2512. Robert Southey to [John Wilson Croker], 6 December 1814

2512. Robert Southey to [John Wilson Croker], 6 December 1814 *
Keswick. 6 Decr. 1814.
My dear Sir
I am three hundred miles from town, & were I there upon the spot I should not know of whom to ask a question which it behoves me to have resolved, – except of you. New Years Day is at hand, & whether I am expected to bring forth a New Years Ode more nefasto majorum, [1] or not, I am altogether ignorant. Last year Sir Wm Parsons wrote to me as I was leaving town, & desired he might have the Ode as soon as possible. I sent him such a portion as made a whole of itself sufficient for his purpose; & that I might not be deficient in any proper civility, told him that if any other parts of the Carmen [2] would suit him better, I hoped he would take just what he pleased, – & therefore submitted the whole to his choice. He never thought proper to take the slightest notice of my letter, & whether any portion of the Ode were performed, or if the ceremony were dropt, I know not. But I rather xxxx think it must have been waived, because no part of the poem appeared in the papers till the whole was published; [3] & otherwise the portion performed would most probably have been procured by the papers in the usual way. Tell me according to your judgement whether I may rest in peace upon this subject, or if you think it necessary that I should tax brains which are bona fide better employed?
If you are of the opinion that I may hold myself absolved, shall I insert these lines in a copy of Roderick, [4] for presentation. Understand I pray you, that I am far from wishing to be thought obtrusive with such things, & only wish to do it, if it xxx ought to be done & could not without some impropriety be left undone.
The si quid merui [5] qualifies the aere perennius; [6] & there is no want of precedent to justify the tone. But I am solicitous to do what is proper, – not to make use of the verses.
Few public measures have ever given me so much satisfaction as your late Admiralty measures. [7] These are the real radical reforms, of which not many are wanting to render the strength & the prosperity of this country as permanent, as human institutions are capable of being made. I shall do my best to hold this up in its proper light.
Will you not smile to hear that I had written not less than fifty six-lined stanzas upon the intended marriage with the Prince of Orange; – a good many of which are not convertible to the xxx xx any other Prince. [8] This is one of the miseries of human life which cannot fall to every ones portion. However I have my labour for my pains (which is all I ever should have had) & a good laugh xxx at my disappointment. It is not the first time that in a restless apprehension of being too late, I have been <found myself> too soon.
Ferdinand [9] affects to patronize letters! He has been visiting the royal Printing Office at Madrid, <where> xxx they xxx struck off in his presence inscriptions to his honour in Castillan, Latin, Greek, Hebrew & Arabic, – & these are the only importations I can now get from Spain!
Believe me my dear Sir
Yrs with sincere respect
Robert Southey.
Notes
* MS: Berg Collection, New York
Public Library. ALS; 4p.
Endorsement: Ansd Dec
14
Previously published: Kenneth Curry (ed.), New Letters of Robert
Southey, 2 vols (London and New York, 1965), II, pp. 109–111. BACK
[1] ‘After the manner of our ancestors’; i.e. as Southey’s predecessors as Poet Laureate had done. BACK
[3] Part of Carmen Triumphale appeared in the Courier, 8 January 1814. It was published in book format, with notes, on 1 January 1814. BACK
[7] The Admiralty had reformed the Royal Navy pension system, so that all sailors were entitled to a pension after 14 years’ service and all could demand their discharge after 21 years’ service, with a pension of at least 1s. per day. These measures were announced publicly in January 1815. BACK
[8] The engagement between Princess Charlotte, only child of the Prince Regent, and Prince William of Orange (1792–1849; King of the Netherlands 1840–1849) had been broken off in June 1814. Charlotte married Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg (1790–1865) in 1816 and Southey turned his planned poem into a public celebration of the marriage, The Lay of the Laureate. Carmen Nuptiale (1816). BACK