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Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, University of Texas, Austin. Previously published: Charles Ramos, The Letters of Robert Southey to John May: 1797–1838 (Austin, Texas, 1976), pp. 41–43.
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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Southey's spelling has not been regularized.
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My better plan respecting Edward will be
when I am next in London to call on Dr
Roberts, the Master of St Pauls,
Dr
Thomas has written to me. he says he has struggled
hard to preserve Miss Tylers estates for better times, that he has
raisd the rentals, which will make <them> sell better
if they must be sold – that till her affairs be settled he
will supply her with money as it comes into his hands, or
before, if it can be done with any convenience to himself.
“Yet (he adds) every thing that can be done will be of no
avail unless she will resolutely determine to live within
her income.” – how all this
business can be settled I know not – as her embarrasments
become more pressing she has let my Mother
know more respecting them, & she is indebted to her
friends more deeply than I supposed or than Dr
Thomas can imagine. Edward must
certainly be removed – the situation is ruinous to him. his
restraints & indulgencies are equally improper. he is
never suffered to play with his school-fellows – therefore
whenever he has been playing he comes home with a falshood
to excuse himself. he has been so much her companion that he
has all the forward tittle-tattle of an old superannuated
Master-of-the-Ceremonies. he has no diffidence, no sincerity
– the boy has
lived so much in the theatre that he is perpetually acting a
part. of me & only of me he stands in some awe – but the
moment he is out of my sight he is doing something wrong,
& neither repeated detection, reproof nor admonition
seem to have <any> effect in curing him of falshood.
Nothing can be so ruinous as living with a person whom he
does not love & does not respect. I shall be in town the
first of May & will take measures for settling him.
Mr Pine,
My Uncle
used to call Penwarnehanging hiding his money
& watch in the foot of his boot, which somebody stole
out of his bedroom one day.
Mr Maurice writes me a good account of
Harry. he finds him quick & attentive &
is about to begin French with him & mathematics. Maurices is a
very handsome letter – he seems attached to Harry
& to take an interest in bringing his talents forward.
for the holydays Harry is
invited to a Mr Mannings
I find great pleasure in the correspondence of William Taylor, his attainments are infinitely beyond those of any man whom I ever knew, & he has no parade, no ostentation of knowledge. the notice & company of such a man will greatly stimulate Harry to his studies; as not all the advice in the world could make him so sensible of the advantages derivable from them.
You will perhaps be pleased to hear that I look forward to the conclusion of Madoc. of the 15 book to which the first copy extends, 12 are finished. I almost expect to show you the whole in May. I have some prospect of seeing N Wales when our year is expired here. Wynn has some plan of that kind for me – & I much want to study the scenery of that country.
Ediths remembrance.
I break open my letter to beg you would send my
Mothers money.