Coleridge, Sara (1802-1852). - Letter, from Hampstead, to Elizabeth Wardell (nee Crumpe), at Chester (from contents), dated 25 April 1832. WLMS A / Coleridge, Sara / 30.

Hampstead

April 25- 1832

My dearest Elizabeth

Henry offers me a frank from Sir R. Inglis with whom he is going to dine & I have chosen one for Chester because I really am anxious to inquire about you & yours & wish to petition for a speedy report of you all from your own pen. In the first place I want to hear about your dear little boy - I hope you are no longer anxious about him, yet feeling as I do how precarious the health of an infant is I cannot write the words without some doubt and apprehension, which I should be glad to have dispersed by your pen. I long to take a peep into your nursery as well as your sitting room & I wish your two darlings could be playmates of my Herbert: he is now a little sturdy [blouzy] former of a fellow, growing very masterful as they say in the North very backward in articulation but forward in most other things. He is now about his back double teeth, which give him more trouble than the others have done, but on the whole he is highly favored in regard to health & strength. It is supposed that he is to have a brother or sister in June or July; if the former should unfortunately make his appearance I don't know what sort of welcome he will have from papa who is fully bent upon a little Edith: girls are rather scarce in our family, & the Coleridges are a lady loving race. Be this as it may I wish I knew more accurately when to expect the little stranger, for in such a nut-shell of a house as this an addition to the family for several weeks longer than is necessary is not desirable, fortunate as I consider myself in regard to a monthly nurse. This year

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we were very anxious to change our abode, but we could find nothing to suit us in the way of a furnished house, & I could not superintend the business of furnishing at mid summer when the change must have been made. We must therefore remain where we are for another year & as economy must still be our object this plan is not without it's advantage. We like Hampstead as well as ever but since we have been house hunting we have discovered that it is very ill furnished with middle sized houses, & that the rents of furnished ones which are not very small & shabby are quite exorbitant. In London you have a much better choice of course; here there are plenty of mansions requiring large establishments, & crowds of little unsubstantial boxes that look as if they were run up in a day for a temporary purpose, but few comfortable family houses of moderate dimensions. I must not however spend my time & paper in remarks of this sort but proceed to ask & tell about the health & welfare of our mutual friends.

You will be glad to hear that my brother Derwent has had the great comfort of seeing his wife recover from her severe & dangerous illness with wonderful rapidity; she is now going to Plymouth in order that change of air may complete her restoration. You may imagine however what difficulty her long withdrawal from the duties of housekeeping must occasion with his school; he is too grateful however for her returning health to be much alive to minor grievances. Mary's last letter mentioned what gave us much regret - the death of Hartley's excellent friend Mrs: Carter; she has been a most kind neighbour to my Brother, & was as sweet & benignant an old lady as ever

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I saw. Of & from Hartley himself we have comfortable accounts - he talks of publishing Prometheus - but I doubt. We have been sadly grieved at what we have heard of dear Miss Wordsworth's declining state - Bertha wrote to us lately from Rydal Mount & her report is a mournful confirmation of all that had reached us from other quarters. I cannot bear to think of the dissolution of that happy family bond which has lasted for so many years. I now more than ever desire to hear of Dora's being satisfactorily matched, for how can her Warm heart bear the breaking up of old ties if no new ones are to supply their place. Dear Edith has I trust a happy prospect before her, & I am convinced that the man of her choice is a man fitted to insure her future welfare & comfort, but though I think many benefits are to be derived from a long engagement yet I do wish she could now see with more certainty to the end of hers, especially as it was not commenced in very early youth. I wish I had any prospect of seeing all my dear friends at Gretahall at their own sweet home but I know not when I shall be able to undertake such a journey. Mama hopes she shall see Keswick & Rydal as well as Grasmere once more in her life - I trust she may do so, but alas! what melancholy changes we must be looking forward to there. My caro sposo is always longing to buy General Peachey's Island & take up his abode there. He says the first [act] he should make of independence would be to settle at Keswick; these are pleasant day-dreams but nothing

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more.

Talking of dreams your sister Louisa's recovery almost appears to me like one: I earnestly hope however that it may prove a happy reality. My best regards as well as to Sophia your parents & Mrs: Jackson. I hope the latter will be happy in her family since it seems she is to have a large one. Your eldest brother is now I believe a papa is he not? I hope your other sister-in-law will recover her health whether she is to be a mother or no. I believe you know that poor Mary Derwent's illness was a very serious miscarriage succeeding an attack of inflammation. Two of my other sisters in-law Lady Patteson & Mrs: E. Coleridge expect [[?]] about the same time that I do the former has been confined to the sofa during great part of her present career. Mrs: John Coleridge has been in a very strange state for many months: I fear she will never be a strong woman again. Fanny Patteson & she have not seen each other for many months though they live almost within a stone's throw of each other. I saw Grosvenor Lloyd yesterday - he was with Owen lately & left him nervous, but not in his worst way. He read to me part of a letter from Mrs: Thompson in which she says that she has given up all thought of coming to England as she dreads the voyage with a teething child - I don't wonder at this; it must indeed be formidable especially without the protection of one's best protector. You know I suppose that Caro Caroline is married & Agatha engaged to a Frenchman - I like not these French matches. I occasionally see the Miss Lloyds at Mrs: Hoare's. They are very pleasing girls - but Owen is in my opinion the flower of the family & inherits most of his parents' mind. Mrs: Hampson how-

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ever I cannot judge of. Louisa is a pretty lovely little creature, but seems delicate in health. Grosvenor spoke in high terms of Jessy Harden. I was sorry to hear him say that Mr: Harden was quite unsettled by the loss of his mother & by his sojourn abroad. All his old country habits seem to be cut up. I must now conclude in haste adding mama's kindest regards to yourself & Mr Wardell in which I join. Believe me your sincerely attached friend

Sara Coleridge.

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Object summary: WLMS A / Coleridge, Sara / 30