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Bodleian Library, MS Eng. Lett. c. 26. ALS; 7p. . Not previously published.
These letters were edited with the assistance of Ian Packer and Lynda Pratt
All quotation marks and apostrophes have been changed: " for “," for ”, ' for ‘, and ' for ’.
Any dashes occurring in line breaks have been removed.
Because of web browser variability, all hyphens have been typed on the U.S. keyboard.
Dashes have been rendered as a variable number of hyphens to give a more exact rendering of their length.
Southey's spelling has not been regularized.
Writing in other hands appearing on these manuscripts has been indicated as such, the content recorded in brackets.
& has been used for the ampersand sign.
£ has been used for £, the pound sign
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Utrum horum?xxx <to> the Longmen.
It will save time, if you correct it in the proof, – that is if you prefer the long one, – the other may be trusted to the printer.
You will perceive that I have cut down out the monitory & left the complimentary part. The compliments
are so strictly true, & therefore so well deserved, that I do not like to omit paying them, especially when some additional obloquy
is sure to be incurred by the payment, & when the rascally manner in which the King has been, & is treated, makes an honest mans blood flow the faster for indignation. But I do not care very much
about it, because I know that after these things are once looked at, & perhaps talked of, they are thought of both by friend and
foe as little as they deserve. So you will use your own with the full assurance that I shall be very well satisfied whatever may be
your choice.
No proof yet of the preface or notes.
The Megistos said the same thing to me as to Gifford concerning Bulmers charges, & careless work, which I did not think worth
repeating, because the motive was apparent.
Can you get a copy of the Vision sent to Canning thro the Foreign
Office? Whatever he may think of the metre, he will not be displeased at the manner in which his name is introduced.xxx beginning to train myself for exercise with you, when you make your appearance. – Tell me
when the birth day is kept (me miserum!) – & if there is to be a coronation, – another evil – hanging over my head. The
Laureateship is no sinecure to me.
Cupn is a fine creature, & an excellent playfellow.
y 1821.
To
——
Sir
To your Majesty alone can the present publication with
propriety be addressed. As a tribute to the sacred memory of our late excellent Sovereignexperiment essay, which may perhaps be considered hereafter as of some
importance in English poetry, be so fitly inscribed as to the Royal & Munificent Patron of Science, Art & Literature?
It is offered also the more willingly as a means of adding the Authors voice to that expression of loyalty &
genuine upright, unsophisticated, old English feeling which is at this time making itself heard from all parts of
these Islands.
Under your Majestys government the military renown of
Great Britain has been carried to the highest point of glory,xx> the welfare of
states has th<eir> only secure foundation, & for opening new regions to the redundant enterprize & industry of the nation.
Under your Majestys government the Metropolis is becoming one of the
finest Capitals in the world, as it has long been the greatest, sciences arts & letters are flourishing beyond all example,
& the last triumph of nautical discovery, which had so often been essayed in vain, has been accomplished under the British
flag.
We owe much to the House of Brunswick,
That your Majesty may long continue to reign over a free
& happy people, & that the blessings of the wisest form <frame> of Government which ever under the favour of
divine Providence has been raised by human wisdom, may be transmitted from generation to generation unimpaired, is the prayer of
most dutiful subject & servant
Robert Southey.
To
———
Sir
Only to your Majesty can the present publication with propriety be addressed. As a tribute to the sacred memory of our late excellent Sovereign, it is my duty to present it to your Majesty’s notice; & to whom could an experiment, which perhaps may be considered hereafter as of some importance in English poetry, be so fitly inscribed, as to the Royal & munificent patron of Science, Art, & Literature?
We owe much to the House of Brunswick; but to none of that illustrious House more than to your Majesty, under whose government the military renown of Great Britain has been
carried to the highest point of glory. xx From that pure glory there has been nothing to detract: The success was not
more splendid than the cause was good; & the event was deserved by the generosity, the justice, the wisdom, & the
magnanimity of the counsels which prepared it. The same perfect integrity has been manifested in the whole administration of public
affairs. More has been done than was ever before attempted for mitigating the evils incident to our stage of society; for imbuing
the rising race with those sound principles of religion on which the welfare of states has its only secure foundation; & for
opening new regions to the redundant enterprize & industry of the people. Under your Majestys government, the metropolis is becoming one of the finest Capitals in
the world, as it has long been the greatest: sciences, arts & letters are flourishing beyond all former example; & the last
triumph of nautical discovery & of the British flag, which had so often been essayed in vain, has been accomplished. The
brightest portion of British history will be that which records the improvements, the works, & the achievements of the Georgian
age.
That your Majesty may long continue to reign over a free & prosperous people, & that the blessings of the happiest form of Government which has ever been raised by human wisdom under the favour of Divine Providence, may be transmitted from generation to generation unimpaired, is the prayer of
most dutiful subject & servant
Robert Southey