“. . . . . I have had a visit from Mr. Canning to-day, who has offered me his good offices in Portugal, and to be the means of any communication with Henry Wellesley at Madrid. This new opening is so much the more acceptable, as my main source of information has been cut off, Abella, I fear, being at this time in prison.
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* This stanza is now printed with the rest of the poem. |
| Ætat. 40. | OF ROBERT SOUTHEY. | 81 |
“The restoration of the Jesuits is a most important measure, and not the least extraordinary of the great events which have lately taken place. This concluding volume of Brazil will be the only single work which contains the whole history of their empire in S. America, and of their persevering struggle against the Indian slave-trade, which was the remote but main cause of their overthrow. I am working at this from manuscript documents, some of which fatigue the sight.
“Murray sent me the other day the two first and two last volumes of your translation of Humboldt, which I shall review. This traveller has so encumbered his volumes with science, that I think you would do well to extract his travels, insert in them the readable part of his other works in their proper place, and thus put the generally interesting part within reach of the reading public. This is what Pinkerton ought to have done. Can you lend me Humboldt’s Essay on the Geography of Plants? It must, doubtless, contain some Brazilian information.
