Coleridge, Sara (1802-1852). - Letter, from Greta Hall, to Elizabeth Crumpe, at Queen Anne Street, Liverpool, dated 3 February 1826. WLMS A / Coleridge, Sara / 11. This letter is not worth postage, but as you seem anxious to know the fate of your last long epistle I will not wait for a private hand, as by that means this might not reach you for a considerable time. Mama desires to write in kind remembrances and says she should like to hear how your brothers are going on when you next favour me with a letter: Adieu Dearest.

Gretahall

Feb 3rd 1826

My dear Elizabeth,

Today I received a kind note from you which has induced me to take up my pen on your behalf as soon as I have a moment of leisure; - ever since your last agreeable long letter, giving an account of your happy prospects (dated Oct. 20th 1826) I have been desirous to address you, but thought it almost a duty to wait till I had more matter, though I did not expect any half so interesting as the subject of your letter, especially as in one way and another I have plenty of employment for my poor weak eyes. - By the bye a long letter of mine, a stupid scrawl indeed, hardly worth inquiring about, was sent by a private hand a few days ere I received yours, & as the said scrawl had exhaust-ted all my scanty stock of news I resolved on repressing my inclination to offer you my congratulations forthwith. There are so many hollow & mere lip-professions of friendship, sympathy, good will &c continually current in the world that I am at a loss for an unhacknied phrase with which to assure you of the real satisfaction I felt on reading your welcome letter of October. - Your communications for some time previous, though you endeavoured to be resigned & cheerful, used to leave a weight upon my spirits; - it was quite a relief to me to find that you were once more as happy as it is allowed us poor earthly pilgrims in this life to be; - blest in the affection of one whom you can thoroughly approve, whose habits, tastes, & feelings are congenial to your own, & who can invite you to share that competence without which alas! all these favourable circumstances serve but to tantalize those who are obliged to forego the enjoyment of them. You have suffered, my dear friend; - this too will add a keener sense of happiness - and fortunate as those girls are accounted who have never been crossed in love, nor suffered the anxieties of a long engagement, I am convinced their satisfaction in the society of the object of their untried affections is by no means equal to that of the Maid whose "Love's long dream is ended in the certainty of bliss." You did not mention the

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name of your intended Lord, but you told me his profession was that of a Banker, and during the numerous late failures, I have had an anxious eye upon the L. Banks; in a late paper it was stated that a Bank in your wealthy town of a respectable individual had broken, & I trembled for you, but your welcome note removes all apprehensions on this score. - pray write, as you promise, when all is settled for your marriage, & as fully as your leisure & spirits will allow. The great anxiety you evince that the approaching event should be kept secret has caused me a little uneasiness; - on reading your letter I pent up all my pleasurable feelings in my own bosom, & gave not a hint on the subject to any creature alive, not even to Dora, who, I believe, was informed of the thing by yourself; - but we have not met lately, & I acquiesced in your reasons forbidding any mention of the subject on paper. However some weeks since I received a nice letter from Julia Austey, & as we have no confidential communication together I often read her epistles aloud, as in the dearth of news at Gretahall every scrap of that precious article is welcome; - in so doing I stumbled upon these words, or some thing like them, - "I hear Miss E. Crumpe is going to be married"; however mama & Edith are the only members of the household who have heard even this, they have promised secrecy, & I hope my dear Elizabeth will not think any harm is done. - It certainly was not intentional on my part, but when I found the news had reached London I did think it's being [divulged] at Keswick was of less consequence. However I am certain it will go no further than our three selves. - Indeed we see no one, during this dull season to whom we could be tempted to gossip on the subject. I entirely sympathize in the feelings which induce you to desire silence on your prospects, - on all subjects of this nature I have them myself to an excess: - I know how you & others have suffered from the thoughtless tongues, and I myself am not without experience of the kind, though the circumstances of the case were very different. Yet I sadly fear all one's cares and precautions are utterly void; the interesting news, whether of a prosperous or unfortunate nature, will fly, do what we will; - but I trust a few months will put an end to this & all other anxieties in my dear Elizabeth, & make her a blessed & blessing bride.

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Thank you for your kind enquiries about the hooping cough, - when I last addressed you I was just recovering from the illness which usually attends the first 6 or 7 weeks of of the disorder; - I & my young cousins still cough occasionally, & every cold brings back the complaint with some violence; - but though unpleasant it is unattended with pain at this stage of it's progress & genial spring weather will put an end to it entirely. Dora has doubtless informed you of the late troubles at Rydal Mount; - I mean the breaking of Mr Hutchinson's bank, which though it does not affect any of his sister's fortunes could not but cause them deep regret, Miss Hutchinson's illness, from which she is now recovering, and the threatened removal from lovely & beloved Rydal Mount; - I cannot help hoping that some thing may still prevent this last blow; - dear Dora so truly enjoys all the quiet secluded charms of her present abode that I pity her a thousand times more than I should a gay roving damsel, who would gladly exchange the picturesque & rural beauties of the Mount for a noisy bustling street in London; - not but that London has it's charms though when I sigh to be there it is not the gaiety, which is the object, [ ] my wishes but the society of dear friends from which I am excluded by the distance from Town: my fair coz declares that this is the case with her too, though she does not absolutely hate balls & routs, & is certainly fitted to shine in a ball room. She & I have provided ourselves with a useful winter's task - which exercises both the limbs & the head, - we are making a catalogue of all my uncle's books, which consist of above 6000 volumes, every one of which is obliged to be taken down, (some by aid of stepladders, others by kneeling & stooping) brought from all parts of the house where they are dispersed, arranged alphabetically & according to size & subject, written down & replaced; we have nearly finished the English books - the foreign languages will occasion us more trouble. Bertha often assists us.

I have not been able to enjoy the society of my dear Hartley this winter, which I regret as I shall probably be in the South next year visiting at Highgate & in Town; - Hartley has been writing some approved articles in the "James or Edinburgh Lite-

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rary Almanac" - Those by his hand are entitled "Brown on Beauty", "Antiquities", "Love Poems", "Preface that may serve for any Work of Imagination", & "Pius." Derwent has quitted his situation at Buckfastleigh & to my joy has at last turned his thoughts toward the Church; - I am convinced he is now in a fit state of mind to enter that sacred profession, as his former conduct shews that he does not allow motives of convenience to influence him in this matter, as I fear too many do. He is now attending Divinity Lectures at Cambridge, & looking out with all his eyes for a suitable Curacy. The Bishop of our name will soon repair to his distant See with his amiable & devoted bride, who makes him a most happy husband. His cousin & fellow voyager Henry Coleridge has entirely got rid of the rheumatic disorder, which induced him to try a warmer climate. An account of his visit under the name of "Six Months in the Antilles" is to appear this week. His dear sister Mrs: Patteson is now a happy mother as I think I told you. I hope Miss Louisa & all your sisters are well; pray remember me most kindly to them, as well as to Mr & Mrs Crumpe & your brothers, & believe me your very affectionate friend Sara Coleridge.

Miss Elizabeth Crumpe

Queen Anne Street

Liverpool.

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Object summary: WLMS A / Coleridge, Sara / 11