The language of that political department [1] I abominate as much as you can do, &
have often pointed out its abomination to the author. [2] on the general tenor of the opinions I look with a more
favourable eye, & also on the omnifarious knowledge & powerful talent
which even thro the medium of such a style so fixes the attention &
impresses the memory. The book is not before me but from recollection I can
enumerate most of the articles which are mine. Of the travels Sauers. Mackenzie,
Pallas, Mrs Guthrie, Acerbi, Olivier Zucker, the Baptist
Mission my best article – the Spanish Tesoro, Coxes Life of Lord Walpole –
Recherches sur l’origin de l’Imprimerie Le Kains Life – Poetry by
the author of Gebir & a few other trifling ephemeræ. [3] Soulavies Memoirs [4] I learn were done by my brother Henry, how well I
cannot judge not having the volume before me. Chasteaubriands most French
book [5] is by Mrs Barbauld. so also that ill natured abuse
of poor John Woodville, [6] who
deserved sentence of hanging – with a recommendation to mercy for sundry good
things, & not to be broken on the wheel.
There seems a good deal of understrappery in
the volume, of very indifferent journeymens-work. yet on the whole it is the
best Review – for the Edinburgh is no Review at all, it never conveys xx information respecting the book reviewed.
generally speaking unless a review be analytical it is good for nothing. – Two
good instances of editorial management occurred to me in the printing this
volume — th a volume of the General
Biography [7] was
sent me – one might as well review a dictionary. I gave it half a dozen lines of
general praise, which I hope that Angel who writes short hand for the trials at
the last Assizes has not put down in his indictment against me – & I
remarked that Tom Coryat [8] the traveller
was omitted. now Dr
Aikin being the main spring of this work the book was turned over to
some body else to be noticed at length, which has accordingly been done, &
no notice taken of the omission which I had accidentally discovered. So much for
family interest. In reviewing the life of Bonaparte I had advanced reasons for
disbelieving or doubting the stories of Jaffa & the poison – God knows for
no love of the scoundrel – but I like to hate a man fairly. [9] this has been omitted. I tell you
these as anecdotes how these things are carried on. for the whole business of
reviewing I connect as little pride with it as pleasure, & am perfectly
indifferent to what becomes of my xxxxxx work
after the bill is paid.
I will look at Tyrtæus [10] & perhaps try but I am afraid the water is beyond my depth.
the Morning Post calls upon me for more rhymes. you know that Laureateship is my
best appointment. I have no heart to do any thing just now. the only subject on
which I know I could write well, is one which
upon which it would be very unwise to give vent to my feelings. Some national
songs I think of – some Epigrams I have scrawled all to one tune of which take
one for its witlessness.
Gallus et Taurus [11]
—
All Europe from one end to t’other
Of this great war is full.
God bless us heres a mighty pother
About a Cock & a Bull.
Your old countryman Owen [12] could not have resisted this
jokeling had it come in his way.
God bless you.
R S.
Notes* Address: To/ C W Williams Wynn
Esqr. M.P./ Wynnstay/ Wrexham
Endorsement: Sep
1st 1803
MS: National Library of Wales, MS
4811D
Previously published: Kenneth Curry (ed.), New Letters of
Robert Southey, 2 vols (London and New York, 1965), I, pp.
328-330 [where it is dated September 1803].
Dating note: Dated from
content. BACK [1] The political section of the Annual Review for
1802, 1 (1803). BACK [3] Southey reviewed the following in the Annual Review
for 1802, 1 (1803): Martin Sauer (dates unknown), An
Account of a Geographical and Astronomical Expedition to the Northern
Parts of Russia Performed by Joseph Billings in the Years
1785-1796 (1802), 7-17; Alexander MacKenzie (1763/4-1820;
DNB), Voyages from Montreal, on the River St
Laurence, through the Continent of North America, to the Frozen and
Pacific Oceans in the Years 1789 and 1793 (1802), 18-30; Peter
Simon Pallas (1741-1811), Travels through the Southern Provinces of
the Russian Empire, in the Years 1793 and 1794 (1802), 66-73;
Maria Guthrie (dates unknown), A Tour Performed in the Years 1795-6,
through the Taurida, or Crimea (1802), 62-66; Giuseppi Acerbi
(1773-1846), Travels through Sweden, Finland and Lapland, to the
North Cape, in the Years 1798 and 1799 (1802), 45-56; Guillaume
Antoine Olivier (1756-1814), Travels in the Ottoman Empire, Egypt and
Persia (1801), 89-101; Periodical Accounts Relative to
the Baptist Missionary Society (1800-1801), 207-218; Augustin
Louis Josse (1763-1841; DNB), El Tesoro Espanol o
Biblioteca Portatil Espanola (1802), 557-566; William Coxe
(1748-1828; DNB), Memoirs of Horatio, Lord
Walpole (1802), 599-601; Pierre Lambinet (1742-1813),
Recherches Historiques, Litteraires et Critiques sur l’Origine de
l’Imprimerie (1799), 704-711; Henri Louis Cain (1728-1778),
Memoires de Henri Louis Le Kain (1801), 595-599;
Poetry by the Author of Gebir (1802), 663-666. Southey
does not name his reviews of Frederick Augustus Fischer (1771-1829),
Travels in Spain in 1797 and 1798 (1802), 35-43 and Henry
Kett (1761-1825; DNB), Elements of General Knowledge,
Introductory to Useful Books in the Principal Branches of Literature and
Science (1802), 579-584. Nor does he name the review attributed
to him in Charles Cuthbert Southey, Life and Correspondence of Robert
Southey, 6 vols (London, 1849-1850), VI, p. 398 of Francis
Wrangham (1769-1842; DNB), Poems (1802),
655-657. BACK [4] Jean-Louis Giraud-Soulavie (1751-1813), Historical and Political
Memoirs of Louis XVI (1802), Annual Review for
1802, 1 (1803), 308-311. BACK [5] Francois-Rene de Chateaubriand
(1768-1848), Genie du Christianisme ou Beautes de la Religion
Chretienne (1802), Annual Review for 1802, 1
(1803), 247-255. BACK [6] Charles Lamb’s
John Woodvil: a Tragedy (1802), reviewed in the
Annual Review for 1802, 1 (1803), 688-692. BACK [7] John Aikin et al,
General Biography; or Lives, Critical and Historical, of the Most
Eminent Persons of all Ages, Countries, Conditions, and Professions,
Arranged According to Alphabetical Order, vol. 3 (1802),
reviewed in Annual Review for 1802, 1 (1803), 617-622.
Aikin’s son, Arthur Aikin, was
the editor of the Annual Review from 1802-1808. BACK [8] Thomas Coryate
(1577-1617; DNB), traveller and writer. BACK [9] Jean-Louis Dubroca (dates unknown), The
Life of Bonaparte, First Consul of France, from His Birth to the Peace
of Luneville. Translated from the French (1802) was reviewed in
Annual Review for 1802, 1 (1803), 623-625. As published,
the review says ‘of course no hint is given of the massacre at Jaffa, and
the more atrocious tale of the poisoned soldiers’. Napoleon Bonaparte
(1769-1821, First Consul 1799-1804, Emperor of the French 1804-1814) had
conquered Jaffa in March 1799, ordering the execution of 3,000 Turkish
soldiers. When he evacuated Jaffa on 27 May 1799 he ordered 50 or so
soldiers who could not accompany the army because they were too ill with
plague to be poisoned with laudanum – though there is no record of any of
them dying from this ‘treatment’. BACK [10] Tyrtaeus (7th century BC) was a poet who lived in Sparta. Only fragments of
his verse survive. Some of it exhorts the Spartans to bravery and was turned
into marching songs by the Spartan army. Possibly Wynn had suggested Southey
should translate some of Tyrtaeus’s verses to aid the patriotic effort in
1803. BACK [11]
Morning Post, 15 December 1803. BACK [12] Probably the
Anglo-Welsh satirist and lover of bon mots Richard Owen Cambridge
(1717-1802; DNB), Southey reviewed the posthumous edition of
his Works (1803) in the Annual Review for
1803, 2 (1804), 583-585. BACK |
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