Coleridge, Sara (1802-1852). - Fragment of a letter, from an unstated address, to Edward Quillinan (1791-1851), at an unstated address, dated 1849. WLMS A / Coleridge, Sara / 78.

Did you ever meet Miss E. Rigby (Mrs Charles Eastlake) in London? She is perhaps the most brilliant woman of the day - the most accomplished and [Crichtonian]. She draws - takes portraits - like an artist & writes cleverly on painting; she plays with power, & writes most strikingly on music - she speaks different languages - Her essays & tales have both had great success the former latter as great as possible. To put the comble to all this she is a very fine

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I am ashamed to say I find it difficult to like very plain women woman, large yet girlish - like a Doric pillar metamorphosed into a damsel, dark & striking, No! - this is not the comble - The top of her perfections is, that she has well bred, courteous, unassuming manners - does not take upon her, & hold forth to the company - a fault of which many lionesses of the day are guilty. At this moment no less than four rise up before me, who shew a desire to talk to the room at large, rather than quietly to their neighbour on the sofa. Miss E.R. is honourably distinguished in this respect. She is thoroughly feminine - like that princess of novelists Jane Austen. I like Mrs Jameson's last book extremely.

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Object summary: WLMS A / Coleridge, Sara / 78