1423. Robert Southey to John May, 9 February 1808
1423. Robert Southey to John May, 9 February 1808 *
Tuesday. Feby. 9. 1808.
My dear friend
You may well suppose that I should have replied to your last letter, tho only to express how much I admired its true spirit of true philosophy, – if I had not been in daily expectation of the event which has now at length happily taken place. About an hour ago Edith was safely delivered of a daughter. [1] the child is a very fine one, & God be praised, every thing as yet promises well.
I start in a few days, but as I shall make some calls on the road it will probably be about a fortnight before I reach London. Then I shall hear of you, & if we should not meet then, I will certainly see you at Hale. [2] It will give me very great pleasure to shake you by the hand once more.
Remember us kindly to Mrs May. – Poor Worthington. [3] – I am anxious to know if there be news of him yet – & poor Lisbon! – it makes my heart ache to think of that place which I love so well.
God bless you – my excellent good friend –
Robert Southey.
Notes
* Endorsement: No. 133 1808/ Robert Southey/ No place 9th Feb./ recd. 13th do/ ansd.
19th March
Watermark: shield/ 1803/ T Botfield
MS: Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center,
University of Texas, Austin. ALS; 1p.
Previously published: Charles Ramos (ed.), The Letters of Robert Southey to John May:
1797–1838 (Austin, Texas, 1976), p. 114. BACK
