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British Library, Add MS 47888. Previously published: Kenneth Curry (ed.), New Letters of Robert Southey, 2 vols (London and New York, 1965), II, pp. 73-76.
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.
Any dashes occurring in line breaks have been removed.
Because of web browser variability, all hyphens have been typed on the U.S. keyboard.
Dashes have been rendered as a variable number of hyphens to give a more exact rendering of their length.
Southey’s spelling has not been regularized.
Writing in other hands appearing on these manuscripts has been indicated as such, the content recorded in brackets.
& has been used for the ampersand sign.
£ has been used for £, the pound sign
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Coleridge dined here yesterday, in good health & spirits. It will be
a fortnight before he leaves town at least, for on Sunday Oct 3 we dine together with Stuart & on Saturday the 9th following, with Dr Stanger.xxx ask him any questions because the servant was before us lighting him to the
door. Tomorrow morning I shall see him again. Of the Morgans I heard nothing
yesterday of course, Gooch & Grosvenor Bedford being here.
My own business is going on well. Mr B.r Stanger: & then by Gods blessing another fortnight will set me free. About my Laureateship nothing more
has been done. I apprehend however that nothing will be lost by the delay, for that the salary will commence from the death of the last
occupant. Should there be a levee when Parliament meets I must make my appearance at <it> in bag sword & ruffles!! with all
which the Doctor can rig me out, thus saving an expence of no less than
thirty pounds.
I am sorry you had any hesitation about the number of the Magazine,it is always to be had upon sending for it. Miss Malone is
exceedingly welcome to it.
Today I shall look for Robert. I have to call on Lord W
Gordon
The inclosed draft is for my Quarterly article, which having been printed for the present number, stands over for the
succeeding one. Of course I care nothing about this arrangement, but am glad to receive payment for the sake of thus remitting a supply
to you. I shall bring home with me plenty, or send it before me. – My seal is cut & you shall have a sample of it upon this letter:
so also is a very pretty smaller one with the crest, which is intended to hang at your watch: & I have ordered another for you,
which is a fit & proper seal for my wife, of which but which will not please Herbert quite so well as it will you.
Mrs Rickman is in the country so that I have not seen her. Mrs Turnerxxx xxx xxx xx xxx particularly concerning you both she & her husband speaking with great pleasure of the time we past with them at Cheshunt.
Yesterday I saw Sir Humphry & Lady
Davy who had arrived in town the day before & are going abroad in about a fortnight, with the special permission of the
French Government. Davy ought not to have asked it; – but he has long been going
wrong. His wife (who by the by tells all her female friends they cannot imagine how well Sir Humphry looks in his night-cap) seems to be full ten years his elder, & never can have been handsome. I called at
Miss Berry’s.
My dispute with Ballantyne is ending well as far as the point
in dispute; & I am making an attempt to recover the cost of my share.xxx farewell.
Three o clock. – It is not a little amusing to discover when any thing friendly is to be done by men in power, how many
are desirous of having a share in it. You remember Toms promotion was a sort of joint concern between Herries, & Croker &
poor Mr Perceval.m Gordon, & was not a little surprized to learn that the whole affair of the Laureateship was
left to him! Lady Wm is sister to the Marchioness of Hertford,m is to have
the credit of giving it. All this is comical enough. However he is a very good natured man, & has taken the trouble of calling upon
me three times to tell me this, & it costs me nothing to say I am much obliged to him, which is all he wants: & when you see
him which you will do before my return you may say the same.
I saw Robert this morning, looking remarkably [MS torn]ll, but not taller than Hartley & with almost [MS torn] much beard, tho of a different colour. I gave him [MS torn] pounds for an immediate supply. Pople was not at home. [MS torn] been unwell & spends much of his time in the country for the change of air.
Love to all. My next will probably be directed to the Moon.