755. Robert Southey to John Rickman, 30 January [1803] ⁠* 

My dear Rickman

Thank you for your letter in all & every one of its parts. the books which you could not find must be in one of the boxes packed up in the Strand, & which may easily be known from the travellers by their looser cordage & fastening. Of the addendi – & trust me thexx virtue of supererogation is a great one & goes to account with me – the Italian Life of Bernard [1]  is the only one which I ought to have specified <but I shall be glad to receive the 2 vol of Racine [2]  & the mss Madoc. [3] >

Domingo & Francisco [4]  have both been gutted. the French life of Loyola [5]  is worth little for I have biographized him from the earliest of his Life-writers. the Hist. Jes. Ordinis [6]  I do not recollectxx unless it be a little book by one Hasenmuller or some such Germanish name – if so I have the whole trail of that volume ready drest. but there is a folio history of monachism – which tho it falls miserably short of what such a title ought to pretend, may be of use – by Hospinian. [7] 

By way of fillers – send Osorio de Rebus Eman. [8]  3 vol. bound like Resendius, [9]  & Resendius also. the Cronicas dos Seis Reys primeiros. [10]  a folio thing, & lettered upon so light-coloured a leather, that it might as well not have been lettered at all. Feijoos [11]  works. about 16 little 4tos in parchment. Corona Gotica by Saavedra [12]  two little quadrutoed volumes. Vieyra Hist de Futuro. [13]  1 4to parchment. a folio translation of Eusebius – Socrates Sozomen &c. [14] 

I am rich in books considered as plain & poor Robert Southey, & in foreign books – considered as an English man. but for my glutton appetite & healthy digestion, my stock is but small & the Historian feels daily & hourly the want of materials. I believe I must visit London for the sake of the Museum. [15]  but not till the spring be far advanced & warm enough to write with tolerable comfort in their reading room. my history of Monachism [16]  cannot be compleat without the Benedictine History of Mabillon. [17]  there is another book in the Museum which must be noticed literally – or put in a note – the book of the conformities of S^t Francis & Jesus Xt! [18]  I have thirteen folio of Franciscan History in the house – & yet want the main one, Waddings Seraphic Annals [19]  which contains the original Bulls.

Of the Beguins [20]  I have as yet found neither trace nor tidings – except that I have seen the name certainly among the heretic list. but my monastic knowledge is very far from complete. I know only the outline xxxx for the two centuries between Francisco & Luther. [21]  & nothing but Jesuit history from that period.

Do not suspect me of querulousness. labour is my amusement, & nothing makes me growl but that the kind of labour cannot be wholly my own choice. that I must lay aside old chronicles, to review modern poems instead of composing from a full head. that I must write like a school boy upon some idle theme on which nothing can be said or ought to be said. I believe the best thing will be as you hope. for if I live & do well my history [22]  shall be done, & that will be a fortune to a man oeconomical from habit & moderate in his wants & wishes from feeling & principle.

Coleridge is with me at present. he talks of going abroad – for poor fellow he suffers terribly from this climate. you bid me come with the swallows to London! I wish I could go with the swallows on their winterly migration.

If I have not specified books enough to fill a package-case, make up the quantity by any thing relative to Spain Portugal, the East or West-Indies.

Farewell – we are all a little ailing – & all with sore eyes, for which as there must be some general cause I wish we could find a general remedy.

yrs affectionately

RS

Jan^y 30. dies fausta. [23]