“Why, Grosvenor, that is an idle squeamishness of yours, that asking a previous leave to speak. Where my conscience becomes second to your challenge, the offence shall be amended; where we differ, mine is the voice potential. But, in truth, I will tell you that I am out of humour with Kehama, for half a hundred reasons: historical composition is a source of greater, and quieter, and more continuous pleasure; and that poem sometimes comes into my head with a—shall I sit down to it? and this is so easily turned out again, that the want of inclination would make me half suspect a growing want of power, if some rhymes and poemets did not now and then come out and convince me to the contrary. . . . . Abuse away ad libitum.
“If Cumberland
must have a Greek name, there is but one that fits him—Aristophanes—and that for the worst part of
his character. If his plays had any honest principle in them, instead of that
eternal substitution of honour for honesty, of a shadow for a
substance—if his novels were not more profligate in their tendency than
Matthew Lewis’s unhappy book—if the perusal of his
Calvary were not a
cross heavy enough for any man to bear who has ever read ten lines of Milton—if the man were innocent of all
these things, he ought never to be forgiven for his
| Ætat. 28. | OF ROBERT SOUTHEY. | 215 |
“. . . . . The Grenvilles are in
the right, but they got right by sticking in the wrong: they turned their faces
westward in the morning, and swore the sun was there; and they have stood still
and sworn on, till, sure enough, there the sun is. But they stand upon the
strong ground now, and have the argument all hollow; yet what is to come of it,
and what do they want—their country asks that question. War? They have
it; every man in the country says Amen, and they whose politics are most
democratic say Amen most loudly and most sincerely. In spite of their speeches,
I cannot wish them in; and, when change of ministry is talked of, cannot but
feel with Fox, that, little as I may like
them, ten to one I shall like their successors worse, and sure I am that worse
war ministers than the last cannot curse
this country. . . . . These men behaved so well upon Despard’s business, and have shown such
a respect to the liberties and feelings of this country, that they have fully
won my good will. I believe they will make a sad piecemeal patchwork
administration. . . . . It does seem that, by some fatality, the best talents
of the
| 216 | LIFE AND CORRESPONDENCE | Ætat. 28. |
“I am promised access to the King’s library, by Heber; and, indeed, it is a matter of considerable consequence that I should obtain it. Morning, noon, and night, I do nothing but read chronicles, and collect from them; and I have travelled at a great rate since the burthen of translating and reviewing has been got rid of: but this will not last long; I must think by and by of some other job-work, and turn to labour again, that I may earn another holyday.
“I call Margaret, by way of avoiding all commonplace phraseology of endearment, a worthy child and a most excellent character. She loves me better than any one except her mother; her eyes are as quick as thought, she is all life and spirit, and as happy as the day is long: but that little brain of hers is never at rest, and it is painful to see how dreams disturb her. A Dios!
