LETTER5

letter5

charleslambtos.t.coleridge

[probablybegunonwednesday,june29.p.m.july1,1796.]

thefirstmomenticancomeiwill,butmyhopesofcomingyetawhileyethangonaticklishthread.thecoachicomebyisimmaterialasishallsoeasilybyyourdirectionfindyeout.mymotherisgrownsoentirelyhelpless(nothavinganyuseofherlimbs)thatmaryisnecessarilyconfinedfromeversleepingout,shebeingherbedfellow.shethanksyoutho'andwillaccompanymeinspirit.mostexquisitearethelinesfromwithers.yourownlinesintroductorytoyourpoemonselfrunsmoothlyandpleasurably,andiexhortyoutocontinue'em.whatshallisaytoyourdactyls?theyarewhatyouwouldcallgoodperse,butaparodyonsomeof'emisjustnowestingitself,andyoushallhaveitroughandunlicked.imarkwithfiguresthelinesparodied.

4.—sorelyyourdáctylsdodrágalonglim'p-footed.

5.—sádistheméasurethathan'gsaclodround'emso,

6.—méagre,andlan'guid,procláimingitswrétchedness.

1.—wéary,unsátisfied,notlittlesic'kof'em.

11.—coldismytiredheart,Íhavenochárity.

2.—páinfullytráv'llingthusovertheedroad.

7.—Óbegone,méasure,halflátin,halfen'glish,then.

12.—dismalyourdáctylsare,godhelpye,rhymingones.

ipossiblymaynotcomethisfortnight—thereforeallthouhasttodoisnottolookformeanyparticularday,onlytowritewordimmediatelyifatanytimeyouquitbristol,lesticomeandtaffybenotathome.ihopeicancomeinadayortwo.butyoungsavoryofmyofficeissuddenlytakenillinthisverynickoftimeandimustofficiateforhimtillhecancometoworkagain.hadtheknavegonesickanddiedandputrefiedatanyothertime,philosophymighthaveaffordedonecomfort,butjustnowihavenopatiencewithhim.quarlesiamasgreatastrangertoasiwastowithers.iwishyouwouldtryanddosomethingtobringourelderbardsintomoregeneralfame.iwrithewithindignationwheninbooksofcriticism,wherecommonplace"ationisheapedupon"ation,ifindnomentionofsuchmenasmassinger,orb.andfl,menwithwhomeedingdramaticwriters(otwayaloneexcepted)canbearnomannerofcomparison.stupidknoxhathnoticednoneof'emamonghisextracts.

thursday.—mrs.c.canscarceguesshowshehasgratifiedmebyherverykindletterandsweetlittlepoem.ifeelthatishouldthankherinrhyme,butshemusttakemyacknowledgmentatpresentinplainhonestprose.theuncertaintyinwhichiyetstandwhethericancomeornodampsmyspirits,reducesmeadegreebelowprosaical,andkeepsmeinasuspensethatfluctuatesbetweenhopeandfear.hopeisacharming,lively,blue-eyedwench,andiamalwaysgladofhercompany,butcoulddispensewiththevisitorshebringswithher,heryoungersister,fear,awhite-liver'd,lilly-cheeked,bashful,palpitating,awkwardhussey,thathangslikeagreengirlathersister'sapronstrings,andwillgowithherwhithersoevershegoes.forthelifeandsoulofmeicouldnotimprovethoselinesinyourpoemontheprinceandprincess,soichangedthemtowhatyoubidmeandleft'ematperry's.ithink'emaltogethergood,anddonotseewhyyouweresollicitousaboutanyalteration.ihavenotyetseen,butwillmakeitmybusinesstosee,to-day'schronicle,foryourversesonhornetook.dyerstanza'dhiminoneofthepaperst'otherday,butithinkessfully.tooke'sfriends'meetingwasisupposeadinnerofcondolence.iamnotsorrytofindyou(forallsara)immersedincloudsofsmokeandmetaphysic.youknowihadasneakingkindnessforthislastnoblescience,andyoutaughtmesomesmatteringofit.ilooktobecomenomeanproficientunderyourtuition.coleridge,whatdoyoumeanbysayingyouwrotetomeaboutplutarchandporphyry—ireceivednosuchletter,norrememberasyllableofthematter,yetamnotapttoforgetanypartofyourepistles,leastofallaninjunctionlikethat.iwillcastaboutfor'em,tho'iamasadhandtoknowwhatbooksareworth,andboththoseworthygentlemenarealikeoutofmyline.to-morrowishallbelesssuspensiveandinbettercuetowrite,sogoodbyeatpresent.

fridayevening.—thatexecrablearistocratandknaverichardsonhasgivenmeanabsoluterefusalofleave!thepoormancannotguessatmydisappointment.isitnothard,"thisdreaddependanceonthelowbredmind?"continuetowritetometho',andimustbecontent—ourlovesandbestgoodwishesattenduponyouboth.

lamb.

savorydidreturn,butthereare2or3moreillandabsent,whichwasthepleaforrefusingme.iwillnevercommitmypeaceofmindbydependingonsuchawretchforafavorinfuture,soshallneverhavehearttoaskforholidaysagain.themannexthiminoffice,cartwright,furnishedhimwiththeobjections.

c.lamb.

[thedactylswerecoleridge'sonlyinthethirdstanza;theremainder

weresouthey's.thepoemisknownas"thesoldier'swife,"printedin

southey'spoems,1797.latersoutheyrevisedtheverses.the

anti-jacobinhadaparodyofthem.

youngsavorywasprobablyarelativeofhestersavory,whomweshallmeetlater.heenteredtheeastindiahouseonthesamedaythatlambdid.

wedonotknowwhatwerethelinesfromwitherwhichcoleridgehadsenttolamb;butlambhimselfeventuallydidmuchtobringhimandtheelderbardsintomoregeneralfame—inthedramaticspecimens,1808,andintheessay"onthepoeticalworksofgeorgewither,"intheworks,1818.

stupidknoxwasvicesimusknox(1752-1821),theeditorofelegant

extractsinmanyforms.

"her…sweetlittlepoem."saracoleridge'sversesnolongerexist.

seelamb'snextletterforhispoeticalreply.

coleridge'spoemontheprinceandprincess,"onalateconnubialruptureinhighlife,"wasnotacceptedbyperry,ofthemorningchronicle.itappearedinthemonthlymagazine,september,1796.the"versesaddressedtoj.hornetookeandthecompanywhometonjune28,1796,tocelebratehispollatthewestminsterelection"werenotprintedinthemorningchronicle.tookehadopposedcharlesjamesfox,whopolled5,160votes,andsiralangardner,whopolled4,814,againsthisown2,819.

dyerwasgeorgedyer(1755-1841),anoldchrist'shospitaller(butbeforelambandcoleridge'stime),ofwhomweshallseemuch—lamb'sfamous"g.d."

williamrichardsonwasaccountant-generaloftheeastindiahouseatthattime;charlescartwright,hisdeputy.]