882. Robert Southey to Harry James [12 January 1804]*
Greeta Hall. Keswick. Jany. 12. 1804Sir
Your letter of Dec. 16 has just reached me. No poem commencing with the lines mentioned was ever received by me, nor indeed has any poem designed for the Annual Anthology1 come to my hands during the last three <two> years, it being now three since that publication was discontinued. As the poem for which you enquire was left at Rivingtons2 it may possibly, by an easy mistake, have found its way to the Editor of the Poetical Register.3
I am Sir yrs respectfully Robert Southey.
Notes
Address: To/ Harry James Esqr/ 16 Fetherston Buildings/ Holborn/ London
Stamped:
KESWICK/ 298
Postmark: E/ JAN 16/ 1804
MS: University of Kentucky
Library. ALS; 2p. (c).
Unpublished.
Note: Harry James is untraced,
but from the content of the letter was presumably a writer who submitted
verse for inclusion in the Annual Anthology, which was edited
by Southey. Back
1. The Annual Anthology was published in 1799 and 1800. Contributions were requested for a third volume but this never appeared. Back
2. The Rivington family of printers and publishers in London, who from the early eighteenth to the twentieth century, were one of the most important book-trade dynasties in England. Francis Rivington (1745–1822; DNB) and Charles Rivington (1754–1831; DNB) controlled the business from 1792, until they were joined by Francis’s eldest son, John Rivington (1779–1841; DNB) in 1810. Back
3. The Poetical Register, and Repository of Fugitive Poetry was published by F. and C. Rivington from 1803–1815. Back