1199. Robert Southey to Grosvenor Charles Bedford, 5 July 1806*

My dear Grosvenor

I thought it so likely you would hear from Wynn the particulars concerning John Southeys will, that I felt no inclination to repeat the story to you – which would not have been the case had the old man done as he ought to have done. Good part of his property consisting in an newly purchased <estate> is given to a very distant relation of his mothers family, & of course gone for ever. About 2000 £ in legacies the rest falls to his brother as Sole Executor & residuary Legatee. Neither my name nor either of my brothers is mentioned. Thomas Southey apprized me of this the day of the old mans death. With him I am on good terms – that is, if we were in the same town we should dine together, for the sake of relationship, about once a month, – & if any thing were to happen to me of any kind of family importance – such as the birth of a child – I should write him a letter beginning dear Uncle. He invites me to his new ‘the Cottage, – & I shall go there on my way to Lisbon. I think it likely that he will leave his property rather to Tom than to me – for the names-sake; – but not likely that he will leave it out of the family.¹ He is about three or four & fifty, – a man of no education – nor indeed of any thing else – & so you have all that I can tell you about the matter, except that there’s an end of it. Some people, they say, are born with silver spoons in their mouths, & others with wooden ladles. I will hope something for my daughter upon the strength of this proverb inasmuch as she has three silver cups,² – but for myself I am of the fraternity of the wooden ladle.

Andres whole poem is too long – & if the part be unintelligible – which I think is very likely – even omit it altogether.³ Last night I began the Preface – huzza!

And now Grosvenor let me tell you what I have to do. I am writing 1. A History of Portugal. 2 The Chronicle of the Cid. 3 The Curse of Kehama. 4. Espriella’s Letters.⁴ look you all these I am writing, – the one is in the press, & both the second & third must get into it & out of it before this time twelvemonth, or else I shall be like the Civil list. By way of interlude comes in this preface – Dont swear, & bid me do one thing at a time – I tell you I can’t afford to do one thing at a time, no nor two neither & it is only by doing many things at a time that I contrive to do so much, for I cannot work long together at any thing without hurting myself – & so I do every thing by heats, that by the time I am tired of one my inclination for another is come round.

Dr Southey is arrived here.⁵ he puts his degree in his pocket – summerizes here – & will winter in London to attend at a Hospital – about this, of course I shall apply to Carlisle – & if it should so happen that you do not see him here, shall give him a direction to you when he goes to London. he is now in thr his three & twentieth year, & is about as fine a young man ‘as ever the sun shone on’.⁶ If he had been only a Lord Henry – you would have seen his portrait in every print shop, & his panegyric in every newspaper.

God bless you RS.

July 5. 1806.