LETTER 18

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“TheWorksofCharlesandMaryLamb—Volume5（.shg.tw）”

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LETTER18

CHARLESLAMBTOS.T.COLERIDGE

Dec.10th，1796.

Ihadputmyletterintothepostratherhastily，notexpectingtohavetoacknowledgeanotherfromyousosoon.Thismorningspresenthasmademealiveagain:mylastnightsepistlewaschildishlyquerulous;butyouhaveputalittlelifeintome，andIwillthankyouforyourremembranceofme，whilemysenseofitisyetwarm;forifIlingeradayortwoImayusethesamephraseofacknowledgment，orsimilar;butthefeelingthatdictatesitnowwillbegone.Ishallsendyouacaputmortuum，notacorvivens.ThyWatchmans，thybellmans，verses，Idoretortuponthee，thoulibellousvarlet，—why，youcriedthehoursyourself，andwhomadeyousoproud?ButIsubmit，toshowmyhumility，mostimplicitlytoyourdogmas.Irejectentirelythecopyofversesyoureject.Withregardtomyleavingoffversifying，youhavesaidsomanyprettythings，somanyfinepliments，ingeniouslydeckedoutinthegarbofsincerity，andundoubtedlyspringingfromapresentfeelingsomewhatlikesincerity，thatyoumightmeltthemostun-muse-icalsoul，—didyounot（nowforaRowlandplimentforyourprofusionofOlivers）—didyounotinyourveryepistle，bythemanyprettyfanciesandprofusionofheartdisplayedinit，dissuadeanddiscouragemefromattemptinganythingafteryou.AtpresentIhavenotleisuretomakeverses，noranythingapproachingtoafondnessfortheexercise.Intheignorantpresenttime，whocananswerforthefutureman?"

AtloversperjuriesJovelaughs"

—andpoetshavesometimesadisingenuouswayofforswearingtheiroccupation.Thisthoughisnotmycase.Thetendercastofsoul，sombredwithmelancholyandsubsidingrecollections，isfavourabletotheSonnetortheElegy;butfrom

"

Thesaintedgrowingwoof，

Theteasingtroubleskeepaloof."

Themusicofpoesymaycharmforawhiletheimportunateteasingcaresoflife;buttheteasedandtroubledmanisnotinadispositiontomakethatmusic.

YousentmesomeverysweetlinesrelativetoBurns，butitwasatatimewhen，inmyhighlyagitatedandperhapsdistortedstateofmind，IthoughtitadutytoreademhastilyandburneIburnedallmyownverses，allmybookofextractsfromBeaumontandFletcherandathousandsources:IburnedalittlejournalofmyfoolishpassionwhichIhadalongtimekept—

"

Notingeretheypastaway

Thelittlelinesofyesterday."

Ialmostburnedallyourletters，—Ididasbad，Ilentemtoafriendtokeepoutofmybrotherssight，shouldheeandmakeinquisitionintoourpapers，for，muchashedweltuponyourconversationwhileyouwereamongus，anddelightedtobewithyou，ithasbeenhisfashioneversincetodepreciateandcryyoudown，—youwerethecauseofmymadness—youandyourdamnedfoolishsensibilityandmelancholy—andhelamentedwithatruebrotherlyfeelingthatweevermet，evenasthesobercitizen，whenhissonwentastrayuponthemountainsofParnassus，issaidtohave"

cursedwitandPoetryandPope."

I"

ewrong，butnomatter.TheselettersIlenttoafriendtobeoutofthewayforaseason;butIhaveclaimedtheminvain，andshallnotceasetoregrettheirloss.Yourpackets，posteriortothedateofmymisfortunes，mencingwiththatvaluableconsolatoryepistle，areeverydayaccumulating—theyaresacredthingswithme.

PublishyourBurnswhenandhowyoulike，itwillbenewtome，—mymemoryofitisveryconfused，andtaintedwithunpleasantassociations.Burnswasthegodofmyidolatry，asBowlesofyours.IamjealousofyourfraternisingwithBowles，whenIthinkyourelishhimmorethanBurnsormyoldfavourite，Cowper.Butyouconciliatematterswhenyoutalkofthe"

divinechit-chat"

ofthelatter:bytheexpressionIseeyouthoroughlyrelishhiIloveMrs.Coleridgeforherexcusesanhundredfoldmoredearlythanifsheheaped"

lineuponline，"

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