155. Robert Southey to Robert Lovell, Senior, 20 May 1796*

To Robert Lovell. Friday May 20th. 1796

The best consolation for the loss of a friend will be found in performing such offices as we believe he himself would wish to have performed. innocent amusement may certainly be derived from the poems of your son, & perhaps moral improvement, for the reflections they induce are uniformly friendly to virtue. to collect these — edite them & prefix some tribute of affection, poor as it is, is yet the only offering I can make to my Brother. I feel it incumbent upon me as a duty, & if it be not disagreable to you, Sir, I shall take a melancholy pleasure in erecting this monument to his memory.

Robert Southey.