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Huntington Library, HM 2962. Previously published: Kenneth Curry (ed.), New Letters of Robert Southey, 2 vols (London and New York, 1965), I, pp. 531–532 [where the correspondent is identified as James Ballantyne]Dating note: the letter is misdated 1801 by Southey.
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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I believe every State paper of importance will be referred to in the History of the year, & given
all in the Appendix, unless its whole substance has been incorporated in the text.ipsissima verba
With respect to the list of books,
Concerning the Biography,wer
have hitherto partaken too much of the nature of Magazines, – that is to say, that great part of their contents might with equal
propriety have appeared in another place, – whereas it would be better if they confined themselves wholly to the affairs of the
year, every year being now abundantly fertile in materials. Instead therefore of promiscuous or arbitrary biography I should
recommend exclusively, the Necrology of the year, – persons enough who have made themselves remarkable are annually dropping off.
I do not mean any attempt at a general Obituary (for in that the Gent: Magazine is likely to remain unrivalled, & one of the
kind is enough) – but merely the lives of remarkable persons, – & if literary men, – a general review of their works may fitly
form a part. – I have promised to write a life of Nelsonwith con amore,
The 17th Chapter is written,th Chapter,will
<would> be to <th> work that I should possess this document. Meantime the expectation occasions no delay on
my part, – & I have no doubt of compleating my work by the end of April, at latest, probably a week or ten days ear
sooner. I calculate upon 23 Chapters in all,
It would be saying to little to say that I have found this Registering less irksome in its heavy parts than I had
anticipated, – it has interested me very much, & I have gone on with it with heartily & earnestly, with no
other dissatisfaction than what occasionally & unavoidably arose from the want of sufficient documents. A man who delivers his
opinions with conscientious sincerity cannot but be gratified when he has an opportunity of delivering them with effect. With
these feelings I shall very willingly continue to perform execute the charge which you have entrusted to my hands.
I hope you received King Ramiro.