2386. Robert Southey to Herbert Hill, [started before and continued on] 8 March 1814
2386. Robert Southey to Herbert Hill, [started before and continued on] 8 March 1814 *
I have transcribed the Ode [1] for you, & by means of a double inclosure franked it up to Bedford, that he may send it by the three penny post. The two first stanzas & the last but one are additions made when the excerpts were formed into a whole, & the beginning of the third st. was added to connect it. In the original the third stanza ran thus
& so it went till the line
which is now transposed, – but then came in immediately before ‘The nations bowd before him. The uncastrated poem instead of the last stanza as it now stands was turned off to France with A curse is on thee – & so on to the end. Perhaps they are better as two poems than as one, – but you will see that this is very far the best.
The Coimbra Journal [2] has supplied me with the list on the following leaf. The Rio Janeiro Journal [3] is announced as selling in Lisbon at the same price as at the Rio. There are some travellers journals in it, & some historical papers upon the mines. The Coimbra J. has some admirable statistic accounts. It has also a minute & curious journal of the late Bp. of Para, during his Visitations, giving incidentally good information respecting the state of the country. [4] – I have lately been making way in my second volume [5] & shall very soon begin to transcribe & put together my scattered collections for the press. Do you know who was the author of the Papel Forte? [6] And can you guess of what the second xxx part of the Castriosto Lusitano, which is announced at the end of the first as soon to be forthcoming, could possibly be composed? [7] What Joam Fernandes Vieira can have done after the recovery of Recife to furnish matter for a second folio, I am unable to conjecture, – he however furnished the documents himself, & evidently employed Rafael de Jesus. [8] – This xxx is rather a point of curiosity than of importance, & I shall be very glad in the course of a few days to dismiss him for his greater name-sake. Part of Vieyras [9] history belongs to Brazil & part to Portugal, & it is impossible for me to present the whole of it in either work, – however I shall endeavour to do it fully in both. It is unfortunate that we have not the Provas to Seebras book, [10] – he falls foul of Vieyra in the prevailing spirit of abusing every thing which related to the Jesuits. – I should suppose that many, & those not the least important of Vieyras letters have not yet been brought to light. I scarcely know any man who can be considered in so many completely distinct characters, statesman, author, religious enthusiast, & madman, – for of all Sebastianiriti he was surely the strangest.
I shall have an amusing chapter upon the state of society after the recovery of Pernambuco: [11] – a piece of mosaic of which the materials will mostly be supplied by him & by my old friend S. de Vasconcellos, – including the life of Almeida [12] & the romance of Anchieta. [13] Travellers give me very little, – yet every little is something, & if the pictures of slavery & superstition are not striking it will be my fault, – for God knows the colours are strong enough with which I have to work.
Have you referred Sir C Stuart [14] to your neighbour Ant. Ribeiro dos Santos; [15] – the [MS missing]st vol: of the Memorias [16] shows that he is alive, & no man is better acquainted [MS missing]th the literature of his country. The Academy have begun to print a body of their historians [17] in the manner of the last edition of J de Barros, [18] commencing with the M Lusitana of which 8 of these volumes are advertised. [19] I wish they had compleated Castanheda [20] first. As for Gil Vicente [21] I am as desirous of seeing him as Sir Charles can be, – perhaps more so, as I would give a good deal for an opportunity of reading him. The Academy ought to reprint this author, & also the Cancioneiro, [22] – but if ever they should do it there is a danger of their observing the directions of the old Inquisitor, & omitting all that he has expunged. [23]
This letter has lain for some time in my desk. Bedford will have shown you the 12 & 13th books of Roderick, [24] the two following will set off xxx tomorrow in search of him viâ Rickman viâ the xxx Speaker. The Printer spurs me on, & I go on with quickened alacrity as being almost in sight of the end.
Did I tell you that your neighbour wrote to me wishing that I would review Marshs book & the Exposure in the Quarterly! [25] – I have seen an E Indian here of more intelligence than usually falls to the share of such men, [26] & he told me that the persons for whom Marsh acts in England, are men of broken fortunes. The Barlows need only wait a while & they will see their hearts desire upon him. When he loses his seat in Parliament, (for there is little probability of his getting in again) he will hardly be able to keep out of a prison.
This interminable winter has equally annoyed me & the children with continual colds. We have snow every day, with just sun enough to thaw it in the [MS missing] but the hills are covered, & every thing is chearless. – Of public affairs [MS missing] have hardly heart to speak. My hope is that Buonaparte may be elated with success, & insist upon such terms that the allies will prefer a continuance of the war. But if we have peace, there will yet be another & perhaps a bloodier part of the tragedy of the Fr. Revolution.
Remember me to my Aunt & the three Bears. [27]
RS.
March 8. 1814.
Relaçaõ de Revoluçaõ do Reino do Algarve. [28]
O Tomo 4to das Memorias Economicas. [29]
Dissertaçaõ sobre a reforma dos Foraes do Reinado do St. D. Manoel pelo Desembargador Joam Pedro Ribeiro. [30]
Discursos sobre varios objectos relativos a cultura e melhoramento interno do Reino. Impressos por ordem do Principe Regente [31]
O Patriota. Jornal do Rio de Janeiro. [32]
Jornal de Coimbra, the latter numbers beginning with No 20.
Memorias para a Hist: do Estado de Maranham [33]
Mappa Alfabetico das Provoaçoẽs de Portugal, que tem Juiz de primeira Intrancia: contendo (alem dos Titulos) a Provincia, Diocese, Comarca, Provedoria, Juiz e Donatorio, a que cade huir pertence [34]
Origem da Revoluçaõ de Port: para a expulsaõ do intruso Governo Francez. [35]
Roteiro e Mappa da Viagem da Cidade de S Luiz do Maranhao até a Corte do Rio de Janeiro. E outro Roteiro da Viagem do Para pelo Rio Tocantius até Porto Real em Goyazes [36]
Collecçaõ de Viagens nos Dominios Ultramarinos [37]
Espiaõ Patriota; on Cartas &c até a retirada do Exercito Invasor por Juré Antonio da Silva Freire [38]
Codigo Braziliense. [39]
Memoria Economica sobre a raça do Gado Lanigero da Capitaina do Ceará. [40]
Ensaio Historico, Politico e Philosophico do Estado de Portugal desde o mez de Nov. 1807 até o mez de Junho 1808. [41]
Reflexões sobre alguns dos meios propostos para o mais conducentes para melhorar o Clima da Cidade do Rio de Janeiro. [42]
Notes
* Address: To/ The Reverend Herbert Hill/ Streatham/ Surry
Stamped: KESWICK/
298
Postmarks: 10 o’Clock/ MR 11/ 1814 FNn; E/ 11 MR 11/ 1814
Seal: Black wax, arm holding a cross of
Lorraine
Watermark: 1807
MS: Keswick Museum and Art Gallery. ALS; 4p.
Unpublished. BACK
[1] ‘Ode Written During the Negotiations with Bonaparte’, published in the Courier, 3 February 1814. This used stanzas deleted from Southey’s first Laureate poem Carmen Triumphale prior to its publication in a quarto of 30 pages on 1 January 1814. The remainder of the first paragraph deals with these changes. BACK
[2] Jornal de Coimbra (1812–1820); Southey eventually acquired an eight-volume set, no. 3498 in the sale catalogue of his library. BACK
[3] O Patriota. Jornal Litterario, Politico, Mercantil &c. do Rio de Janeiro (1813–1814); no. 3641 in the sale catalogue of Southey’s library. BACK
[4] The diocese of Belem do Para in Brazil was founded in 1720. Its ‘late Bp.’ was Cayetano Da Annunciacao Brandao (1740–1805), who was Bishop of Belem do Para 1782–1790, before becoming Archbishop of Braga in Portugal 1790–1805. His journal of a visitation in his diocese in 1784 appeared in Jornal de Coimbra, 17 (May 1813), 19–55. BACK
[6] The Papel Forte (1648) urged the cession of Pernambuco to the Dutch as the only means of obtaining peace in the war between Portugal and the Netherlands of 1634–1654. Its author was the Jesuit missionary, diplomat and writer Antonio Vieira (1608–1697). BACK
[7] Rafael de Jesus (1614–1693), Castriosto Lusitano (1679), no. 3621 in the sale catalogue of Southey’s library. The book dealt with the Portuguese-Dutch war in Pernambuco 1644–1654. BACK
[8] Joao Fernandes Vieira (c. 1613–1681) was one of the leaders of the Portuguese struggle to expel the Dutch from Pernambuco. After the success of this movement he was Governor of Paraiba 1655–1657, Governor of Angola 1658–1661 and Superintendant of Fortifications in North East Brazil 1661–1681. BACK
[10] Jose de Seabra da Silva (1732–1813), Deducao Cronologica, e Analytica (1768). This was a fiercely anti-Jesuit work by a Portuguese Minister, in five volumes, the final two of which consisted of ‘Provas’, or supporting documents. Southey possessed only the first two volumes, no. 2599 in the sale catalogue of his library. BACK
[13] Simao de Vasconcellos, Vida do Veneravel Padre Jose de Anchieta (1672), no. 3799 in the sale catalogue of Southey’s library. The book contained Jose de Anchieta’s (1534–1597) 5,786 verse Latin poem ‘De Beata Virgine Dei Matre Maria’. BACK
[16] Memorias de Litteratura Portugueza (1792–1796), published by the Academia Real das Sciencias, Lisbon; no. 3532 in the sale catalogue of Southey’s library. BACK
[17] Collecçaõ de Noticias para a Historia e Geografia das Nações Ultramarinas que vivem nos Dominios Portuguezes (1812–1813), no. 3273 in the sale catalogue of Southey’s library. BACK
[18] Joao de Barros (1496–1570), Portuguese historian and author of Decadas da Asia (1552–1615). Southey possessed an edition of 1778–1788, no. 3180 in the sale catalogue of his library. BACK
[19] Bernardo de Brito (1569–1617), Antonio Brandao (1584–1637), Francisco Brandao (1601–1680), Rafael de Jesus (1614–1693) and Manuel dos Santos (1672–1740), Monarquia Lusitano (1597–1729). BACK
[20] Fernao Lopes de Castanheda (c. 1500–1559), Historia do Descobrimento, e Conquista da India pelos Portuguezas (1554). BACK
[22] Probably the Cancioneiro Geral (1516), collected by Garcia de Resende (1470–1536). This included several lyrics by Vicente. BACK
[23] The first editions of Vicente’s works in 1561–2 and 1586 were heavily censored. There was no new edition until 1834. BACK
[25] William Barlow (1759–1839), a neighbour of Herbert Hill’s in Streatham. In 1813 Southey was commissioned by the Barlows to write a defence of the conduct of William Barlow’s brother, Sir George Hilaro Barlow (1763–1846; DNB), Governor of Madras 1807–1813. The result was the anonymously published pamphlet An Exposure of the Misrepresentations and Calumnies in Mr Marsh’s Review of Sir George Barlow’s Administration at Madras. By the Relatives of Sir George Barlow (1813). This was a response to the barrister and MP, Charles Marsh’s, (c. 1774–1835; DNB), Review of Some Important Passages in the Late Administration of Sir G. H. Barlow, Bart., at Madras (1813). Marsh was MP for East Retford 1812–1818 and was in serious financial difficulties. BACK
[28] Sebastiao Drago Valente de Brito Cabreira (1763–1833), Relaçaõ Historica da Revoluçaõ do Reino do Algarve (1809). BACK
[29] Memorias Economicas da Academia Real das Sciencias de Lisboa (1799–1812); Southey eventually acquired a copy, no. 3533 in the sale catalogue of his library. BACK
[30] Joao Pedro Ribeiro (1758–1839), Dissertaçaõ historica, juridicia e economica sobre a reforma dos Foraes no Reinado do Sr. Rei D. Manoel pelo Desembargador (1812). BACK
[31] Jose Feliciano Fernandes Pinheiro (1774–1847), Discursos apresentados a meza da agricultura sobre varios objectos relativos a cultura e melhoramento interno do Reino. Impressos por ordem do Principe Regente (1800). BACK
[32] O Patriota. Jornal Litterario, Politico, Mercantil &c. do Rio de Janeiro (1813–1814); no. 3641 in the sale catalogue of Southey’s library. BACK
[33] ‘Memorias para a historia da capitania do Maranhao’ in Collecçaõ de Noticias para a Historia e Geografia das Nações Ultramarinas que vivem nos Dominios Portuguezes, 2 vols (Lisbon, 1812–1813), I, pp. 1–118, no. 3273 in the sale catalogue of Southey’s library. BACK
[34] Mappa Alfabetico das Povoaçoẽs de Portugal, que tem Juiz de primeira Intrancia (1811); Southey did not obtain a copy. BACK
[36] Sebastiao Gomes da Silva Belford (1781–1825), Roteiro e Mappa da Viagem da Cidade de S Luiz do Maranhao até a Corte do R Janeiro. E outro Roteiro da Viagem do Para pelo Rio Tocantius até Porto Real em Goyazes (1810). BACK
[38] ‘Paulo Mendes Mirrado’, Espiaõ Patriota; on Cartas &c até a retirada do Exercito Invasor por Juré Antonio da Silva Freire (1811). BACK
[39] Codigo Brasiliense, ou Collecao das leis, alvaras, decretos, cartas regias &c. promulgados no Brasil desde a feliz chegada do principe regente N. S. a estes estados com hum indice chronologico (1811–1822). Southey possessed the first two volumes of (1811–1812), no. 3357 in the sale catalogue of his library. BACK
[40] Joao da Silva Feijo (1760–1824), Memoria Economica sobre a raça do Gado Lanigero da Capitaina do Ceará (1811). BACK
