in 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 tim