3727. Robert Southey to Grosvenor Charles Bedford, 9 September 1821⁠* 

Keswick. 9 Sep^t. 1821

My dear Grosvenor

I wish to possess a Castle in Bohemia, my good Aunt Mary has the like desire, & as there are two Castles to be had there, together with twelve villages, (enough to qualify me in all conscience for a Baron of the Holy Roman Empire) I beseech you, with as little loss of time as may be, to transmit, in such manner as Herries may best direct, the sum of two pounds to W. H. Reingenum, [1]  Banquier, N^o 13. Rue Zeil, Francfort sur Main, to purchase one ticket in my name, & one in my Aunt Mary’s, – in the Lottery for the Seven Estates in Bohemia which are to be played for at Vienna on the first of next month. And I invite you, Grosvenor, to purchase a ticket also, & let us go shares in the adventure; – & if we get the prize, we will make a merry & memorable journey to Prague, & you shall take your choice of xx seven titles for your Baronship, to wit Ziekem, Wolschow, Koyschitz, Shunkaú, Libietitz, Prztanitiz, & Oberstankau. [2] 

Just suppose Grosvenor that Fortune in one of her freaks was to give us this prize, & we were to set out for the purpose of taking possession of “twelve villages, two chateaux, seven farms, & several mills & manufactories” valued judicially at 896,755 florins of Vienna. I suppose the inhabitants are included. – The notion I think will amuse you as much as it does us. So buy the tickets Grosvenor. The Castles in question are certainly probably <certainly> two of the King of Bohemias [3]  castles, because they make the great prize in an Imperial Lottery, – but whether they are two of the Seven Castles the history of which Corporal Trim began to Uncle Toby, I pretend not to determine. [4]  By all means however let us have a chance for them, I should <like> a good fortune well, & much the better if it were a queer xxx case one, & came in a comical way.

So God bless you Grosvenor & make us both Barons, & my Aunt a Bohemian Baroness.

RS.