“A gentleman in
this neighbourhood, Mr. ——, is printing some poems at his
own expense, which Faulder is to
publish; and he has applied to me to request that your name also may appear in
the titlepage. In such cases, the only proper mode of proceeding is to relate
the plain state of the matter. His verses are good for nothing; and not a
single copy can possibly sell, except what his acquaintance may purchase: but
he has been labouring under mental derangement,—the heaviest of all human
calamities,—and the passion which he has contracted for rhyming has
changed the character of his malady, and made him from a most miserable being,
a very happy one. Under these circumstances you will not, perhaps, object to
gratifying him, and depositing copies of his book in your ware-room, for the
accommodation of the spiders. He tells me his MS. is at
——, if you think fit to inspect it: this trouble you will
hardly take: the poems are as inoffensive as they are worthless. I shall simply
tell him that I have made the application, without giving him any reason to
expect its success. You will, of course,
| Ætat. 32. | OF ROBERT SOUTHEY. | 15 |
