776. Robert Southey to Barbara Seton [fragment], [28 April 1803] ⁠* 

Throughout the winter I had a complaint of my eyes, which I may fairly estimate at a hundred pounds loss. This was an evil – spring is come & the complaint is better. I have pored over Chronicles till they have made me ten times more in love with Portugal than ever, & I often push on another page that I may the sooner have occasion to return there. This will be in the winter of next year. My Uncle, I hope, is fixed there. He does not at least talk of removing, & the factory have at last raised his salary, which they ought to have done ten years ago. When once I set foot upon Portuguese ground again, I do not soon quit it.         .         .         It would be hard to say how much of my history [1]  is done, so many parts are begun at once & so much miscellaneous matter collected – but I think the full labour of two quartoes is gone thro, tho not one in a straight forward course. I could show you some passages of such fine & noble incident as would make the tears start. God Almighty what a people they were – & what they are come to! Fernam Lopez [2]  the Chronicler whom I am now at work with, is I think a more delightful writer than Froissart [3]         .         .         .