The Life and Correspondence of Robert Southey
Robert Southey to John May, 2 November 1811
“Nov. 2. 1811.
“My dear Friend,
“. . . . . Since our return a larger portion of my time
than is either usual or convenient has been ![]()
| Ætat. 38. | OF ROBERT SOUTHEY. | 319 |
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taken up by
the chance society of birds of passage; this place abounds with them during the
travelling season; and as there are none of them who find their way to me
without some lawful introduction, so there are few who have not something about
them to make their company agreeable for the little time that it lasts.
“You have seen my article upon Bell and the Dragon in the Quarterly. It is decisive as to the
point of originality, and would have been the heaviest blow the Edinburgh has ever received if all
the shot of my heavy artillery had not been drawn before the guns were fired. I
am going to reprint it separately with some enlargement, for the purpose of
setting the question at rest, and making the public understand what the new
system is, which is very little understood, and doing justice to Dr. Bell, whom I regard as one of the greatest
benefactors to his species. . . . . The case is not a matter of opinion, but
rests upon recorded and stated facts. I tread, therefore, upon sure ground, and
taking advantage of this, I shall not lose the opportunity of repaying some of
my numerous obligations to the Edinburgh Review. . .
. .
“Probably you have seen the manner in which the Edinburgh Annual Register is twice
noticed* in their last number. . . . . When the first year’s volume
appeared it was not even suspected who was the historian; and Jeffrey, a day or two after its publication,
went for the first time into the publisher’s shop expressly to tell him how much he
admired the history, saying that though he differed from the
* It was recommended for government
prosecution. |
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| 320 | LIFE AND CORRESPONDENCE | Ætat. 38. |
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writer on many, indeed on most points, he nevertheless
must declare that it was liberal, independent and spirited throughout, the best
piece of contemporary history which had appeared for twenty years. When the
second volume appeared he knew who was the author!
Believe me,
Very affectionately yours,
R. Southey.”
James Ballantyne (1772-1833)
Edinburgh printer in partnership with his younger brother John; the company failed in the
financial collapse of 1826.
Andrew Bell (1753-1832)
Scottish Episcopalian educated at St. Andrews University; he was the founder of the
“Madras” system of education by mutual instruction; Robert Southey was his
biographer.
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.
The Quarterly Review. (1809-1967). Published by John Murray, the
Quarterly was instigated by Walter
Scott as a Tory rival to the
Edinburgh Review. It was edited by
William Gifford to 1824, and by John Gibson Lockhart from 1826 to 1853.
