1927. Robert Southey to Thomas Southey, 29 May 1811 ⁠* 

Keswick. May 29. 1811

My dear Tom

I am still hard at work, – but I believe it may now be said confidently that (if nothing unforeseen should occur) we shall start on Monday June 10^th that is <next> Monday week. We mean on the way up to stage it as far as we can, & go by way of Kendal & Leeds to Nottingham where we shall <stay> four & twenty hours for the sake of seeing K Whites family, – so that I suppose, we shall not reach Streatham before the Saturday.

This will be a very good volume of the Register, & so it ought to be by the length of time which it has cost. 544 pages printed, & I believe it will run hard upon 800! [1]  to the great dismay of the publishers. Even then I am compelled to put off till next year the disturbances in the E Indies, – a chapter upon our infatuated conduct in Sicily, – the rise & progress of the Guerrilla system in Spain, – & a view of the conduct of the Supreme Junta, [2]  – all subjects which may stand over without any manifest impropriety, but which, had I been writing leisurely, would have made part of this years annals.

I differ from you about the Bullion Question. [3]  & in nothing are you more wrong than in supposing it to be wholly decided as a party question <matter> in the House. – Vansittart [4]  the main speaker upon on the side of the practical men, being not a ministerialist, but of Lord Sidmouths [5]  party, – & the question being one upon which political oeconomists are now driven to confess themselves very much in the dark. Koster has given me the only light I have yet found upon the subject, he I think has demonstrated that the ideal pound must be the true standard of value, & that the price of gold, like that of every thing else, varies according to the proportion between the demand & the supply. [6]  Now the consumption has increased, probably 500 fold, within the last xxx 20 or 30 years, – & the supply has stopt, almost wholly.

About the D of York I entirely agree with you as to the impropriety & indecency of his reappointment, – but with respect to Parliament the remedy which you would apply is worse than the disease. The voice of the people is heard there, – witness his forced resignation. [7]  Make all elections popular & public opinion would instantly become despotic, – a despotism of all others the most cruel. At present public opinion has just the sway which it ought to have; the evil it does by crippling the executive in its foreign transaction is more than counterbalanced by the public morality it enforces.

Very likely the Prince has an object in view in this appointment which the ministers are from suspecting. The King [8]  is not likely to recover (so Col. Bunbury told me) – & the Prince, as soon as that point is established looks on to bringing his own party into power. It will <is> not be inconsistent with his character to suspect that he gladly makes these present men take upon themselves the odium of a measure which reconcile the country to seeing them turned out.

Aunt Mary tells me to enquire about the money (between 2 & 300£) arising from the sale of the plate & furniture at Fitzhead, [9]  which according to her account was by order of Chancery placed in the funds – Mr T. S. enjoying the interest during his life, & then the principal to be claimed by John’s heir at law.

I mean when in town to get acquainted with Blanco the editor of El Español, [10]  – & likewise if possible to get at the correspondence of the Guerrilla chiefs with our Government. They are doing great things. Mina [11]  has not less than 6000 men in Navarre, with whom he almost commands the province, the Empecinado [12]  also is very strong. Abella tells me he had just cut off 400 French in Guadalaxara, – which is only one short step from Madrid. I got a letter from mi buen amigo  [13]  a day or two ago, – with little more than the news of his safe arrival & that every thing was going on most prosperously. I am writing to him for more documents &c.

Mark the extract from Hutchinson. [14]  I fancy Amadis [15]  is out of print, but not likely to be reprinted, till I make a collection of my operas, – if I ever live to make one.

Rickman has sent me a print of Manuella Sanchez – one of the Zaragozan heroines, who fell in the second siege. [16]  Of course we have given it an honourable place –

All well. God bless you, love to Sarah – I wish I could see my niece – & I wish you could see Bertha Bruin, what a fine creature she is without her cap. O she is capital kissing!

RS.