LETTER126

letter126

marylambtomrs.s.t.coleridge(sameletter)

[p.m.october13,1804.]

mydearmrs.coleridge—ihavehadaletterwrittenreadytosendtoyou,whichikept,hopingtogetafrank,andnowifindimustwriteoneentirelyanew,forthatconsistedofmatternotnowinseason,suchascondolenceontheillnessofyourchildren,whoihopearenowquitewell,&comfortingsonyouruncertaintyofthesafetyofcoleridge,withwisereasonsforthedelayofthelettersfrommalta,whichmustnowbechangedforpleasantcongratulations.coleridgehasnotwrittentous,butwehavehadtwolettersfromthestoddartssincetheoneisenttoyou,containinggoodaccountsofhim,butasifindyouhavehadlettersfromhimselfineednottellyoutheparticulars.

mybrothersentyourletterstomr.motleyaccordingtocoleridge'sdirection,&ihavenodoubtbutheforwardedthem.

onethingonlyinmypoorletterthetimemakesnoalterationin,whichisthatihavehalfabedreadyforyou,&ishallrejoicewithexceedinggreatjoytohaveyouwithme.praydonotchangeyourmindforishallbesadlydisappointedifyoudo.willhartleybewithyou?ihopehewill,foryousayhegoeswithyoutoliverpool,andiconcludeyoucomefromthencetolondon.

ihaveseenyourbrotherlately,andifindheentertainsgoodhopesfrommr.sake,andhispresentemploymentihearislikelytocontinueaconsiderabletimelonger,sothatihopeyoumayconsiderhimasgoodasprovidedfor.heseemsverysteady,andisverywellspokenofathisoffice.

ihavelatelybeenoftentalkingofyouwithmrs.hazlitt.williamhazlittispaintingmybrother'spicture,whichhasbroughtusacquaintedwiththewholefamily.ilikewilliamhazlittandhissisterverymuchindeed,&ithinkmrs.hazlittaprettygood-humouredwoman.shehasanicelittlegirlofthepyposkind,whoissofondofmybrotherthatshestopsstrangersinthestreettotellthemwhenmr.lambiscomingtoseeher.

ihopemr.southeyandyoursisterandthelittleeditharewell.ibegmylovetothem.

godblessyou,andyourthreelittledarlings,&theirwanderingfather,whoihopewillsoonreturntoyouinhighhealth&spirits.

iremaineveryouraffectionatefriend

marylamb.

complimentstomr.jacksonanddarlingfriend.ihopetheyarewell.

[charleslambadds:—]

c.lambparticularlydesirestoberememberedtosoutheyandallthe

southeys,aswellastomrs.c.andherlittlecoleridges.mrs.c.'s

lettershaveallbeensentascoleridgeleftword,tomotley's,

portsmouth.

[thebenjonsoninlamb'sownlibrarywasthe1692folio;hisbeaumontandfletcher,whichmaybeseenatthebritishmuseum,wasthefolio1647or1679.

spenser'sprosework,viewofthepresentstateofireland,isthatreferredto.

"johnford."lambsaysinthedramaticspecimens,1808,"fordwasofthefirstorderofpoets."

dorothywordsworth(afterwardsthewifeofedwardquillinan)wasborn

august16,1804.

"yourbravesailor-brother"—johnwordsworth.

mrs.coleridgenowhadthreechildren—hartley,derwentandsara.wedonotknowwhetherornoshestayedwiththelambs,asested.herbrotherwasgeorgefricker.

williamhazlitt'ssisterwasyhazlitt.hissister-in-law,mrs.

hazlitt,wasthewifeofjohnhazlitt,theminiaturepainter.

hazlitt'sportraitoflambwastheoneinthedressofavenetiansenator,reproducedasfrontispiecetovol.i.ofthisedition.itnowhangsinthenationalportraitgallery.]