635. Robert Southey to Grosvenor Charles Bedford, [3 December 1801]

635. Robert Southey to Grosvenor Charles Bedford, [3 December 1801] ⁠* 

I am quite uneasy about you Grosvenor – Saturday I wrote to you – no answer yet! – I could not then come for we were hourly expecting my mother – who did not arrive till Monday night. she is far advanced in consumption. yesterday & today my own head is too prevents all exertion. do let me have a line – from Horace if you yourself are unable. Carlisle could tell me nothing. he has himself been wholly occupied with his wife [1]  who is but just out of danger –

Grosvenor you are haunting me – & tomorrow Corry [MS obscured] me with his son [2]  to Walkers Lecture [3]  – so that then I cannot come – pray let me know something about you.

R. S.

Thursday morning.

Notes

* Address: To/ G. C. Bedford Esqr/ Brixton Causey
Postmark: [partial] 4 oClock
MS: Bodleian Library, Eng. Lett. c. 27. ALS; 2p.
Unpublished.
Dating note: The letter is dated from Southey’s description of his mother’s arrival, which happened on the night of Monday, 30 November 1801. This letter was sent the following Thursday. BACK

[1] Carlisle married Martha (dates unknown), daughter of John Symmons, on 23 August 1800. Her ill health may have been due to pregnancy. BACK

[2] William Corry (c. 1786-1853). BACK

[3] Probably given by Adam Walker (1730/1-1821; DNB), who was especially famed for his lectures on astronomy. BACK

Addressee

Bedford, Grosvenor Charles (1773–1839)

People mentioned

Southey, Margaret (1752–1802) (mentioned 1 time)
Bedford, Horace Walpole (c. 1776–1807) (mentioned 1 time)
Carlisle, Anthony (1768–1840) (mentioned 1 time)
Corry, Isaac (1753–1813) (mentioned 1 time)
The Collected Letters of Robert Southey, Part Two
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