LETTER118

letter118

charleslambtos.t.coleridge

[p.m.april4,1804.]

marywouldsendherbestlove,butiwriteatoffice.

thursday[april5].

the£1camesafe.

mydearc.—ibutjustreceivedyourcommission-aboundingletter.allshallbedone.makeyoureuropeanhearteasyinmalta,allshallbeperformed.yousayiamtotranscribeoffpartofyourlettersandsendtoxsomebody(butthenameislostunderthewafer,soyoumustgiveitme)—isupposewordsw'th.

ihavebeenoutoftownsincesaturday,thereasonihadnotyourletterbefore.n.b.n.b.knowingihad2or3easterholydays,itwasmyintentiontohaveask'dyouifmyaccompanyingyoutoportsm'thwouldhavebeenpleasant.butyouwerenotvisible,exceptjustatthecriticalmomentofgoingofffromtheinn,atwhichtimeicouldnotgetatyou.sodeusaliterdisposuit,andiwentdownintohertfordshire.

iwriteingreatbustleindeed—godblessyouagain.attendtowhatihavewrittenmark'dxabove,anddon'tmergeanypartofyourordersundersealagain.

c.lamb.

[addressedto"s.t.coleridge,esq'r.,j.c.mottley's,esq'r.,

portsmouth,hants."

coleridgehadleftlondonforportsmouthonmarch27;hesailedfor

maltaonapril9.]