1844. Robert Southey to Walter Scott, 24 December 1810 ⁠* 

Keswick. Dec. 24. 1810.

My dear Scott

I hope you have received Kehama. [1]  It has the merit of applying a principle of typographical regularity to irregular verse, but Ballantyne struck off three sheets before he perfectly understood my meaning, & thus the book is unfortunately defective.

I was very glad to see Coleridges disavowal of that paltry piece of malice in the Courier; [2]  – a rascally imposition which he resented more strongly than I thought he could have resented any thing. I have a strong suspicion that it came from a man who spits his frothy venom occasionally both at you & him in the Monthly Mirror, – whose name is Dubois [3]  – Sir John Carr’s antagonist. [4]  – a man possessed of some classical x reading, tho not very deep in that, & a great stock of small wit, but as full of malice & of mischief as he can hold. He brought out two letters of introduction to me at Lisbon, one from a person who did not know him, the other from a person who did not know me. Since that I have met him occasionally at Hill’s the book-collector in Queen Hythe, for whom he edites the M. Mirror – any number of which shows of what stuff he is made. Hill sends me this Magazine, [5]  & what I have seen there added to my knowledge of Dubois’s character made me immediately suspect him of the trick, & subsequent observation has confirmed me in that suspicion. The letter to the Courier imposed upon the Editor [6]  by the handwriting, which is very curious. It was post-marked Aylesbury, – I think, – but am not certain, that he comes from that part of the country. – The thing is scarcely worth a thought, but it vexed me at the time, & it is xxx a new species of literary fraud against which no man can be secure.

It is to be hoped this unfortunate illness of the King [7]  has not prevented ministers from taking vigorous measures in aid of Lord Wellington. They are got into the right way, & it must be their own fault if they do not bring this tremendous contest to a glorious termination. There has not been quite enough done with the Portugueze army, – at first it should have been almost wholly officered with British, & the natives promoted from the ranks as fast as they could possibly show themselves worthy of it, so as This ought also, if the high Spanish sense of pride would permit it, to be done in Spain, – for in those countries it is only by a revolutionary army that all danger of treachery can be done away, as well as all chance of incapacity, which is so frequently not to be distinguished from it. We shall have a warm winter xxx in Portugal. The French will probably enter Alem-tejo from the side of the Guadiana. Lisbon derives xxxx <most of> its fuel from thence, & much of its grain, – & might be bombarded from that side. but with the command of the river Lord Wellington, if he has but men enough, can always push over a greater force than the enemy; – there however & at Abrantes I think the heat of the contest will be. Meantime this Fabian system of war [8]  is in our favour, because every day adds to the discipline of the Portugueze, & no people in the world have better xxxxxxxx for the soldier can make better soldiers; xx their past history abundantly proves this, & xxxx the manners & habits & character of the peasantry remain unchanged. Only keep up the heart of England against such politicians as Whitbread [9]  & Brougham & Jeffray, – & we shall live to sing Te Deum [10]  for the destruction of [MS torn]te.

The Quarterly I should think must be gaining ground. I have an article upon Methodism in the next number, [11]  which will appear to great advantage after Sidney Smiths [12]  shallow performances upon the same subject, – & I am not sorry to see the Edinburgh professing their belief in Malthus [13]  at the very time when I am making ready to come upon that precious philosophist or philosophicide, with a thunder clap. [14]  – The Register [15]  employs me closely at present, & I have now attaxxx <got at> good sources of information both for our home politics & for Spain.

Mrs Southey joins me in remembrances to Mrs Scott –

believe me

yrs very truly

Robert Southey.