The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1843-04-28
DEATH OF DIR. SOUTHEY.

We regret, to announce the death Of Robert
Snnhey, on Tuesday, (Nlarch 2D, at his residence
in KeSwck. For this event his friends must have
been long prepared, For the last three years he
had been in II state of mental darkness, nad u.
fwevemonh agn he was not able 10 recognise
those who hld been his companions from his youth.
Scarcely could hs wife console herself with the
poor hope that he recognised even her Excess Of
mental hhour in every department Of literature
poetry history biography, criticism. nnd philosophy,
continued from wear to year, wlhnu. cessation
bowed his strong spirit At last, nni obsCured the
genlns which had 50 long cast glory upon the
literature Of the age, Ia early life, when his pow.
erful and brilliant nng nalinn was pmuing lis wing
ior the daring flights that it afterwards took. he
formed the most exalted notions Of the perfect
ability Of man, INDUCED in the most generous AS.
piralions for the welfare and Improvement Of the
human race, and scrionSely thought, with other
kindred spirits Of founding colony in the back
woods of America where guilt and sorrow should
he unknown and perfect equality, freedom, and
happiness should reign for ever. better knowl-
edge Of the world socu dissipated these Ulopian
reverl"s. As a poet with an eXubeance o! i'm
agnllion seldom cqnalled aud mystery of YER
sfrnon nc'er surprised nd as prose writer,
N once elegant and frc,blc-hlS name will endure
as long as the language in which he wrote. The
"wild and wonlrous mle' Of Thlluht," aud the
almost e1ulIIy wonderous Course of Kehania."
are the pnericdI pieces on which hi zane will prn
cpnlly rest A prose writer h. was n perfect
node OF style; easy hui not i,eblc-s'eady hnl moi
cumbrous- aud learned but moi pedanlic. Besides
rnumerabe articles in The Quarterly Rertcr.
to whirh he WIS II prinripll contributor, we he
eivr, for nearly thirty years his chef prose works
nrra life Of Nelson" "'lhe Book o(he, Currh,'
"A history Of the Pcninsular War;" Letters hom
Spain and portugal" "Essays on the Progress and
Prospects, Of society" "a history Of Bnrzlc,'
"lives Of the British AdmiraIs," &c. lie also
wlutc phes If Kirk White and Cmllerlon
and edited their works, besides editing collections
both Of the principal and minor English poets
Tie was appointed poc,-laureu,e /, 1912. lie
WA twice nmrrled-frs IN very early life, and
agnin bu, II Crw years before the mounful over
clonding Of hs intellect, to Miss Caroline BowIcs.
II lady whose name as pneless, had been long
and flvourahy known to the public, and who IN
the last sad blank wears Of his life watched over
him with the lcnderpsl solirilude, md did all that
the most devoted affection could do 10 Tighten the
heavy load Of his existence
IN all the relations orfh DR. Sou,hcy was unlvcr-
sally allowed, by those who knew hun hest, !" be
truly exemplary. 3y his own fImllv he was 'dorcd
and we have always understood that the huI,hen OF
maintaining the family Of n NAN Of genius, whose
irregular habits III qualified him lnr the ordinary
duics Of lie. chiefly drvolvcd On ". Soulhey--
Advantage, we fear, was but too often taken oiihe
kind and aminbe disposition Of Souihr, by those
who were less nrovident or lrss industrious Than
himself Till his ininu was unhngcd, he retained
his hahi,ual kindness Of disposition; and the ac-
cuupshed gentlemen who accompanied HIM, II
wear or two ago, on n continental tour undcrlh-
ken for The sake Of hiI health, dwell with fond
affection on the many amable traits Of his clmruc-