The Poetical Works of Robert Southey Author:Robert Southey Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: THE DEVIL'S WALK. ADVERTISEMENT. ArriB the " Devil's Thoughts" had been published by Mr. Coleridge in the collection of his Poetical Works, and the stateme... more »nt with which he accompanied it, it might have been supposed that the joint authorship of that Siamese production had been sufficiently authenticated, and that no supposititious claim to it would again be advanced. The following extract, however, appeared in the "Johu Bull" of Feb. 14,1830: — "In the 'Morning Post' of Tuesday, we find the following letter: — " Td Ou Editor of Hie Mifning Past. "' Sie, — Permit me to correct a statement which appeared In a neent number of the " John Bull," wherein 1t 1s made to appear that Dr. Southey Is the author of the poem entitled " The Devil's Walk." I have the means or settling this qnestion, since I possess the identical manuscript copy of verses, as they were written by my uncle, the late Professor Ponon, during an evening party at Dr. Beloe's. " ' I am, sir, your very obedient servant, "' R. C. Porso. " ' Bayswater Terrace, Feb. 6,1830.' " We are qulte sure that Mr. Porson, the writer of the above letter, is convinced of the truth of the statement it contains; bnt, although ' The Devil's Walk' is perhaps not a work of which either Mr. Southoy or Mr. Porson need be very proud, we feel it due to ourselves to restate the fact of its being from the pen of Mr. Southey. If we are wrong, Mr. Porson may apply to Mr. Southey; for, although Mr. Person's eminent undo is dead, the poet-laureate is alive and merry. "The lines — poem they can scarcely be called — were written by Mr. Southey one morning before breakfast, the idea having struck him while he was shaving. They were subsequently shown to Sir. Coleridge, who, we believe, pointed some of the stanzas, and perhaps adde...« less