966. Robert Southey to John Rickman, 18 July 1804 ⁠* 

July 18.

Dear Rickman

I did more business than I expected at Richmond. John May took me to see a house very near him, of which we obtained the refusal, & which I shall write to secure. it will not be untenanted before November. of course not vacant for me before Xmas. this was very fortunate – I shall rejoice to cast anchor at last. [1]  – Danvers took me by water to Brentford, & in consequence we totally forgot Captain Burneys direction in Kew Road. [2]  he however is not a man to be offended & will not be displeased that we escaped a long walk in the dust & sunshine. I will send up the old Navigation book & the Spanish Account of Sir Francis Drake [3]  by Tobin when he goes.

An event! George the Second has – as Danvers calls it – signed my pardon. he writes me that his mental derangement is over. that the disagreable between is us not worth remembering, & that he shall be glad to shake hands with me. – & he says his conduct is all of a piece – upon my soul he says true. poor fellow if he would but work now that I have this Paternoster-patronage [4]  to dispose of – but to set him about any one thing in the world would be to have tenfold more trouble than if I did it myself, because it must be beat into his head first, & out of his head afterwards.

It does me good to contemplate my campaign against the spiders. [5]  & to think of the Resurrection of Jokes which I shall bring about, & the good old gentlemen whom I shall praise to their hearts desire. a good deal of the more laborious work has been done by various compilers – more than one at first supposes. all hills look steep at a distance – & all work seems difficult when a man thinks about it lazily. I shall have a bundle of scraps ready before our removal to Richmond. you prophesied very truly about the progressive speed of publication when the ship is once afloat she will go on fairly before the wind. At present I am writing about this business to raise recruits & thinking of it, & manuring for it, & going steadily on with Portugal. [6] 

In Ritsons glossary to the Metrical Romances he derives Admiral from Admyrold or Amerayle, a corrupt title given by some ancient historians to the Saracen Kings. [7]  the original Arabic he says is Ameer al omrah, Prince of the Princes. he must be wrong. [8]  I have seen the title applied to a Saracen in Romance, but never in Spani[MS torn] history, where of course, if of Moorish origin, it would be to be found. the Almirante is always the commander of the Xtian fleet there, & seems to have been an hereditary office. what is remarkable enough is that the families who held it both in Castile & Portugal in the 14^th century were Genoese. – I was accurate in my assertion to that miserable Stoddart [9]  about the letters of Ulphilas. [10]  the public use of them was abolished by Alonso 6 at the same time that he established the Romish instead of the Muzarabic liturgy about 1080. [11]  there can be no doubt that the alphabet que D. Golfidas Obispo de los Godos fallo premeramente, means the characters invented by Bishop Ulphilas  [12]  – the only consolation a man feels in disputing with that babbler is the certainty that he must be in the right when Stoddart contradicts him.

I have written to Burton to have the books sent. [13] 

That Opus Majus [14]  of the Grand Parleur upon the Records will be of very great service to me. I am puzzled how to manage about MSS. that is who to employ upon them, for my eyes are too weak, & my time worth too much. Ritson [15]  would be the man if he can be made any ways practicable as the phrase is. the General in Chief will have enough to do without pioneering or working in the trenches.

Remember me to your Aunt to whom as well as to you I feel myself much indebted. Edith desires to be remembered. she & the young one are going on well – but Miss is the Mistress.

God bless you.

RS.

Monday July 18. 1804.