2470. Robert Southey to Greeton Evans, 19 August 1814 ⁠* 

Keswick. 19^th Aug^t 1814.

Your letter, M^r Evans, has did not reach me till this afternoon, not having been put into the Manchester post office till the 17^th as I perceive by the post-mark. You will easily imagine that I have received letters from many persons telling me of their love for literature, & their attempts in verse. I have always answered such letters according to the best of my judgement, & have but too frequently been thus obliged to discourage the ardour of good feelings & generous desires. This has been a mournful task, – but I reply to you with the sincerest & deepest pleasure. because With the goodness & the true wisdom which you appear to possess, your intellectual endowments & acquirements instead of leading you astray, can only encrease your happiness by giving you new sources of enjoyment. Believe me, you can never have derived greater pleasure from any works of mine than I feel at hearing that they have been read with pleasure by a man like you.

I will most willingly peruse any papers that you may entrust to me, & give you an honest opinion upon the probable utility of committing them to the press, & if that measure should appear advisable, render you most gladly every assistance in my power. Any letter may be sent to me under cover to C W Williams Wynn Esqr. M. P. Llangedwin near Oswestry, but letter & inclosure must not exceed an ounce weight.

Tell me more of yourself, – your age, – & if you are married or single &c. Tell me also the name of the gentleman whose indulgence you mention, – that I may know who it is that has thus entitled himself to the respect of all good men.

I hope this letter will not be too late to find your acquaintance at Manchester. [1]  But lest it should I will send another thro a different channel, tho not without some apprehensions that it may fail to reach you [2] 

Believe me M^r Evans

yours with the best wishes & sincerest respect

Robert Southey.