1782. Robert Southey to Herbert Hill, 30 May 1810 ⁠* 

Keswick. May 30. 1810.

The Chronica del R D Rodrigo [1]  is a different book from that forgery of Miguel de Luna’s [2]  of which a duplicate copy was sent with the divinity. [3]  It is also an older book. Morales [4]  mentions it & the Chro. de S Isidro [5]  in such a manner as to make me very curious to see both of them, – from the fables at which he hints, they seem to be in the very wildest strain of fiction. – I am afraid my directions about sending the boxes by canal were not observed, as it is very improbable that they should have reachd you by <at> the same time with those which went by waggon; – but I am forty miles from the canal, & this is not the first time I have felt myself imposed upon by carriers, without perceiving any means of redress. There is not nothing in which clear laws & summary justice are more needed than in the breach of business, where frauds are so easily committed, & in almost all cases with perfect impunity.

I have been three weeks from home since your last letter was written. The two Ediths [6]  were with me & we returned on Friday last. Mary is evidently in very precarious health, & I have little expectation that she will ever be better, – short breath, – pains in the chest & side, &c – manifestations alarming in any personon. & especially so in one of her make. We left Tom there, over head & ears in love, & few jests upon the blockade he was carrying on, (the Ladys name happening to be Castle) [7]  were all that past between us on the subject, – since my return however I have received a letter from him telling me she has promised to marry him, & saying he shall talk over his plans when we meet. She is about 30, – & if fortune were out of the question, he might have seached England thro & not have chosen better, – xxx how money-matters may turn out I very doubtful: but unless there were something I do not think he would have proceeded thus far.

My Register-work [8]  was finished before I left home. At Durham I got at Purchas [9]  & gutted that Roteiro (Rutter it is there called) of D Joam de Castro, [10]  which from its internal evidence was, I have little doubt, written by himself. It is a pity that we have only an abstract of it. An interval of idleness, which is to me more wearisome than any labour, has given me a new appetite for employment, & I am busily occupied upon my second volume, – to which with such alternations of work for the Review as are always wholesome as well as convenient (for over-application to any one subject disturbs my sleep. & I have long since learnt by neutralizing <as it were> one set <of thoughts> with another to sleep as sweetly as a child) – I shall devote the next three months uninterruptedly. My first volume [11]  seems to be well liked by my friends; – they all speak of it as amusing; – which I was at one time apprehensive it would not be. –

Murray the bookseller, with whom the Quarterly has led me into a correspondence, promises to procure for me a MSS. Hist of Lima [12]  written by one of its viceroys. I shall be glad to see it, & am a good deal obliged by this mark of attention on his part, – but those books upon Paraguay would be far more useful at this time, – for I have no other guides than Charlevoix, [13]  & the mutilated translation of Techo in Churchill [14]  – Luckily a very brief summary of historical events is all that I am called upon, or indeed, consistently with the main purpose & plan of the work ought to give, – still it xx is impossible to do this to my own satisfaction unless I feel myself thoroughly well acquainted with the whole series of events. Surely John Bell might get at these books, for they are neither old enough, nor valuable enough to be scarce.

Gifford will have me reviewed as early as possible in the Quarterly, in the next number if he can. [15]  There & in the Critical [16]  I expect friendly treatment.

Scott sent me his poem [17]  to Durham. I like it better than either Marmion or the Lay, [18]  tho its

measure is less agreable, – but the story has finer parts, & xxx is better conceived. The portraits both of Camp & his master are remarkably good. [19]  He talks of a journey to the Hebrides, but if that does not take place of a visit southward, in which case Keswick will be taken on his way, & we are to concert some plans for employing Ballantynes press.

The old Douay establishment is removed to England – to a place called Ushaw, about four miles from Durham. [20]  They began it upon a Bank of Faith system, after Huntingdons manner, [21]  – having only xx 2000£ to begin with, – tho 12000 have already been expended, & pretty near as much more will go before it is compleated. There are 100 students there already, chiefly boys, & preparations <are> making for doubling the number. I rode over with Harry & one of his Catholic friends to look after the library. The philosophical tutor Lingard [22]  showed me a vol. of the Acta Sanct. Benedictorum, [23]  – Saints, as they chuse to call them, said he, bending his head xx upon one side, & glancing up a pair of cunning eyes at me, to show his liberality. In the evening however the Ecclesiastical Antiquities of the Anglo Saxons, [24]  by this very Mr Lingard were put into my hands – & there he relates miracles, & abuses Turner for what he calls his Romance of S Dunstan! [25]  – These fellows are all alike. I asked what the number of the English Catholicks was supposed to be & was told 300,000. This is most likely exaggerated, – I should not have guessed them at half. X

Xxxxx Remember me to my Aunt – I long to see D Duardos, & think of doing so either at the fall of the leaves, or before <about> their return, – as may best suit my occupations. We are all going on well,

God bless you

RS.