LETTER198

letter198

marylambtomatildabetham

[nodate.feb.,1811.]

mydearmatilda,—coleridgehasgivenmeaverychearfulpromisethathewillwaitonladyjerninghamanydayyouwillbepleasedtoappoint;heofferedtowritetoyou;butifounditwastobedonetomorrow,andasiamprettywellacquaintedwithhistomorrows,ithoughtgoodtoletyouknowhisdeterminationtoday.heisintowntoday,butasheisoftengoingtohammersmithforanightortwo,youhadbetterperhapssendtheinvitationthroughme,andiwillmanageitforyouaswellasican.youhadbetterlethimhavefourorfivedays'previousnotice,andyouhadbettersendtheinvitationassoonasyoucan;forheseemstolerablywelljustnow.imentionallthesebetters,becauseiwishtodothebesticanforyou,perceiving,asido,itisathingyouhavesetyourheartupon.hedinedone[d]ayincompanywithcatilana(isthatthewayyouspellheritalianname?—iamreadingsallust,andhadliketohavewrittencatiline).howishouldhaveliked,andhowyouwouldhaveliked,tohaveseencoleridgeandcatilanatogether!

youhavebeenverygoodoflatetoletmecomeandseeyousoseldom,andyouarealittlegoodishtocomesoseldomhere,becauseyoustayawayfromakindmotive.butifyoustayawayalways,asifearyoumeantodo,iwouldnotgiveonepinforyourgoodintentions.inplainwords,comeandseemeverysoon;forthoughibenotsensitiveassomepeople,ibegintofeelstrangequalmsforhavingdrivenyoufromme.

yoursaffectionately,

m.lamb.

wednesday.

alas!wednesdayshinesnomoretomenow.

missduncanplayedfamouslyinthenewcomedy,whichwentoffasfamously.bytheway,sheputinaspitefulpieceofwit,iverilybelieveofherownhead;andmethoughtshestaredmefullintheface.thewordswere"assilentasanauthorincompany."herhairandherselflookedremarkablywell.

[angelicacatalani(1782-1849)wasthegreatsinger.ifindnorecordof

coleridge'smeetingwithher.

"missduncan."praiseofthisladyinmisshardcastleandotherparts

willbefoundinleighhunt'scriticalessaysontheperformersofthe

londontheatres,1807.atthistimeshewasplayingwiththedrurylane

companyatthelyceum.theyproducedseveralnewplays.]