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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. 43–44.
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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Southey's spelling has not been regularized.
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My brother will
send off his books to you immediately. they are only to be
left with Mr Dash at the Navy
Office.
Respecting Edward there is
this to be ascertained. are the holydays at St Pauls at Whitsuntide or not? if they are, &
it is the case at the great public schools this is holyday
time. if you will be good enough to call on Dr Robertsr, &
introduce him as the boy of whom Mr
Maber had apprized him. this was in 1796 – but in
the last autumn he told me nothing more than <was> necessary. I
wish to know where the boys are boarded & the expence.
my
Uncle seemed to think there were boarding houses
as at Westminster,
The character
<conduct> of Judas Iscariot affords an argument
against Xtianity because he must have seen the moral
excellence & the miraculous powers of Jesus, & in
that case must have knowingly acted to his own damnation; a
madness seemingly impossible. to this the answer may be that
like his countrymen he might impute miracles to magic. Judas
was evidently predestined to his guilt; the doctrine of
universal restitution enables us to reconcile this to the
Goodness & Justice of Deity – yet is it still a
difficulty.
Another objection to Xtianity is the prophecy
of Jesus which is explained to relate to the destruction of
Jerusalem tho its obvious meaning is the end of the
world.
The only other objection which has any weight
relates to the Jewish dispensation. the extermination of the
Canaanites & the human sacrifice of Agag.
We will talk of these subjects, & as you
have the advantage of Dr Heys
I shall be in town Apr. 30.
Tuesday.