Autograph Letter Signed, 2 pages, recto and verso of a single 4to sheet, No place, March 2, 1810, to an unidentified correspondent, perhaps an editor or publisher, about writing his History of Brazil
signed
by SOUTHEY, Robert
English Romantic "Lake School" poet and Poet Laureate for thirty years, Southey (1774-1843), friend of Coleridge and Wordsworth, was involved in diverse cultural disputes of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries writing poems, plays, essays, reviews - he reviewed for the Quarterly Review during the 1810s-1830s - travel books, biographies and histories around contemporary events and history. Southey was one of the leading Hispanists of the period, his interests ranging from late eighteenth century Spain to Incan Peru. In this letter Southey touches upon matters evidently having to do with his History of Brazil (1810-1819), part of his planned, though never completed prose magnum opus, history of Portugal. Southey writes of his work in progress: "It has always been my intention to bring down the narration to the death of Sir [indecipherable] and in fact the history of his retreat is nearly written, having been begun upon when I had no materials for any other [?] part of the work." Southey continues: "...you cannot be more desirous to have the volume published, than I am to be proceeding with my History of Brasil. I will not hurry myself to get to the end, nor suffer the work to be one jot the worse for the sake of being published a week or two earlier." Commenting on the scarcity of accessible primary sources Southey notes, "But it must be remembered that for the history of this revolution I have no other documents than what our [indecipherable] supply. In the mss already in your hands the conduct of Ferdinand's faction [?] and of those who have proved traitors is developed more clearly than it has yet been done in this country..." About other writing of his, Southey notes ruefully, "My portfolio is very-very poor [?], inasmuch as for the last seven [?] years I have scarcely written [indecipherable] verse except in Kehama [The Curse of Kehama, Southey's epic Hindu romance published in 1810] and the new poem which I have begun since that was finished. Such however as it is I will send you the best of its contents. I have many subjects and hints marked down - but unluckily neither you [?] have time to wait for them, nor I leisure to finish them - nevertheless I will bear in mind that if I can compose any thing new there is a place ready for it, and you shall have immediately the best [?] that can be mustered... Yours very truly, Robert Southey. Folded from mailing (a closed 5/8" tear in the margin of one fold), the letter is otherwise in fine condition. Folded from mailing (a closed 5/8" tear in the margin of one fold), the letter is otherwise in fine condition. (Inventory #: 23008)