and New York, 1965),
I, pp. 264-265. BACK
[1] William Lane (1745/6-1814;
DNB), publisher of light literature
and promoter of circulating libraries. BACK
[2] The bog which Castle Rackrent looks out
over in Maria Edgeworth (1768-1849; DNB),
Castle Rackrent (1800). Southey was
presumably calling in on Rickman to leave the copies of
Castle Rackrent that Rickman had
ordered as gifts; see Rickman to Robert Southey, 5
December 1801, in Orlo Williams, Lamb’s Friend
the Census Taker. Life and Letters of John
Rickman (Boston and New York, 1912), pp.
67-68. BACK
[3] Government offices opposite Whitehall,
used by the Privy Council office, where Rickman was
directing work on the 1801 census. BACK
[4] ‘The Goul’ was a nickname for a Mr Simonds (or
Simmonds), who worked for Rickman on the 1801 Census;
see Rickman to Robert Southey, 7 November 1801, in Orlo
Williams, Lamb’s Friend the Census Taker. Life
and Letters of John Rickman (Boston and New
York, 1912), p. 58. BACK
[5] Henry
Fuseli (1741-1825; DNB), Swiss-born
artist, whose work includes ‘The Nightmare’ (1781).
Fuseli was rumoured to eat raw pork before sleeping in
order to stimulate nightmares. BACK
[6] Probably given by Adam
Walker (1730/1-1821; DNB), famed for his
lectures, especially on astronomy. BACK
