LETTER19

letter19

charleslambtos.t.coleridge

[datedoutside:jan.2,1797.]

youressinthehigherspeciesoftheodeissuch,asbespeaksyoubornforatchievementsofloftierenterprizethantolingerinthelowlytrainofsongstersandsonneteurs.sincerelyithinkyourodeoneofthefinestihaveread.theopeningisinthespiritofthesublimestallegory.theideaofthe"skirtsofthedepartingyear,seenfaronwards,wavingonthewind"isoneofthosenoblehintsatwhichthereader'simaginationisapttokindleintograndconceptions.dothewords"impetuous"and"solemnize"harmonizewellinthesameline?thinkandjudge.inthe2dstrophe,thereseemstobetoomuchplayoffancytobeconsistentwiththatcontinuedelevationwearetaughttoexpectfromthestrainoftheforegoing.theparenthizedline(bythewayiabominateparenthesesinthiskindofpoetry)atthebeginningof7thpage,andindeedallthatgradualdescriptionofthethroesandpangsofnatureinchildbirth,idonotmuchlike,andthose4firstlines,—imean"tombgloomanguishandlanguish"—risenotabovemediocrity.intheepode,yourmightygeniuscomesagain:"imarkedambition"&c.thro'thewholeepodindeedyoucarryalongoursoulsinafullspringtideoffeelingandimaginat'n.hereisthe"stormofmusic,"ascowperexpressesit.woulditnotbemoreabrupt"whydoesthenorthernconqueressstay"or"wheredoesthenorthernconqueressstay"?—thischangeofmeasure,ratherthanthefeebler"ah!whither","foulherlifeanddarkhertomb,mightyarmyofthedead,dancelikedeathflies"&c.:hereisgenius,hereispoetry,rapid,irresistible.theconcludingline,isitnotapersonif:withoutuse?"necdeusintersit"—exceptindeedforrhymesake.wouldthelawsofstropheandantistrophe,which,iftheyareasunchangeable,isupposeareaboutaswise,[as]themedeandpersianlaws,admitofexpungingthatlinealtogether,andchangingtheprecedingoneto"andhe,poormadman,deemditquenchdinendlessnight?"—fondmadmanorproudmadmanifyouwill,butpoorismorecontemptuous.ifiofferalterationsofmyowntoyourpoetry,andadmitnotyoursinmine,itisupontheprincipleofapresenttoarichmanbeinggraciouslyaccepted,andthesamepresenttoapoormanbeingconsideredasininsult.toreturn—theantistrophethatfollowsisnotinferioringrandeurororiginal:butisithinknotfaultless—e:g:howismemoryalone,whenalltheetherialmultitudearethere?reflect.again"storiedstthysadhours"isharsh,ineednottellyou,butyouhavegainedyourpointinexpressingmuchmeaninginfewwords:"purplelocksandsnowwhiteglories""mildarcadianseverblooming""seasofmilkandshipsofamber"thesearethingsthemusetalksaboutwhen,toborrowh.walpole'swittyphrase,sheisnotfinely-phrenzied,onlyalittlelight-headed,that'sall."purplelocks."theymaymanagethingsdifferentlyinfairyland,butyour"goldentresses"aremoretomyfancy.thespiritoftheearthisamosthappyconceit,andthelastlineisoneoftheluckiestieverheard—"andstoodupbeautifulbeforethecloudyseat."icannotenoughadmireit.'tissomehowpicturesqueintheverysound.the2dantistrophe(whatisthemeaningofthesethings?)isfineandfaultless(ortovarythealliterationandnotdiminishtheaffectation)beautifulandblameless.ionlyexcepttothelastlineasmeaninglessafterthepreceding,anduselessentirely—besides,whydisjoin"natureandtheworld"here,whenyouhadconfoundedbothintheirpregnancy:"thecommonearthandnature,"recollect,alittlebefore—andthereisadismalsuperfluityintheunmeaningvocable"unhurld"—theworse,asitissoevidentlyarhyme-fetch.—"deathlikehedozes"isaprosaicconceit—indeedalltheepodeasfaras"brother'scorse"imostheartilycommendtoannihilation.theenthusiastofthelyreshouldnotbesofeebly,sotediously,delineativeofhisownfeelings;'tisnotthewaytobecome"masterofouraffections.

"theaddresstoalbionisveryagreeable,andconcludesevenbeautifully:"speakssafetytohisislandchild"—"sworded"—epithetiwouldchangefor"cruel."

theimmediatelyeedinglinesareprosaic:"madavarice"isanunhappycombination;and"thecowarddistanceyetwithkindlingpride"isnotonlyreprehensiblefortheantitheticalturn,butasitisa"ation:"safedistance"and"cowarddistance"youhavemorethanoncehadrecoursetobefore—andthelyricmuse,inherenthusiasm,shouldtalkthelanguageofhercountry,somethingremovedfromcommonuse,something"recent,"unborrowed.thedreamsofdestruction"soothingherfiercesolitude,"arevastlygrandandterrific:stillyouweakentheeffectbythatsuperfluousandeasily-conceivedparenthesisthatfinishesthepage.theforegoingimage,fewmindscouldhaveconceived,fewtonguescouldhavesocloath'd;"muttringdestemperedtriumph"&c.isvastlyfine.ihateimperfectbeginningsandendings.nowyourconcludingstanzaisworthyofsofineanode.thebeginningwasawakeningandstriking;theendingissoothingandsolemn—areyouseriouswhenyouaskwhetheryoushalladmitthisode?itwouldbestrangeinfatuationtoleaveoutyourchatterton;mereinsanitytorejectthis.unlessyouarefearfulthatthesplendidthingmaybeameansof"eclipsingmanyasoftersatellite"thattwinklesthro'thevolume.neitheromittheannex'dlittlepoem.formypart,detestingalliterations,ishouldmakethe1stline"away,withthisfantasticprideofwoe."wellmayyourelishbowles'sallegory.ineedonlytellyou,ihaveread,andwillonlyadd,thatidislikeambition'snamegildedonhishelmet-cap,andthatithink,amongthemorestrikingpersonagesyounotice,youomittedthemoststriking,remorse!"hesawthetrees—thesun—thenhiedhimtohiscaveagain"!!!the2dstanzaofmaniaissuperfl:the1stwasneverexceeded.the2distoomethodic:forher.withallitsloadofbeauties,iammoreaffectedwiththe6firststanzasoftheelegiacpoemwrittenduringsickness.tellmeyourfeelings.ifthefraternalsentimentconveyedinthefollowinglineswillatoneforthetotalwantofanythinglikemeritorgeniusinit,idesireyouwillprintitnextaftermyothersonnettomysister.

friendofmyearliestyears,&childishdays,

myjoys,mysorrows,thouwithmehastshared

companiondear;&wealikehavefared

poorpilgrimswe,thro'life'sunequalways

itwereunwiselydone,shouldwerefuse

tocheerourpath,asfeatlyaswemay,

ourlonelypathtocheer,astravellersuse

withmerrysong,quainttale,orroundelay.

andwewillsometimestalkpasttroubleso'er,

ofmerciesshewn,&alloursicknessheal'd,

andinhisjudgmentsgodremembringlove;

andwewilllearntopraisegodevermore

forthose"gladtidingsofgreatjoy"reveal'd

bythatsoothmessenger,sentfromabove.

1797.

ifyouthinktheepithet"sooth"quaint,substitute"blestmessenger."ihopeyouareprintingmysonnets,asidirectedyou—particularlythe2d."methinks"&c.withmylastadded6linesatyeend:andallof'emasilastmade'em.

thishasbeenasadlongletterofbusiness,withnoroominitforwhathonestbunyantermsheart-work.ihavejustroomlefttocongratulateyouonyourremovaltostowey;towishesstoallyourprojects;to"bidfairpeace"betothathouse;tosendmyloveandbestwishes,breathedwarmly,afteryourdearsara,andherlittledavidhartley.iflloydbewithyou,bidhimwritetome:ifeeltowhomiamobligedprimarilyfortwoveryfriendlylettersihavereceivedalreadyfromhim.adaintysweetbookthat"artandnature"is.iamatpresentre-re-readingpriestley'sexaminatofthescotchdrs:howtheroguestrings'emup!threetogether!youhavenodoubtreadthatclear,strong,humorous,mostentertainingpieceofreasoning.ifnot,procureit,andbeexquisitelyamused.iwishicouldgetmoreofpriestley'sworks.canyourecommendmetoanymorebooks,easyofaccess,suchascirculatingshopsafford?godblessyouandyours.

poormaryisveryunwellwithasorethroatandaslightspeciesofscarletfever.godblesshertoo.

mondaymorning,atoffice.

[coleridgehadjustpublishedinquartohisodeonthedepartingyear.inorderthatlamb'slettermaybeintelligibleitisnecessary,ithink,togivethetextofthiseditioninfull.itwillbefoundintheappendixtothisvolume.lambreturnstohiscriticisminthenextletter.

the"annexedlittlepoem"wasthat"addressedtoayoungmanoffortune,"whichbegan,andstillbegins,"hencethatfantasticwantonnessofwoe."

bowies'allegorywasthepoem,"hope,anallegoricalsketch,"recentlypublished.

thepoemwasnotincludedinthe1797volume,butwasprintedinthemonthlymagazine,october,1797.coleridgehadmovedtohiscottageatnetherstoweyonthelastdayof1796.

priestley'sbookwouldbeanexaminationofdr.reid'sinquiryintothe

humanmindontheprinciplesofcommonsense,dr.beattie'sessayonthe

natureandimmutabilityoftruth,anddr.oswald'sappealtocommon

senseinbehalfofreligion,1774.]