In the year 1816, Mr. Southey sustained a great loss in the death of his
youngest son, a boy of promising talent, and endued with every quality
which could attach a father's heart. Mr. S. thus announced the melancholy
tidings.
"Keswick, May 23, 1816.
My dear Cottle,
I know not whether the papers may have informed you of the severe
affliction with which we have been visited,--the death of my son; a boy
who was in all things after my own heart. You will be gratified to hear,
however, that this sorrow produces in both our cases, that beneficial
purpose for which such visitations were appointed: and in subtracting so
large a portion of our earthly happiness, fixes our hearts and hopes with
more earnestness on the life to come. Nothing else I am well assured,
could have supported me, though I have no ordinary share of fortitude.
But I know where to look for consolation, and am finding it where only it
can be found. My dear Cottle, the instability of human prospects and
enjoyments! You have read my proem to the 'Pilgrimage,' and before the
book was published, the child of whom I had thus spoken, with such
heartfelt delight, was in his grave! But of this enough. We have many
blessings left, abundant all, and of this, which was indeed the flower of
all our blessings, we are deprived for a time, and that time must needs
be short...."
In the year 1817, Mr. Southey's juvenile drama of "Wat Tyler," was
surreptitiously published; written during the few months of his political
excitement, when the specious pretensions of the French, carried away,
for a brief period, so many young and ardent minds. He thus noticed the
circumstance.
"My dear Cottle,
You will have seen by the papers, that some villain, after an interval of
three and twenty years, has published my old uncle, 'Wat Tyler.' I have
failed in attempting to obtain an injunction, because a false oath has
been taken, for the purpose of defeating me....
I am glad to see, and you will be very glad to hear, that this business
has called forth Coleridge, and with the recollections of old times,
brought back something like old feelings. He wrote a very excellent paper
on the subject in the 'Courier,' and I hope it will be the means of his
rejoining us ere long; so good will come out of evil, and the devil can
do nothing but what he is permitted.[65]
I am well in health, and as little annoyed by this rascality as it
becomes me to be. The only tiling that has vexed me, is the manner in
which my counsel is represented in talking about my being ashamed of the
work as a wicked performance! "Wicked! My poor 'old uncle' has nothing
wicked about him. It was the work of a right-honest enthusiast, as you
can bear witness; of one who was as upright in his youth as he has been
in his manhood, and is now in the decline of his life; who, blessed be
God, has little to be ashamed before man, of any of his thoughts, words,
or actions, whatever cause he may have for saying to his Maker, 'God be
merciful to me a sinner.' God bless you, my old and affectionate friend,
Robert Southey.
I am writing a pamphlet, in the form of a letter, to Wm. Smith. Fear not,
but that I shall make my own cause good, and set my foot on my enemies.
This has been a wicked transaction. It can do me no other harm than the
expense to which it has put me."
"Keswick, Sept. 2, 1817.
My dear Cottle,
... I have made a long journey on the continent, accompanied with a
friend of my own age, and with Mr. Nash, the architect, who gave me the
drawings of Waterloo. We went by way of Paris to Besançon, into
Switzerland: visited the Grand Chartreuse, crossed Mont Cenis; proceeded
to Turin, and Milan, and then turned back by the lakes Como, Lugano, and
Maggiore, and over the Simplon. Our next business was to see the
mountainous parts of Switzerland. From Bern we sent our carriage to
Zurich, and struck off what is called the Oberland (upper-land.) After
ten days spent thus, in the finest part of the country, we rejoined our
carriage, and returned through the Black Forest. The most interesting
parts of our homeward road were Danaustrugen, where the Danube rises.
Friburg, Strasburg, Baden, Carlsruhe, Heidelburg, Manheim, Frankfort,
Mentz, Cologne, and by Brussels and Lisle, to Calais.
I kept a full journal, which might easily be made into an amusing and
useful volume, but I have no leisure for it. You may well suppose what an
accumulation of business is on my hands after so long an absence of four
months. I have derived great advantage both in knowledge and health. God
bless you, my dear Cottle.
Yours most affectionately,
Robert Southey.
P.S.--Hartley Coleridge has done himself great credit at Oxford. He has
taken what is called a second class, which, considering the disadvantages
of his school education, is as honourable for him as a first class for
any body else. In all the higher points of his examination, he was
excellent, and inferior only in those minuter points, wherein he had not
been instructed. He is on the point of taking his degree."
"Keswick, Nov. 26,1819.
My dear Cottle,
Last night I received a letter from Charles Lamb, telling me to what a
miserable condition poor John Morgan is reduced: not by any extravagance
of his own, but by a thoughtless generosity, in lending to men who have
never repaid him, and by ----, who has involved him in his own ruin; and
lastly by the visitation of providence. Every thing is gone!
In such a case, what is to be done? 'but to raise some poor annuity
amongst his friends.' It is not likely to be wanted long. He has an
hereditary disposition to a liver complaint, a disease of all others,
induced by distress of mind, and he feels the whole bitterness of his
situation. The palsy generally comes back to finish what it has begun.
Lamb will give ten pounds a year. I will do the same, and we both do
according to our means, rather tham our will. I have written to Michael
Castle to exert himself; and if you know where his friend Porter is, I
pray you communicate this information to him. We will try what can be
done in other quarters...."[66]
"Keswick, June 25, 1823.
My dear Cottle,
... I must finish my 'Book of the Church.' Under this title a sketch of
our ecclesiastical history is designed. One small volume was intended,
and behold it will form two 8vos. The object of the book is, to give
those who come after us a proper bias, by making them feel and
understand, how much they owe to the religious institutions of their
country.
Besides this, I have other works in hand, and few things would give me
more pleasure than to show you their state of progress, and the
preparations I have made for them. If you would bring your sister to pass
a summer with us, how joyfully and heartily you would be welcomed, I
trust you both well know. Our friendship is now of nine and twenty years'
standing, and I will venture to say, for you, or for us, life cannot have
many gratifications in store greater than this would prove. Here are
ponies accustomed to climb these mountains which will carry you to the
summit of Skiddaw, without the slightest difficulty, or danger. And here
is my boat, the 'Royal Noah,' in the lake, in which you may exercise your
arms when you like. Within and without I have much to show you. You would
like to see my children; from Edith May, who is taller than her mother,
down to Cuthbert, who was four years old in February last. Then there are
my books, of which I am as proud as you are of your bones.[67] They are
not indeed quite so old, but then they are more numerous, and I am sure
Miss C. will agree with me that they are much better furniture, and much
pleasanter companions.
Not that I mean to depreciate your fossil remains. Forbid it all that is
venerable. I should very much like to see your account of them. You gave
me credit for more than is my due, when you surmised that the paper in
the Quarterly (on the presumed alteration in the plane of the ecliptic)
might have been mine. I write on no subject on which I have not bestowed
considerable time and thought; and on all points of science, I confess
myself to be either very superficially informed, or altogether ignorant.
Some day I will send you a list of all my papers in that Journal, that
you may not impute to me any thing which is not mine; and that, if you
have at any time such a desire, you may see what the opinions are that I
have there advanced. Very few I believe in which you would not entirely
accord with me. God bless you.
Yours affectionately,