1620. Robert Southey to John Murray, 28 April [1809]

1620. Robert Southey to John Murray, 28 April [1809] ⁠* 

Keswick April 28.

Dear Sir

I am grievously interrupted in getting ready for your Review. My little boy was seized on Tuesday with the croop, – there is – God be praised – great reason to believe he will recover, – still the agitation which I have suffered & am still suffering has utterly incapacitated me for any exertion. – The article is nearly finished, [1]  – three days would compleat it, – I am not a rapid writer, – it is by being an assiduous one that I am able to do much. – It shall be finished as soon as I am, literally, able to finish it, & sent off without delay. – As the sketch of Portugueze literature extends to a sheet & half, [2]  – & you will not have calculated upon more than two sheets from me, I hope this unavoidable failure on my part will not put you to any inconvenience.

Yrs very truly

R Southey.

Do not send me the second number till there be something to come with it. – Its carriage amounts to more than its price.

Notes

* Address: To Mr Murray/ Bookseller/ Fleet Street/ London
Stamped: KESWICK/ 298
Postmark: E/ MAY1/ 1809
Endorsement: 1809 April 28th/ Southey. R. Keswick
MS: National Library of Scotland, MS 42550. ALS; 2p.
Unpublished BACK

[1] Southey reviewed Abiel Holmes (1763–1837), American Annals; or, a Chronological History of America, from its Discovery in 1492 to 1806 in the Quarterly Review, 2 (November 1809), 319–337. BACK

[2] Southey reviewed Extractos em Portuguez e em Inglez; com as Palavras Portuguezas Propriamente Accentuadas, para Facilitar o Estudo d’Aquella Lingoa (1808) in the Quarterly Review, 1 (May, 1809), 268–292. BACK

Addressee

Murray, John Samuel (1778–1843)

People mentioned

Southey, Herbert (1806–1816) (mentioned 1 time)

Places mentioned

Keswick (mentioned 1 time)
The Collected Letters of Robert Southey, Part Three
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