1527. Robert Southey to Grosvenor Charles Bedford, 4 November 1808*

Dear Grosvenor

Did you ever eat a soup in the first course so highly seasoned as to destroy your palate for the venison in the second? – xxx just so has the first section of Kehama¹ served you. – If any thing good has been left out, your worship has only to show cause why it should be put in again & put in it shall be; – when the whole is compleated you will see that none of its parts can possibly change place, (it must be wretchedly constrained if they could) – & then the more closely he find fault the better, – for tho I will for no mans pleasure change a syllable or measure² – yet I will make huge alterations for my own, if but once convinced that they ought to be made.

There is nothing false in the Cid except the miracle, – the story of the Emperor, – all that relate to his death & burial, – & some exaggeration of numbers in the battles. – That translation of Freres instead of deserving your turn up of the nose, is the admiration of every body who has seen it.³

The book of Kehama brings the poem half as far as it is written. Take care of yourself. God bless you RS.

Friday Nov. 4. 1808