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Beinecke Library, Yale University, Gen MSS 298 Series 1, Folder 17. Previously published: John Wood Warter (ed.), Selections from the Letters of Robert Southey, 4 vols (London, 1856), II, pp. 42–44.
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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Inclosed is a draft on Longman for fifty pounds. It is superfluous to accompany it with expressions of thankfulness which never can be satisfactorily expressed; – & it will be better to proceed with a brief statement of my affairs in the Row, – where all my property, such as it is is vested.
The system of foregoing immediate profit in expectation of greater ultimate advantage, will I trust soon begin to
operate well. It obliged me however (chiefly on account of the ill sale of Madoc, by which I gained only 25 £ –) to have money in
advance of Longman. 100 £ when I was last in town, 200 £ this year. To set against this there is the current edition of
Espriella,not to be almost certain will turn the balance in
my favour, & shall then have to look on to the profits of Palmerin
It appears therefore that the other works which I have to bring forth in the ensuing year may so far be considered
as supererogatory, that I have good reason to think their whole profits may be left untouched; that is, that they may be applied
to les towards liquidating my debt with you. The first volume of the Brazilian Historyxxx befriend me in this matter.
Another work which I have in contemplation will be equally profitable, & its sale equally certain, – that of my
travels in Portugal.
You may have seen my intention of editing Mort Arthur announced.only little time, & that employed in such a way as to be pure relaxation
& amusement.
Last of my plans are two additional volumes of Espriella – who comes to England again for this purpose.
I am very anxious to hear how you have fared in this general wreck at Lisbon; – & have some hope that as British property was not seized your loss may have been lighter than you apprehended. I must look to you also for news of my Lisbon friends; – from my Uncle I have only had one hurried letter – & Harry has not written a word to me since his return.
As soon as Edith’s confinement takes place, we look for it towards the
end of January, I move for London.prolapsus ani,
Young Edith thrives. Herbert is not so stout as we could wish him, he has however, no complaint – & seems to promise well. – This is a letter of business – I shall hear from you on its receipt, & will then write to you more in the way of leisure about all my literary projects &c –