1684. Robert Southey to John Rickman, 22 September [1809]

1684. Robert Southey to John Rickman, 22 September [1809] ⁠* 

My dear Rickman

I was about to fold up these the concluding Chapters under cover to Perceval, [1]  – when it occurred to me that he might no longer be in Spain by this time. Where you are, or where the Emperor [2]  is I know not: but this will find him, & if when it finds you, you have not the Emperor at hand to frank it on, – send it in to Bedford, – & he will devise some means of getting a name potential on the cover.

RevdH. Hill

Staunton-upon Wye

Hereford

I am putting together the additional notes & the Bibliographical Appendix.

Has Aaron seen the maps to Azaras Voyage? [3] 

I have lost all hope of seeing you this year – & am now not sorry for the disappointment (were it not for the cause) – for our weather having been uninterruptedly bad for the last six weeks.

Duppa will be here for three days next week.

I begin to be impatient for the black letter title page. You I hope will think my book as good as the subject admits of. The next volume will be more interesting, & (I hope) less laborious than this has proved. [4] 

farewell

RS

Friday Sept. 22.

Notes

* Address: To/ John Rickman Esqr.
Endorsement: From/ RS./ 22 Septr. 1809
MS: Huntington Library, RS 145. ALS; 2p.
Unpublished. BACK

[1] The first volume of Southey’s History of Brazil, published in 1810. BACK

[2] A nickname for the Speaker of the House of Commons, Charles Abbott, who had the power to frank mail. Rickman, his secretary, used this facility on Southey’s behalf. BACK

[3] Felix Manuel de Azara (1742–1821), Voyages dans l’Amerique Meridionale depuis 1781, jusqu’ en 1801 (1809), no. 90 in the sale catalogue of Southey’s library. BACK

[4] The second volume of Southey’s History of Brazil was published in 1817. BACK

Addressee

Rickman, John (1771–1840)

People mentioned

Hill, Herbert (c. 1749–1828) (mentioned 1 time)
Perceval, Spencer (1762–1812) (mentioned 1 time)
Duppa, Richard (c. 1768–1831) (mentioned 1 time)
Abbot, Charles, 1st Baron Colchester (1757–1829) (mentioned 1 time)
Rickman, John (1771–1840) (mentioned 1 time)
Bedford, Grosvenor Charles (1773–1839) (mentioned 1 time)

Places mentioned

Staunton on Wye (mentioned 1 time)
The Collected Letters of Robert Southey, Part Three
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