1423. Robert Southey to John May, 9 February 1808*
Tuesday. Feby. 9. 1808.My dear friend
You may well suppose that I should have replied to your last letter, tho only to express how much I admired its true spirit of true philosophy, – if I had not been in daily expectation of the event which has now at length happily taken place. About an hour ago Edith was safely delivered of a daughter.1 the child is a very fine one, & God be praised, every thing as yet promises well.
I start in a few days, but as I shall make some calls on the road it will probably be about a fortnight before I reach London. Then I shall hear of you, & if we should not meet then, I will certainly see you at Hale.2 It will give me very great pleasure to shake you by the hand once more.
Remember us kindly to Mrs May. – Poor Worthington.3 – I am anxious to know if there be news of him yet – & poor Lisbon! – it makes my heart ache to think of that place which I love so well.
God bless you – my excellent good friend – Robert Southey.
Notes
Endorsement: No. 133 1808/ Robert Southey/ No place 9th Feb./ recd. 13th do/ ansd.
19th March
Watermark: shield/ 1803/ T Botfield
MS: Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center,
University of Texas, Austin. ALS; 1p.
Previously published: Charles Ramos (ed.), The Letters of Robert Southey to John May:
1797–1838 (Austin, Texas, 1976), p. 114. Back
1. Emma, the Southeys’ fifth child. Back
2. May’s residence at Downton in Wiltshire. Back
3. John Worthington. Business partner of John May’s. Later a merchant in Brazil. Back