1806. Robert Southey to Walter Scott, 17 September 1810 ⁠* 

Keswick. Sept. 17. 1810

My dear Scott

In the Courier of the 15^th (which has this evening reached us) is an article pretending to exhibit imitations from your poems & signed S.T.C. [1]  At the first sight of this I was certain that S.T. Coleridge had nothing to do with it, & upon putting the paper into his hands, his astonishment was equal to mine. What may be <the> motive of this dirty trick Heaven knows, – I can only conjecture that the fellow who has practised it, designs in some other paper or magazine to build up a charge of jealousy & envy in Coleridge, – founded upon his own forgery. – Coleridge declares he will write to the Courier, disavowing the signature, – I know he means to do it, but his actions so little correspond to his intentions that I fear he will delay doing it, – very probably till it is too late. [2]  Therefore I lose no time in assuring you that he knows nothing of this petty & paltry attack, – which I have no doubt from whatever quarter it may have come, originates more in malice towards him than towards you.

I was not without hopes of seeing you in this land of la Lakes on your way from the Yorkshire Greta, [3]  but happening to see Jeffray about a fortnight ago he told me you were settled at Ashiestiel for the rest of the autumn. I say happening to see him, because his visit was to Coleridge, not to me, & he told C. that he had not called immediately on me, as he did not know what my feelings perhaps might be towards him, &c –

You have probably seen my labours in the Register, [4]  – upon almost all points of present politics I believe there is little difference of opinion between us, & every where I think you will give me credit for fair dealing as well as plain dealing. At present I am working very hard upon the second volume, [5]  – it is an employment which interests me very much, & I complain of nothing but the want sometimes of sufficient documents respecting the Spanish war. Particularly I regret the want of detailed accounts of the second siege of Zaragoza [6]  & the siege of Gerona, [7]  – that I might be enabled to present a full record of those glorious xxxxxx <events>. I suppose you know the whole secret history of the Register, otherwise I would tell you how liberally the Ballantynes have behaved to me. They will probably find their account in having engaged a man who writes with such perfect freedom; – for tho parts of the work may & xxx indeed will, offend all parties in turn, still there is a decided character of impartiality about it xxxxxxxxxx which will prove the surest recommendation.

Kehama [8]  has travelled so slowly thro the press, that instead of appearing at the end of one season, it will be ready about the beginning of the next. I expect every body to admire my new fashion of printing (tho unfortunately the printers did not fall into it for the first three or four sheets) – – if any thing else is admired, – ponamus lucro. [9]  My unknown Critic in the Register will think that I am going against wind & tide with a vengeance, instead of sailing, according to his advice, xx with the stream. [10]  But if he or any body else should imagine that I purposely set myself in opposition to public opinion, they are very much mistaken. I do not think enough about public opinion for this to be possible. In planning & executing a poem no other thought ever occurs to me than that of making it as good as I can. When they are <it is> finished, – the ostrich does not commit her eggs with more confidence to the sand & the sun, & to [MS torn] nature, than I ‘cast it upon the waters’ – sure if it be good that it will “be found after many days.” [11] 

It gratified me much to hear that you had been interested with my first volume of Brazil. [12]  The second [13]  will contain more stimulating matter, – but it is from the history of Portugal [14]  that I think you will derive most amusement, – so full will it be of high chivalrous matter, & beautiful costume. Pelayo [15]  comes on slow & sure, thoroughly to my own mind as far as it has advanced.

Things look well in the Peninsula. I have never in the worst times abated one jot of my hope respecting the Spaniards & my friends the Portugueze, & do now firmly believe that if we carried on the war with vigour & with sufficient personality against Buonaparte, it would inevitably end in is overthrow – God bless you –remember me to Mrs Scott &

believe me very truly yours

R Southey.