 After this time he was largely occupied with the reviewing of books, and, in his latest years, with biblical work, much of which has never seen the light.He is stated to have had a long and intimate acquaintance with Spain, presumably prior to the writing of his history.He was intimate with Southey, who spoke of his knowledge of the Middle Ages as marvellous, and he was in close correspondence with Lingard, the historian, who was godfather to one of his sons.