The Life and Correspondence of Robert Southey
Robert Southey to Edith Southey, 14 October 1805
“I need not tell you, my own dear Edith, not to read my letters aloud till you
have first of all seen what is written only for yourself. What I have now to
say to you is, that having been eight days from home, with as little
discomfort, and as little reason for discomfort, as a man can reasonably
expect, I have yet felt so little comfortable, so great sense of solitariness,
and so many homeward yearnings, that certainly I will not go to Lisbon without
you; a resolution which, if your feelings be at all like mine, will not
displease you. If, on mature consideration, you think the inconvenience of a
voyage more than you ought to submit to, I must be content to stay in England,
as on my part it certainly is not worth
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| Ætat. 30. | OF ROBERT SOUTHEY. | 349 |
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while to sacrifice a year’s happiness; for, though
not unhappy (my mind is too active and too well disciplined to yield to any
such criminal weakness), still without you I am not happy. But for your sake as
well as my own, and for little Edith’s sake, I will not consent to any separation; the
growth of a year’s love between her and me, if it please God that she
should live, is a thing too delightful in itself and too valuable in its
consequences, both to her and me, to be given up for any light inconveniences
either on your part or mine. An absence of a year would make her effectually
forget me. . . . . But of these things we will talk at leisure; only, dear dear
Edith, we must not part. . . . . Last night we saw the
young Roscius in Douglas; this was lucky and unexpected. He
disappointed me. I could tell you precisely how, and how he pleased me on the
other hand, but that this would take time*, and the same sort of thought as in
reviewing; and in letter-writing I love to do nothing more than just say what
is uppermost. This evening I meet Jeffrey and Brougham at
Thomson’s rooms. I know not
if Harry knows him; he is the person who
reviewed Miss Seward, and is skilful in manuscripts.
Among the books I have bought is a little work of Boccaccio, for which my uncle has been looking many years in vain, so extremely rare is
it. Its value here was not known, and it cost me only three shillings; being, I
conceive, worth as many guineas. I have likewise found the old translation of
Camoens.
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* In another letter he says:—“Though a
little disappointed, still I must say he is incomparably the best actor
I have ever seen.”
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| 350 |
LIFE AND CORRESPONDENCE |
Ætat. 30. |
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“. . . . . The third sitting will finish the letter.
Thomson brought with him the review of Madoc (which will be
published in about ten days), sent to me by Jeffrey, who did not like to meet me till I had seen it. There
was some sort of gentlemanlike decency in this, as the review is very unfair
and very uncivil, though mixed up with plenty of compliments, and calculated to
serve the book in the best way, by calling attention to it and making it of
consequence. Of course I shall meet him with perfect courtesy, just giving him
to understand that I have as little respect for his opinions as he has for
mine; thank him for sending me the sheets, and then turn to other subjects. . .
. . Since breakfast we have been walking to Calton Hill and to the Castle, from
which heights I have seen the city and the neighbouring country to advantage. I
am far more struck by Edinburgh itself than I expected, far less by the scenery
around it. . . . .
“God bless you, my own dear Edith.
Henry Peter Brougham, first baron Brougham and Vaux (1778-1868)
Educated at Edinburgh University, he was a founder of the
Edinburgh
Review in which he chastised Byron's
Hours of Idleness; he
defended Queen Caroline in her trial for adultery (1820), established the London University
(1828), and was appointed lord chancellor (1830).
Luis de Camoens (1524 c.-1580)
Portuguese poet, author of the national epic,
The Lusiads
(1572).
Herbert Hill (1750-1828)
Educated at St. Mary Hall, and Christ Church, Oxford; he was Chancellor of the Choir of
Hereford Cathedral, chaplain to the English factory at Lisbon (1792-1807) and rector of
Streatham (1810-28). He was Robert Southey's uncle.
Francis Jeffrey, Lord Jeffrey (1773-1850)
Scottish barrister, Whig MP, and co-founder and editor of the
Edinburgh
Review (1802-29). As a reviewer he was the implacable foe of the Lake School of
poetry.
Anna Seward [the Swan of Lichfield] (1742-1809)
English poet, patron, and letter-writer; she was the center of a literary circle at
Lichfield. Her
Poetical Works, 3 vols (1810) were edited by Walter
Scott.
Edith Southey [née Fricker] (1774-1837)
The daughter of Stephen Fricker, she was the first wife of Robert Southey and the mother
of his children; they married in secret in 1795.
Henry Herbert Southey (1783-1865)
The younger brother of Robert Southey; educated at Edinburgh University, he was physician
to George IV, Gresham Professor of Medicine, and friend of Sir Walter Scott.
Thomas Thomson (1768-1852)
Scottish lawyer and man of letters; he was one of the projectors of the
Edinburgh Review and succeeded Sir Walter Scott as president of the Bannatyne
Club (1832-52).
Thomas Thomson (1773-1852)
Friend of James Mill and professor of chemistry at the University of Glasgow; he
contributed to the
Quarterly Review.
