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National Library of Wales, MS 4811D. Previously published: Adolfo Cabral (ed.), Robert Southey: Journals of a Residence in Portugal 1800-1801 and a Visit to France 1838 (Oxford, 1960), pp. 160-162.
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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It is unreasonably long since a letter has
past between us – my excuse is probably more valid than
yours – I have been a twenty days journey into the country –
to Torres Vedras, Caldas, Alcobaça, Batalha, Leiria,
Coimbra, Ourem, Thomar, Abrantes & Santarem the last
eighty miles down the Tagus.I have (florid
Gothic as this is) I have seen ornaments crowded together,
neither beautiful seperately nor grouped – the grotesque is
usually prevalent – but here like every thing in Emanuels
reign – it is as if Rafaellecommanded a part to be hammered away to convince
themselves that it was not a plaister joined to the stone!
The perfect preservation of the stone is quite unaccountable. it has stood for 300 years unroofed & exposed to the weather – yet the work is as sharp as if the chissel had just left it. not a blade of grass or of moss has rooted there, nor one lichen cankered it. I have heard it surmized that the architect by some unknown varnish hardened the stone. stone of the same colour & which coming from a near quarry may be supposed to be the same – moulders away in half a century. – We have larger buildings in England, & churches perhaps as fine – not finer, nor do I recollect any of such simple grandeur. but the unfinished chapels of Emanuel are certainly of unique excellence. there is nothing elsewhere like them.
Alcobaca is of more historical interest than
Batalha. It is a huge mixture of old magnificence &
modern meanness – old & new Portugal. The tombs of Pedro
& Ignezxxx
Bernardinesmilk or ho
lupins.
We not only saw the country – but all the
inhabitants. they crowded to see our caravan. a fine boy of
about 13 stopt on his way to school to look at us one
morning. I looked at his book – the only one he learnt – it
was – Directions for a converted sinner. one night we passed
in a salt-fish warehouse – some of our party literally upon
piles of that savoury article. yet we slept sweetly. good humour & good
spirits are necessary to travel here – every where they are
useful – but here there is no travelling without them. – On
Tuesday I set out for Algarve. thro Evora (the seat of
Sertorius
The History.
There will yet be time for a letter to reach me. let me hear from you once more. I looked with some eagerness for your news on my return.