The Life and Correspondence of Robert Southey (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1855 Excerpt: ... it than to give its contents; and it does him so much honor that you ougnt to see it without delay. 'My dear Southey, --On my return home, I found, to my no small surprise, a letter tendering mo the laurel vacant by the death of the poetical Pye. I have declined the appointment as being incompetent to the task of annual commemoration, but chiefly as being provided for in my professional department, and unwilling to incur the censure of engrossing the emolument attached to one of the few appointments which seems proper to be filled by a man of literature who has no other views in life. Will you forgive me, my dear friend, if I own I had you in my recollection? I have given Croker the hint, and otherwise endeavored to throw the office into your choice (this is not Scott's word, but I can not decipher the right one). I am uncertain if you will like it, for the laurel has certainly been tarnished by some of its wearers, and, as at present managed, its duties are inconvenient and somewhat liable to ridicule. But the latter matter might be amended, and I should think the regent's good sense would lead him to lay aside these biennial commemorations; and as to the former point, it has been worn by Dryden of old, and by Warton in modern days. If you quote my own refusal against me, I reply, 1st, I have been luckier than you in holding two offices not usually conjoined. 2dly, I did not refuse it from any foolish prejudice against the situation, otherwise how durst I mention it to you, my elder brother in the muse? but from a sort of internal hope that they would Sir Walter Scott seems to haTe been under the impreaalon that the emoluments of the laurcateship amounted to & H00 or 400 a year.--See Life qf Scott, vol. iv., p. 118. give it to yon, upon whom It w...