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MS untraced; text is taken from Robert Galloway Kirkpatrick, ‘The Letters of Robert Southey to Mary Barker From 1800 to 1826’ (unpublished PhD, Harvard, 1967), pp. 5-8. Previously published: John Wood Warter (ed.), Selections from the Letters of Robert Southey, 4 vols (London, 1856), I, pp. 176–180 [dated Lisbon 1801 and 21 October 1801].
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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What shall I say – what will you say – of my
long & abominable silence? – Will two long journies
Of the campaign in Portugal you can have
formed but very imperfect ideas. No General ever brought an
enemy so soon to terms as the Duke de Lafoeshis headquarters. The army had neither food nor
ammunition. He indeed sent carriers to bring him water from
the Fonte da Praia here for his own drinking – & this
was the only instance of any supplies being sent. When
tidings were brought him of the Enemys movements he clapped
his hands to his head – O my God what can Luiz Pinto
When the wise rulers of this country combined
with other wise rulers in this wise war, they said they were
going to be Pall-bearers at the funeral of France. they
digged a pit – you know the text,
And there I left off – & we embarked –
& here I am in the Bay of Biscay as deplorable an object
as you can picture. Surely old Beelzebub must have a large
navy manned by sea-sick souls – it were a braver punishment
than any that ever Dantequarto edition of Joan of
Arc;composition, to use a painters
phrase, tho well painted & in colors that will not fade.
in dramatic or epic writing all visions are faulty. if they
anticipate they do harm – if not – to what purpose are they
there? the one in question in about one thousand lines does
not carry on the action of the poem one minute, & it
might have been extended to any length. I cannot think a
mole would improve a womans face tho it had the colors of
the rainbow or the peacocks tail. You have perhaps by this
time seen Thalaba, who must now be about a month old;
Here Miss Barker is the half written sheet which has been lying in my desk, & travelling in my pocket book now nearly six months. I send it – to help my last in pleading pardon – & because it contains some Portugueze anecdotes. there is room enough in the sheet for memoirs of myself.
I came here in consequence of an invitation from Mr. Corry, to be his private Secretary. a good situation, & promising future fortune. I have been here just a week, & daily expect to return to England, – My way must be straight to Keswick for Edith, & thence to London. I hope & believe you will write me – something that shall be like a good natured look & a friendly shake by the hand. direct it Keswick – Cumberland. – & let me find it on my arrival.
Give me an introduction to Charlotte
Smith