2579. Robert Southey to John Rickman, 24 March 1815

2579. Robert Southey to John Rickman, 24 March 1815 *
24. March 1815.
My dear R.
These devils in France seem all to be going one way, & we shall have the whole work to do over again, for there can be no peace on earth till that generation of soldiers is cut off. I suspect that there will not even be found a La Vendée [1] in favour of the Bourbons now, the soldiers will be all against them, the people indifferent, & the wealthy classes there, as they will be every where, willing to submit to the ruling power. [MS torn] then must fairly propose to themselves the conquest of France, by their own military force; – the presence & name of the Bourbons will xxx be useful in reminding the country that they may occupy, & perhaps some of the strong places may be held for them, – but this is very doubtful. – xxx We begin however with better auspices than in 1793. The necessity is apparent, the object definite, the allies are less likely to fall asunder, & the state of our military force is an advantage which counterbalances the weight of our public debt. But I wish M. Wellesley was at the head of affairs, that the immediate effort might not fall short of the emergency.
This comes of magnanimity & liberality. A halter properly applied would have saved all the evil to come! Or even if the wise heads at the Congress [2] had remembered the old proverb safe bind safe find.
My Brazil, [3] I suppose, sticks somewhe between G C Bedford & Streatham. I have been, & still am, working steadily at this Opus. You will find the Chapters de moribus [4] full of very curious matter.
God bless you
RS.
Notes
* Address: To/ John Rickman Esqre/ St Stephens
Court/ New Palace Yard/ Westminster
Endorsement: RS./ 24 Mar/ 1815
Stamped: KESWICK/ 298
Postmark: FREE/ 27 MR 27/
1815
MS: Huntington Library, RS 246. ALS; 2p.
Unpublished. BACK
[1] A region of western France where there was a Royalist rebellion in 1793–1796. In 1815 it stayed loyal to the Royalist cause. BACK