The Life and Correspondence of Robert Southey
Robert Southey to Neville White, 27 August 1830
“James Stanger
gave me your message yesterday evening, and thereby made me perceive that I
must have been mistaken in supposing I had written to you immediately after
Mr. Fletcher’s visit. I
received from him the Religio
Medici, which I was very glad to see; and I now say to you, what I
then said to him, that when the book is ready I will do the best in my power to
serve it in the Quarterly Review.
It will be a very beautiful edition of an author whom I value most highly. I
was much pleased with Mr. Fletcher himself, and wish there
were more booksellers so well-principled and so well-disposed.
“Since his appearance we have had much anxiety
concerning Cuthbert; first from a slight
but decided attack of scarlet fever, and, before he had recovered his strength,
from a much more serious bilious one, which alarmed us greatly, and left him
exceedingly ![]()
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reduced. By God’s mercy he has been
spared to us, and is, I thinks gaining strength now day by day. I endeavour to
be thankful for this and for other mercies, and, without an endeavour, am
always mindful of the uncertainty of human life; without endeavour I say,
because that feeling has become habitual. . . . .
“Ellis, the
missionary, whose book I reviewed in the last Quarterly Review, has been here, and we were very
much pleased with him. I was gratified by hearing from Sir Robert Inglis, in a letter which I
received yesterday, that he thought that reviewal of mine was likely to be of
much use; the circles in which he moves afford him opportunities of observing
how the observations which I made upon the errors of the Missionaries, and the
dangers consequent upon those errors, are received among persons who have some
influence in directing their proceedings.
“This letter would have been finished and despatched
yesterday, if Dr. Bell had not
unexpectedly arrived on a flying visit, or rather on his way to Scotland. He is
a marvellous person for his years, and yet I see a difference since he was here
in 1828.
“Edward, the
eldest of my uncle’s sons, is passing the long vacation with me, and has
been joined here by the third brother, Erroll. I hope to have much comfort in these young relations;
and have now more satisfaction than I can express in manifesting towards them
my love for their father.
“God bless you, my dear Neville!
Yours most affectionately,
R. S.”
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.
William Ellis (1794-1872)
Originally a gardener, he was an Independent minister, missionary to Tahiti and
Madagascar, and writer; he edited the
Christian Keepsake.
Edward Hill (1809-1900)
The son of Robert Southey's uncle Herbert Hill; he was educated at Christ Church, Oxford,
and was rector of Sheering, Essex (1849-1900), and honorary canon of St Alban's Cathedral,
Hertfordshire (1872).
Erroll Hill (1812-1844)
The son of Robert Southey's uncle Herbert Hill; he was educated at Winchester and Christ
Church, Oxford, where he was fellow and dean of arts (1839).
Sir Robert Harry Inglis, second baronet (1786-1855)
The son of Sir Hugh Inglis, educated at Winchester, Christ Church, Oxford, and Lincoln's
Inn; he was a Tory MP for Dundalk (1824-26), Ripon (1828-29), and Oxford University
(1829-54), and president of the Literary Club.
Charles Cuthbert Southey (1819-1888)
Son of Robert Southey whose
Life and Correspondence (1849-1850) he
edited. Educated at Queen's College, Oxford, he was curate of Plumbland in Cumberland,
vicar of Kingsbury Episcopi, Somerset (1855-79) and Askham, near Penrith (1885).
James Stanger (1796 c.-1866)
Of Lairthwaite near Keswick; a philanthropist and acquaintance of Robert Southey, he paid
for the restoration of Crosthwaite Church on the occasion of the poet's death.
John Neville White (1785 c.-1845)
The elder brother of Henry Kirke White; after working in medicine he was educated at
Peterhouse College, Cambridge, and was rector of Rushall (1828) and Tivetshall in Norfolk
(1832-45). The rumor that he died a suicide was denied in the
Gentleman's
Magazine.
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.
