The Collected Letters of Robert Southey. Part 2: 1798-1803 A Romantic Circles Electronic Edition Southey, Robert, 1774-1843 Lynda Pratt Romantic Circles General Editor, Neil Fraistat General Editor, Steven E. Jones Technical Editor Laura Mandell 2011-08-15 rce397 letterEEd.26.388 Romantic Circles, http://www.rc.umd.edu, University of Maryland College Park, MD August 15, 2011

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National Library of Wales, MS 4811D. Not previously published.

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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388. Robert Southey to Charles Watkin Williams Wynn, 13 March 1799 MS: National Library of Wales, MS 4811DUnpublished. March 13. 99. My dear Wynn

I was heartily rejoiced at your Uncles & Brothers escape.Wynn’s older brother, Sir Watkin Williams Wynn (1772–1840; DNB), and uncle, Thomas Grenville (1755–1846), had survived the shipwreck of the Proserpine off Heligoland on 31 January 1799. it never occurred to me till your letter arrived that you might be mistaken for your brother. − of Ediths brother we have no account − & I have little hope. − he was bound from Porto to Dublin & off both coasts many vessels have been wrecked. What a life is a Sailors!

I congratulate you on vacating Old SarumWynn had been returned unopposed as MP for Montgomeryshire on 14 March 1799. He had previously represented the notorious rotten borough of Old Sarum. for a more respectable seat − & the pauperIn his ‘Inscription. For a Monument at Old Sarum’, Morning Post, 1 May 1799, Southey claimed that the town only contained one old pauper, who had the right to return two MPs. In fact, Old Sarum had no inhabitants at all and the handful of electors were all non-resident. also is to be congratulated − as I suppose he will cram another thirty pounds for your successor.

As you are in Wales I have not sent my Poems Poems (1799). to London for you. would you have them sent by way of Shrewsbury with the same directions as this Letter?

In the summer I must go [MS torn] to the sea & should on all accounts prefer the coast of N[MS torn] the distance, for which reason I think rather of [MS torn] become a very weather-cock & feel these easte[MS torn] sickly vegetable. I wish the coast of ArionArion was a legendary Greek musician saved by dolphins when he jumped into the sea to avoid being murdered by his ship’s crew. Southey could, therefore, be referring to the coast of western Greece, the site of the story. & [MS torn] heights were nearer. mountain exercise & sea [MS torn] brace me again − but at present I sadly want bracing.

The first act of Queen MarySouthey’s proposed tragedy, set during the reign of Mary I (1516–1558; reigned 1553–1558; DNB). See Common-Place Book, ed. John Wood Warter, 4 series (London, 1849–1850), IV, pp. 190–192. puzzles me. I have the beginning − but the succeeding scenes do not occur to please me.

Pray have you seen in the Courier a song for the Prince of Wales Catch Club by Robert Southey Esq.!‘On a Golden Cup, with Embossed Figures, Dedicated to the God of Mirth by the Harmonic Club’, Courier, 11 March 1799. there may be a maker of songs undoubtedly by that name, but I wish he would contrive to distinguish himself from me, who am not a maker of songs.

What think you of St Januarias adopting the new principles.The reference is obscure. St Januarius (d. c. 305?), Bishop of Benevento and martyr, was the patron saint of Naples, which had become a French client-republic in January 1799. A popular conservative uprising followed, directed by Cardinal Fabrizio Ruffo (1744–1827). Southey may be referring to these events. do you think the Archbishops have not figured very respectably in this age of revolution.

We are growling at the Income Bill. it is better than the triple assessment − but framed with almost inconceivable absurdity.Income tax had been announced at the rate of 10% for incomes over £200 pa in December 1798. This replaced the ‘Triple Assessment’ of 1798, which had increased existing taxes on houses, carriages etc. by multiples of between two and five, depending on taxpayers’ wealth. if you & I could but change eyes how differently would the prospect [MS torn] alike to both. the farmers like the bill for it does not fall [MS torn]mmercial men growl the most, & those who on [MS torn]ectably . it is particularly hard on those who from [MS torn]y be saving something for a family. what will be [MS torn]ures? there is need to fast & pray for a few [MS torn] illumination to keep the people in good humour.

God bless you − yrs affectionately R Southey