656. Robert Southey to William Taylor, 6 February 1802 ⁠* 

My dear Friend

I did not till yesterday receive your note. at an hour too late to answer it. I have been confined to the house, therefore not able to look for my letters, & Corry being himself unwell, neglected to send them.

A letter which I wrote this day week to Harry explained my delay in setting off for Norwich. Edith is somewhat amended – but very little, & very slowly. Unless she relapse – & unless I also relapse – for I have been very unwell myself – I shall hope to see you in the course of the following week. – Your letter is a very kind one. almost I could find fault with some part of it for its too much civility.

John May sends by me half a pound of cigars, & two glass pipes of the last fashion. they tempt me to learn to smoke.

Perhaps you knows not the news of Burnett. He had been only a week with Lord Stanhope when his two pupils eloped, enticed away by an elder sister, who avows what she has done, & affirms that Lord S.s groom who was the go-between, is rewarded with a place under government. [1]  the father is severely afflicted – I think more so than becomes a philosopher. he appears attached to Burnett – has taken him aside & said that his situation must not be at an end. he hopes to recover the youngest boy – & if not – “I hope said he Mr B. it will be a very long time before you leave me. I never make promises – but rather like to perform.” George was in town upon this business.

Our news is that the King wishes obstinately to retire from all public business, & that this has been the cause of the frequent adjournments. [2]  Two Cornish men are in town to procure a Patent for a carriage, driven by steam, as it succeeds in Cornwall, [3]  Bonaparte may bespeak some for his next march across the Alps. [4]  Davy & Sir Joseph Banks between them have found out that the Terra Japanica is pure tannine. [5]  I fear this will not lessen the price of shoe leather tho it must make the fortune of the first tanners who profit by it.

I will put Madoc in my trunk – that you may see it in its crude state & advise me about the bear before I lick him into shape. [6]  History employs most of my time & that very delightfully. [7]  the easy idleness of research suits me well. silk-worm like I prefer eating to spinning.

Godwin is married – to a Widow with one child. [8]  what I hear of her does not much please me – nor am I disposed to be pleased with a second M^rs Godwin. [9]  he is about the History of the Life & Times of Geoffrey Chaucer, for Phillips. [10]  a great metaphysical book is in the conceived & about to be born. Thomas Wedgewood the Jupiter whose brain is parturient, Mackintosh [11]  the Man midwife – a preface with <on> the history of metaphysical opinions promised by Coleridge. this will perhaps prove an abortion, & be bottled up among other rarities in the Moon. [12]  it has however proceeded so far as to disturb the spiders, whose hereditary claim to Thomas Aquinas [13]  & Duns Scotus [14]  had not been disputed for many a year before. Time & Space are the main subjects of speculation. I am afraid the book will add nothing to what I have already learnt from the clocks & the mile stones.

God bless you –

yrs thankfully & truly

Robert Southey.

Saturday. Feb^y 6. 1802.

35. Strand.

Harry will be sorry to hear that Tom is gone to the West Indies. for the chance of Peace this is somewhat hard.