Between 1808 and 1838, Southey had written ninety-four articles for the Quarterly; the last was upon his friend Thomas Telford, the engineer, who left him a legacy.  He had been returned Member of Parliament for Downton (before the Reform Bill passed), but refused the honour—­a curious episode not often remembered in the career of this distinguished man of letters.  When about fifty-five years old, his only certain source of income was from his pension, from which he received L145, and from his laureateship, which was L90.  But the larger portion of these sums went in payment for his life insurance, so that not more than L100 could be calculated on as available.  His works were not always profitable.  In one year he only received L26 for twenty-one of his books, published by Longman.

Murray gave him L1,000 for the copyright of the “Peninsular War”; but his “Book of the Church” and his “Vindiciae” produced nothing.

Southey’s chief means of support was the payments (generally L100 for each article) which he received for his contributions to the Quarterly; but while recognizing this, as he could not fail to do, as well as Murray’s general kindness towards him, he occasionally allowed a vein of discontent to show itself even in his acknowledgment of favours received.

In 1835 Southey received a pension of L300 from the Government of Sir Robert Peel.  He was offered a Baronetcy at the same time, but he declined it, as his circumstances did not permit him to accept the honour.

Mr. Southey to John Murray.

June 17, 1835.

“What Sir Robert Peel has done for me will enable me, when my present engagements are completed, to employ the remainder of my life upon those works for which inclination, peculiar circumstances, and long preparation, have best qualified me.  They are “The History of Portugal,” “The History of the Monastic Orders,” and “The History of English Literature,” from the time when Wharton breaks off.  The possibility of accomplishing three such works at my age could not be dreamt of, if I had not made very considerable progress with one, and no little, though not in such regular order, with the others.”

Shortly after his second marriage, Southey’s intellect began to fail him, and he soon sank into a state of mental imbecility.  He would wander about his library, take down a book, look into it, and then put it back again, but was incapable of work.  When Mr. Murray sent him the octavo edition of the “Peninsular War,” his wife answered: 

Mrs. Southey to John Murray.

GRETA HALL, May 15, 1840.

If the word pleasure were not become to me as a dead letter, I should tell you with how much I took possession of your kind gift.  But I may tell you truly that it gratified, and more than gratified me, by giving pleasure to my dear husband, as a token of your regard for him, so testified towards myself.  The time is not far passed when we should have rejoiced together like children over such an acquisition.