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. Previously published: Charles Cuthbert Southey (ed.), Life and Correspondence of Robert Southey, 6 vols (London, 1849–1850), I, pp. 334–336 [in part; where it is dated 29 May 1798].
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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th (an unfortunate day for this country.)
I am writing from Ormsby, the dwelling place of Mr Manning,
Mr Manning is a little man, about sixty, he seems to possess great good nature, & much
benevolence. as a dissenter he was born to principles of civil & religious liberty, & it is no small merit in a rich dissenter
to have adhered to those principles. his two daughters are married; they are accomplished women, at least I conclude so, for the house
is decorated with their drawings which are very good. One of them I have seen; she is somewhat deaf, & has that estimable reserve
which makes acquaintance difficult. her appearance is interesting, she is not handsome but there is that in her bright grey eyes which
is better than beauty, intelligence & feeling. I cannot much like her husband – he seems good natured but I should not judge him
capable of that affection necessary to make such a woman happy. Were I a woman, with my present feelings, I do not think I should ever
marry, for men are sad beasts.
The ci-devant governess of the daughters still lives with Mr & Mrs Manning.
I am very much pleased with her. She is not young & never was handsome; but she has good sense, information & great good
nature. if you can conceive Mrs Foxthree xx alterations & some
liveliness, you will have a tolerable idea of Miss Marshall, the tones of their voices are alike.rs Manning has a lethargic complaint,
it prevents her from saying much, but she is attentive & friendly. so much for the inhabitants of Ormsby.
This part of England looks as if Nature had wearied herself with adorning the rest with hill & dale, & squatted
down here to rest herself. you must even suppose a very Dutch looking Nature to have made it of such pancake flatness. an unpromising
country; & yet Edith I could be very happy with such a home as this. I am
looking from the window over green fields as far as I can see, no great distance, x the hedges are all
grubbed up in sight of the house which produces a very good effect, a few firs, acacias, white thorns & other trees are scattered
about. a walk goes all round, with a beautiful hedge of laylocks – laburnums, the gueldres rose, barbary shrubs &c &c. Edith you would not wish a sweeter scene, & being here I wish for nothing but
you. half an hours walk would reach the sea shore. I had almost forgot one with whom I am more intimate than any other part of the
family – Rover – a noble dog – something of the spaniel, but huge as a mastiff, & his black & brindled hair curling close –
almost like a Ladies wig. a very sympathizing dog I assure you, for he will not only shake his hands.
but if I press his paw, return the pressure. moreover there is excellent Nottingham ale,r Mannings son in laws Hoods beverage!
how could I chuse but like it? it is sweet & strong – very strong, a little made me feel this.
In Yarmouth I saw but one woman who pleased me. Mrs Edmund
Hurry.a highly cultivated mind & manners. she is the only female there whose good opinion is worth
having or from whose society I could derive pleasure – & I was sorry to find that she disliked society.
her fxxxxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xx xxxx I could have wished to have seen more of her; she confines herself chiefly to her own family;
the society at Yarmouth is not such as suits her; like the East winds of the coast it is too
rude for her. she endures much ill health, & this with the people kind of people among whom it is
her lot to dwell has induced that kind of misanthropy which exists only in the better class of minds, & which would have made us
assimilate had time allowed. I speak of her from Burnetts account. I saw but
little of her, enough to be prepossessed in her favour.
The society at Yarmouth is certainly bad enough. the men are mere sailours –
the women mere sailours wives & daughters. yet in the neighbourhood of Martinr Manning seems much attached to him, perhaps even over-rates his merits. he wishes him to be a frequent guest
here, to make it his place of study, & come often for a months residence. he is a good old man. I am very comfortable here Edith – but my heart is always wandering – think you that I should otherwise have
sent you so many sheets full of nothing?
The cows in this country have no horns. this I think a great improvement in the breed of horned cattle; & this kind is found most productive. another peculiarity about Yarmouth is the number of arches formed by the jaw bones of a whale. they trade much with Greenland there. the old walls & old gates of the town are yet standing. the town is certainly a pleasing one. I left it however with pleasure to enjoy the quietness of Ormsby, & I shall leave Ormsby with equal pleasure for the society of Norwich. in short every movement is agreable because it brings me homewards.
We went yesterday in the morning to the ruins of Caister Castle, once the seat of Fastollfe, where defeated at Patay
& disgraced in consequence of his flight, he retired to quarrel with his neighbours.
At Ormsby I could have remained with pleasure. Miss Marshal would make any place pleasant – she has a compleat
ascendancy over all the family, such as superiour ability & good nature, will everywhere attain to. moreover she has quick feelings
& no nasty affectation. I told her the story of Kosciusko & the gingerbread baker.how you are. I do not go to Cambridge as Amos Cottle will have left it.