LETTER117

letter117

marylambtosarahstoddart

[nodate.?march,1804.]

mydearestsarah,—iwilljustwriteafewhastylinestosaycoleridgeissettingoffsoonerthanweexpected;andieverymomentexpecthimtocallinoneofhisgreathurrysforthis.charlesintendedtowritebyhim,buthasnot:mostlikelyhewillsendaletterafterhimtoportsmouth:ifhedoes,youwillcertainlyhearfromhimsoon.werejoicedwithexceedingjoytohearofyoursafearrival:ihopeyourbrotherwillreturnhomeinafewyearsaveryrichman.seventypoundsinonefortnightisaprettybeginning—

ienvyyourbrotherthepleasureofseeingcoleridgedropinunexpectedlyuponhim;wetalk—butitisbutwildandidletalk—offollowinghim:heistogetmybrothersomelittlesnugplaceofathousandayear,andwearetoleaveall,andcomeandliveamongye.whataprettydream.

coleridgeisveryill.idreadthethoughtofhislongvoyage—writeassoonashearrives,whetherhedoesornot,andtellmehowheis.

jamaicabodies…[wordsillegible].

hehasgotlettersofrecommendationtogovernorball,andgodknowswho;andhewilltalkandtalk,andbeuniversallyadmired.butiwishtowriteforhimaletterofrecommendationtomrs.stoddart,andtoyourself,totakeuponye,onhisfirstarrival,tobekindaffectionatenurses;andmind,now,thatyouperformthisdutyfaithfully,andwritemeagoodaccountofyourself.behavetohimasyouwouldtome,ortocharles,ifwecamesickandunhappytoyou.

ihavenonewstosendyou;coleridgewilltellyouhowwearegoingon.charleshaslostthenewspaper;butwhatwedreadedasanevilhasprovedagreatblessing,forwehavebothstrangelyrecoveredourhealthandspiritssincethishashappened;andihope,wheniwritenext,ishallbeabletotellyoucharleshasbegunsomethingwhichwillproducealittlemoney;foritisnotwelltobeverypoor—whichwecertainlyareatthispresentwriting.

isitwritinghere,andthinkingalmostyouwillseeittomorrow;andwhatalong,longtimeitwillbeereyoureceivethis—whenisawyourletter,ifancy'dyouwereevenjusttheninthefirstbustleofanewreception,everymomentseeingnewfaces,andstaringatnewobjects,when,atthattime,everythinghadbecomefamiliartoyou;andthestrangers,yournewdancingpartners,hadperhapsbecomegossipingfiresidefriends.youtellmeofyourgay,splendiddoings;tellme,likewise,whatmannerofhome-lifeyoulead—isaquieteveninginamaltesedrawingroomaspleasantasthosewehavepassedinmitrecourtandbellyard?—tellmeallaboutit,everythingpleasant,andeverythingunpleasant,thatbefallsyou.

iwantyoutosayagreatdealaboutyourself.areyouhappy?anddoyounotrepentgoingout?iwishicouldseeyouforonehouronly.

remembermeaffectionatelytoyoursisterandbrother;andtellme,whenyouwrite,ifmrs.stoddartlikesmalta,andhowtheclimateagreeswithherandwiththee.

weheardyouweretakenprisoners,andforseveraldaysbelievedthetale.

howdidthepearls,andthefinecourtfinery,bearthefatiguesofthevoyage,andhowoftenhavetheybeenwornandadmired?

rickmanwantstoknowifyouaregoingtobemarriedyet—satisfyhiminthatlittleparticularwhenyouwrite.

thefenwickssendtheirlove,andmrs.reynoldsherlove,andthelittleoldladyherbestrespects.

mrs.jefferies,whoiseenowandthen,talksofyouwithtearsinhereyes,and,whensheheardyouwastakenprisoner,lord!howfrightenedshewas.shehasheard,shetellsme,thatmr.stoddartistohaveapensionoftwothousandayear,wheneverhechusestoreturntoengland.

godblessyou,andsendyouallmannerofcomfortsandhappinesses.

yourmostaffectionatefriend,

marylamb.

how-do?how-do?notimetowrite.s.t.c.goingoffinagreathurry.ch.

lamb.

[missstoddartwasnowinmalta.governorballwassiralexanderball,towhomcoleridgewastoactasprivatesecretaryandofwhomhewrotesomeyearslaterinthefriend.

"charleshaslostthenewspaper"—hisworkonthemorningpost.lamb's

principalperiodonthispaperhadbegunafterstuartsolditin

september,1803,anditlasteduntilfebruary,1804(seenotesinvol.

ii.ofthisedition).

"weheardyouweretakenprisoners"—bythefrench.

"mrs.reynolds"—lamb'soldschoolmistressandpensioner.mrs.jefferies

idonotknow.]