LETTER129

letter129

charleslambtowilliamwordsworth

[p.m.february19,1805.]

mydearwordsworth,iyesterdaywroteyouaveryunsatisfactoryletter.todayihavenotmuchtoadd,butitmaybesomesatisfactiontoyouthatihaveseengilpin,andthankedhiminallyournamesfortheassistancehetriedtogive:andthathehasassuredmethatyourbrotherdidtrytosavehimself,andwasdoingsowhengilpincalledtohim,buthewasthenlingwiththewavesandalmostdead.g.heardhimgiveordersaverylittlebeforethevesselwentdown,withallpossiblecalmness,anditdoesnotatallappearthatyourbrotherinanyabsenceofmindneglectedhisownsafety.butinsuchcircumstancesthememoryofthosewhoescapedcannotbesupposedtobeveryaccurate;andthereappearstobeaboutthepersonsthatihaveseenagooddealofreservednessandunwillingnesstoenterintodetail,whichisnatural,theybeingofficersoftheship,andliabletobeexaminedathomeaboutitsloss.theexaminationisexpectedtodayorto-morrow,andifanythingshouldcomeout,thatcaninterestyou,ishalltakeanearlyopportunityofsendingittoyou.

marywrotesomefewdayssincetomissstoddart,containinganaccountofyourbrother'sdeath,whichmostlikelycoleridgewillhaveheard,beforethelettercomes:webothwishitmayhastenhimback.wedonotknowanythingofhim,whetherheissettledinanypost(astherewassometalk)ornot.wehadanothersadaccounttosendhim,ofthedeathofhisschoolfellowallen;tho'this,iamsure,willmuchlessaffecthim.idon'tknowwhetheryouknewallen;hediedlatelyverysuddenlyinanapoplexy.whenyoudoandcanwrite,particularlyinformusofthehealthsofyouall.godblessyouall.marywillwritetodorothyassoonasshethinksshewillbeabletobearit.ithasbeenasadtidingstous,andhasaffectedusmorethanwecouldhavebelieved.ithinkithascontributedtomakemeworse,whohavebeenveryunwell,andhavegotleaveforsomefewdaystostayathome:butiamashamedtospeakofmyself,onlyinexcusefortheunfeelingsortofhuddlewhichinowsend.icouldnotdelayit,havingseengilpin,andithoughthisassurancemightbesomelittleeasetoyou.

wewilltalkaboutthebooks,whenyoucanbetterbearit.ihaveboughtnoneyet.butdonotsparemeanyofficeyoucanputmeon,noworwhenyouareatleisureforsuchthings.adoptmeasoneofyourfamilyinthisaffliction;andusemewithoutceremonyassuch.

mary'skindestlovetoall.

c.l.

tuesday[feb.19].

[marylamb'slettertomissstoddart,herereferredto,isnolongerpreserved.coleridgealittlelateracceptedthepostofprivatesecretarytothegovernorofmalta,vice-admiralsiralexanderjohnball.allenwasboballen,whomwehavealreadymet.]