212. Robert Southey to Joseph Cottle, 26 April 1797*

Wednesday evening. 26th April. 1797.

Remember us to Gilbert.¹

On receiving your letter (Thursday last) I went to the Swan, found the box there & requested the Master to send it as soon as possible. which he promised. that day & the next I vainly expected it, & on the Saturday Mr Peacock sent his man for it. what a vice is the want of punctuality, & what a curse is expectation! the waggoner reminded me of this reflection, & this reflection reminded me of Rosser — & where are Charles Fox² & his family? — Place the saddle on the right horse. it was Mrs Peacock who bargained with me for the lodgings.

I have finished Necker³ this morning — & return again to my regular train of occupations. Would that digging potatoes were among them! — & if I live some dozen years Cottle you shall eat potatoes of my digging. but I must think now of the present.

Some Mr T Park⁴ sent me a volume of his poems last week, with a note; its praises too gross for one whos is no fowl-feeder. I read his book it was not above mediocrity; he seems very fond of poetry, & even to a superstitious reverence for Thomsons old table & that xxxxx Miss Sewards⁵ manuscripts which he “rescued” from the printers.⁶ I called on him to thank him & was not sorry to find that he was not at home. But the next day a note arrives with more praise — he wishes my personal acquaintance & “trusts I shall excuse the frankness that avows that it would gratify his feelings to receive a copy of Joan of Arc from the Author.” now I thought this, to speak tenderly, not very modest. but there is a something in my nature which prevents me from even silently showing <displaying> my sentiments, if that display can give pain — & so I answered his note — & am going to send him the book. He writes sonnets to Miss Seward⁷ & Mr Hayley. ⁸ — enough to stamp him blockhead. I suppose he will call — & you shall hear more of him.

When the Bodderation comes, Carlisle & I have resolved instead of your a Revolutionary Tribunals to erect a Physiognomical one; & as transportation is to be the punishment instead of guillotining — to put the whole navy in requisition to carry off all ill-looking fellows — & then we may walk London Streets without being jostled. You are to be one of the Jury. & we must get some good Limner to take down the evidence. Witnesses xx will be needless — the features of a mans face will rise up in judgment against him. — & the very voice that pleads “not guilty” will sometimes be enough to convict the raven-toned criminal.

I think of splitting my Letters⁹ into two volumes — but whether I told you on what plan or no, I cannot recollect. I see them in several shops here. Danvers tells me you mean to cease your doing business <with> Hazard;¹⁰ certainly H told you huge lies.

T. Park wanted Coleridges Poems¹¹ in vain. What news of a second edition? I supped with Flower¹² (of Cambridge) lately with Mr Peacock, & never saw so much coarse strength in a countenance. his spirits seem heavily depressed by the death of the young man whom he had adopted.¹³ he repeated an epigram to me upon the dollars which perhaps you may not have seen.

To make Spanish Dollars ’mongst Englishmen pass Stamp the head of a fool on the neck of an ass.

this has a coarse strength too — better perhaps than a point.

By Mr Peacocks desire I am going to get some papers printed with a list of my books, to hang up in the country Booksellers shops, as a cheap & permanent kind of advertisement. he wants some vignettes to a second edition of the Poems & the book to be six shillings. Alas! how tedious it is to plan books upon paper. half an hours conversation would say more than half a days writing. plague on Space. how I envy the Monster who dwells beyond it in the Adamant River! but you are not yet initiated into the mysteries of the Butler¹⁴ & I must not spoil his grand mythology by committing it to paper. How have you hurt your hand? — I set out with Mr Peacock this day week to reconnoitre; Danvers will not meet us as we hoped; We are very sorry for this — besides yourself, I look upon him & George Burnett as my only correspondents. George has commenced preacher. Danvers tells me you have written to Herbert Croft;¹⁵ give me some account of your letter. let me hear from you before I go — & tell me how you all are, & what is going on in the little world of Bristol. God bless you — remember meus to your sisters &c. — & remember me particularly to William Reid¹⁶ when you see him.

yrs affectionately Robert Southey