2378. Robert Southey to Thomas Southey, 8 February 1814
2378. Robert Southey to Thomas Southey, 8 February 1814 *
Keswick. Feby 8. 1814.
My dear Tom
I was glad to learn by Sarahs letter that the parcel had arrived. [1] By this time you are conversant enough with original writers to excuse Du Tertres [2] prolixity for the sake of his facts, & to enjoy the native liveliness of a style like Lygons. [3] Perhaps you never knew the relations between maidservants and pork till you saw it stated in his history. [4]
Here we are in the midst of tempests, but all well thank God. You must not be in a hurry about Roderick, – he is carrying easy sail, & will finish his voyage in due time. The fourth proof came this evening, & I have desired to have only one a week till I can afford to have more. Last night I began the 14th book, the probable extent will be twenty. [5]
I had no business in the Carmen to touch upon Moscow or Leipsic both of which are of that description <nature> that I would rather describe them in historical narrative than in verse. [6] My object was to produce a xx triumphant xxxxxxxx xxxx xxx. It is our fashion to have a poem on such occasions, – the Greeks who knew better would have had an oration, – & I who agree very much with Akenside [7] in my poetical creed, endeavoured to produce an oration in verse. I coud only touch upon great events without entering into detail, & <was bound> to press dwell preferably upon those victories which we ourselves had won. To have particularized would have led me on to an immeasurable length. I growled at finding xx xxxxxx xx xxx that xxxx it was there could be any reason why I should not speak fairly out in the Carmen, – little accustomed as I have been to lay myself under any restraint of this kind, but I am well-contented now, – for both each of the poems is better than the Carmen was when they were both in one, – the alterations & additions have improved them, & each has more unity of plan & purpose. [8]
A Northumberland man who knows your neighbours dined with me yesterday. He travels about forming Bible Societies, – in which I see great good, tho I am no Bibliolater. Bates his name is, of Hallon Castle, [9] – I liked the cut of his jib, & am only afraid he will take me for an Evangelical, – tho God knows I was guilty of no hypocrisy. He wanted me to go a meeting, take the chair & make a speech, – honours which I begged leave to decline, – but I declared myself friendly to his object & ready to become a subscriber, & I urged him very strongly to form a missionary society, associated with the Church-Mission, in preference, – or to any other if that could not be: – he was willing enough, but I suspect that he is one of those men who cannot think of two things at once.
The Register [10] has not reached me yet. I do not know who wrote the Life of Windham. [11] You would find some home arguments upon the Catholic question. The spirit is at this time moving me very strongly to exhibit some of the tenets of that mythology & its consequent manners & morals in a few Catholic Eclogues. Did you ever see one which I wrote some fifteen years ago, between xxxx of which the Devil & St Anthony were the speakers? [12] This with some needful corrections <alterations> would be one, & then xx the commencement of another has been lying by me as long. Their keen satire & their originality might be likely enough to attract notice, & I could soon run thro them when once fairly in the vein.
Kate the other day made a curious speech to her mother. “When it’s fine weather you’ll go to God Williams.” How a Quaker would xx exult in this innocent xxxxxxxx mistake.
Love to Sarah & a kiss to the young ones.
God bless you
RS.
Notes
* Address: To/ Capt Southey. R. N./ St. Helens/
Auckland
Stamped: KESWICK/ 298
MS: British Library, Add MS 30927. ALS; 4p.
Unpublished. BACK
[1] A parcel of books sent to assist Tom with his researches for a Chronological History of the West Indies (1827). BACK
[2] The missionary and botanist Jean-Baptiste du Tertre (1610–1687), Histoire Generale des Antiles habitées par les François (1667). Southey’s copy was no. 2828 in the sale catalogue of his library. BACK
[3] Richard Ligon (c. 1585–1662; DNB), A True and Exact History of the Island of Barbados (1657); no. 1679 in the sale catalogue of Southey’s library. BACK
[4] Richard Ligon, A True and Exact History of the Island of Barbados (London, 1657), p. 59: ‘There was a Planter in the Iland that came to his neighbour and said to him: Neighbour I hear you have lately bought good store of servants, out of the last ship that came from England, and I heare withall, that you want provisions, I have great want of a woman servant and would be glad to make an exchange; If you will let me have some of your womans flesh, you shall have some of my hoggs flesh; so the price was a set a groat a pound for the hogges flesh, and sixe pence for the Womans flesh. The scales were set up, and the Planter had a Maid that was extreame fat, lasie, and good for nothing. Her name was Honor; The man brought a great fat sow, and put it in one scale: and Honor was put in the other, but when he saw how much the Maid outwayed his Sow: he broke off the bargaine’. BACK
[6] Southey’s first Laureate ode Carmen Triumphale, published, after much revision, in a quarto of 30 pages on 1 January 1814. It did not touch on the French occupation of Moscow in September 1812, or the Battle of Leipzig (16–19 October 1813), a crucial defeat for the French. BACK
[8] Southey incorporated the deleted stanzas from Carmen Triumphale into an ‘Ode Written During the Negotiations with Bonaparte’, published in the Courier, 3 February 1814. BACK
[9] Thomas Bates (1775–1849; DNB), a famously combative breeder of cattle, particularly shorthorns. He leased the Halton Castle estate from 1800–1818. Bates was a member of the Tindale Ward and Its Vicinity Auxiliary Society, an adjunct of the British and Foreign Bible Society. BACK
