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. Previously published: Charles Cuthbert Southey (ed.), Life and Correspondence of Robert Southey, 6 vols (London, 1849–1850), I, pp. 334–336 [in part; where it is dated 29 May 1798].
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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th (an unfortunate day for this country.)
I am writing from Ormsby, the dwelling place
of Mr Manning,
Mr Manning is a little
man, about sixty, he seems to possess great good nature,
& much benevolence. as a dissenter he was born to
principles of civil & religious liberty, & it is no
small merit in a rich dissenter to have adhered to those
principles. his two daughters are married; they are
accomplished women, at least I conclude so, for the house is
decorated with their drawings which are very good. One of
them I have seen; she is somewhat deaf, & has that
estimable reserve which makes acquaintance difficult. her
appearance is interesting, she is not handsome but there is
that in her bright grey eyes which is better than beauty,
intelligence & feeling. I cannot much like her husband –
he seems good natured but I should not judge him capable of
that affection necessary to make such a woman happy. Were I
a woman, with my present feelings, I do not think I should
ever marry, for men are sad beasts.
The ci-devant governess of the daughters
still lives with Mr & Mrs Manning. I am very much pleased with
her. She is not young & never was handsome; but she has
good sense, information & great good nature. if you can
conceive Mrs Foxthree xx
alterations & some liveliness, you will have a tolerable
idea of Miss Marshall, the tones of their voices are
alike.rs Manning has a lethargic complaint, it
prevents her from saying much, but she is attentive &
friendly. so much for the inhabitants of Ormsby.
This part of England looks as if Nature had
wearied herself with adorning the rest with hill & dale,
& squatted down here to rest herself. you must even
suppose a very Dutch looking Nature to have made it of such
pancake flatness. an unpromising country; & yet Edith I could be
very happy with such a home as this. I am looking from the
window over green fields as far as I can see, no great
distance, x the hedges are
all grubbed up in sight of the house which produces a very
good effect, a few firs, acacias, white thorns & other
trees are scattered about. a walk goes all round, with a
beautiful hedge of laylocks – laburnums, the gueldres rose,
barbary shrubs &c &c. Edith you would
not wish a sweeter scene, & being here I wish for
nothing but you. half an hours walk would reach the sea
shore. I had almost forgot one with whom I am more intimate
than any other part of the family – Rover – a noble dog –
something of the spaniel, but huge as a mastiff, & his
black & brindled hair curling close – almost like a
Ladies wig. a very sympathizing dog I assure you, for he
will not only shake his
hands. but if I press his paw, return the pressure. moreover
there is excellent Nottingham ale,r Mannings son in laws Hoods beverage! how could I
chuse but like it? it is sweet & strong – very strong, a
little made me feel this.
In Yarmouth I saw but one woman who pleased me. Mrs Edmund Hurry.a highly
cultivated mind & manners. she is the only female there
whose good opinion is worth having or from whose society I
could derive pleasure – & I
was sorry to find that she disliked society. her fxxxxxx
xxxx xxxxxxx xx xxxx I could have wished to have
seen more of her; she confines herself chiefly to her own
family; the society at Yarmouth is not such as suits her; like the East
winds of the coast it is too rude for her. she endures much
ill health, & this with the people kind of people among whom it is her lot to
dwell has induced that kind of misanthropy which exists only
in the better class of minds, & which would have made us
assimilate had time allowed. I speak of her from Burnetts
account. I saw but little of her, enough to be prepossessed
in her favour.
The society at Yarmouth is
certainly bad enough. the men are mere sailours – the women
mere sailours wives & daughters. yet in the
neighbourhood of Martinr Manning seems much attached to him,
perhaps even over-rates his merits. he wishes him to be a
frequent guest here, to make it his place of study, &
come often for a months residence. he is a good old man. I
am very comfortable here Edith – but my
heart is always wandering – think you that I should
otherwise have sent you so many sheets full of nothing?
The cows in this country have no horns. this I think a great improvement in the breed of horned cattle; & this kind is found most productive. another peculiarity about Yarmouth is the number of arches formed by the jaw bones of a whale. they trade much with Greenland there. the old walls & old gates of the town are yet standing. the town is certainly a pleasing one. I left it however with pleasure to enjoy the quietness of Ormsby, & I shall leave Ormsby with equal pleasure for the society of Norwich. in short every movement is agreable because it brings me homewards.
We went yesterday in the morning to the ruins
of Caister Castle, once the seat of Fastollfe, where
defeated at Patay & disgraced in consequence of his
flight, he retired to quarrel with his neighbours.
At Ormsby I could have remained with
pleasure. Miss Marshal would make any place pleasant – she
has a compleat ascendancy over all the family, such as
superiour ability & good nature, will everywhere attain
to. moreover she has quick feelings & no nasty
affectation. I told her the story of Kosciusko & the
gingerbread baker.r William Taylors. Surrey Street.
Norwich. & Edith write & tell me how you
are. I do not go to Cambridge as Amos Cottle will
have left it.