May 18, 1833

"Robert Southey (1774-1843) was a poet, journalist and biographer ..... Grosvenor Charles Bedford was Chief Clerk of the Audit Office."

They were friends. Southey wrote to Grosvenor C. Bedford, to share the news when one of Southey's cats died. We quote from the letter dated May 18, 1833.

'My dear G.,

'…Alas, Grosvenor, this day poor old Rumpel was found dead, after as long and happy a life as cat could wish for, if cats form wishes on that subject.

'His full titles were: —

'The Most Noble the Archduke Rumpelstiltzchen, Marquis Macbum, Earl Tomlemagne, Baron Raticide, Waowhler, and Skaratch.

'There should be a court mourning in Catland, and if the Dragon wear a black ribbon round his neck, or a band of crape à la militaire round one of the fore paws, it will be but a becoming mark of respect.

'As we have no catacombs here, he is to be decently interred in the orchard, and cat-mint planted on his grave. Poor creature, it is well that he has thus come to his end after he had become an object of pity. I believe we are each and all, servants included, more sorry for his loss, or rather more affected by it, than any one of us would like to confess.

'I should not have written to you at present, had it not been to notify this event…

'God bless you!

'R. S.'

We should find out whether T. S. Eliot was aware of Southey's correspondence. Bedford's letters are at the Bodleian. The correspondence from which we quote was owned by Bedford's great-niece, Mrs Erskine, of Milton Lodge, Gillingham, Dorset until the library bought it at Sotheby's in 1932. Old Possum was published in 1939, and is in the same fey, loving vein we see in Southey's description of his cat. Still we don't know if it was cataloged by then. We do know Eliot was dour on the Romantics. Still....