3351. Robert Southey to Grosvenor Charles Bedford, 14 September 1819⁠* 

Inverness. 14 Sep^t. (Tuesday) 1819

My dear G.

Here I am again, having been as far North as Fleet Mound [1]  which is within sight of the Ord of Caithness – & across the island to the Western sea at Loch Carron. The surgeon here [2]  has put us in the right method of treating my head. He said that if I had been stationary he should perhaps have applied the lunar caustic [3]  to the wound – but this required more skill in its management, & could not be entrusted to ignorant hands. So he substituted a mercurial ointment to act as an escharrotic. [4]  The effect of this was that the first application altered the discharge which had become very offensive, – this evil was effectually remedied, – a membranous substance which I suppose to have been the cist came away three or four days afterwards, – the volcano is now almost extinct, the hill itself levelled, – it is healing round the edges, & if it proceed according to the present appearance I may hope to have a whole skin before I reach home.

Tomorrow we go to Fort Augustus. Telford will be detained there two or three days & as much more at Fort William, – after which we proceed without farther delay to Glasgow & Carlisle. There Telford parts company, & the Rickmans [5]  turn aside to Keswick on their way toward Wales. If you write by the next days post after this reaches you, a letter may reach me at Glasgow. put it under cover to Rickman, & write Free in the corner above.

I have seen great part of Scotland, under the most favourable circumstances, – & have endeavoured to lose as little as possible of what I learn. Xx It is hard work to keep up a full journal, – but the time & xxxx exertion are well bestowed. [6]  This country is in a state of great & rapid improvement. – If the public works which have palpably & undeniably produced xxxx this effect had been carried on in France instead of Scotland, our newspapers would have been full of eulogiums upon such them, – think of more than 1000 miles of the finest roads in the world thro countries which were before impassable, – & not less than 1500 bridges. – And this Canal besides [7]  – the most stupendous work of its kind that ever was undertaken, it is already in use at both ends – before the middle is compleated. The locks are large enough for a 32 gun frigate – & of these there are four in succession at this end, & at the other eight, – which go by the name of Neptunes stair case. [8]  These I have yet to see. They form altogether the greatest piece of masonry in the world. – But I cannot afford time to enter upon these subject – while I have a whole head full of recollections which must be secured before they are driven out by new scenes, images & information. So God bless you. Tell me if you have got my third volume yet, [9]  – & tell the Longmen when you happen to see them (it is not worth a separate communication) that they have miscalled my poem in their List of New Books, – it is A Tale of Paraguay, & not The Fall of Paraguay as they have printed it. [10] 

I hope to be at home in little more than a fortnight, – & then to work like a Lion.

RS.