Susquehanna. He became engaged, therefore, at Bristol in mysterious
confabulation with strange youths. This alarmed his maiden aunt. Uncle
Hill, then in England, and about to return to his work at Lisbon,
shrewdly proposed to set his nephew right, and draw him out of any
confederacy that he might be in, by tempting him with an offer that
would take strong hold of his imagination. He offered to take him for a
run through Spain and Portugal. That was a chance not to be lost.
Southey went to Lisbon with his uncle, but secured, before he went, the
accomplishment of what he considered the best part of his design, by
secretly marrying Miss Edith Fricker. During that first run over ground
with which he became afterwards familiar, the young husband wrote
letters to his wife, thriftily planned for future publication in aid of
housekeeping. They were published in 1797, as "Letters from Spain and
Portugal." It was thus that Southey was first drawn to Spanish studies.
When he came back, and had to tell his aunt that he was married, he and
his wife were thrown upon their own resources. He worked manfully; his
uncle still abiding by him. In 1800 Southey went with his wife to visit
Mr. Hill, in Lisbon.

While winning his place among the English poets, Robert Southey more
than once turned to account his Spanish studies. He produced versions
of the old Spanish romances of chivalry. "Amadis of Gaul" he published
in 1803, and in 1807 "Palmerin of England." In 1807 he also published
"Espriella's Letters," an original book of his own, professing to
translate the letters of a Spaniard, who gave, as a traveller, his view
of life in England. This was a pleasant book, designed, like
Goldsmith's "Citizen of the World," to help us to see ourselves as
others see us. In the following year, 1808, Southey--already known as
the author of "Thalaba," published in 1802, and of "Madoc," published
in 1805--produced this "Chronicle of the Cid." It was a time for him of