BIB_ID
415613
Accession number
MA 1848.73
Creator
Coleridge, Samuel Taylor, 1772-1834.
Display Date
On board the Speedwell in the coastal waters off Portugal and in Gibraltar, 1804 April 16-23.
Credit line
Purchased from Joanna Langlais, 1957.
Description
1 item (4 pages, with address) ; 23 x 18.5 cm
Notes
This collection, MA 1848, is comprised of 92 letters from Samuel Taylor Coleridge to Robert Southey, written between 1794 and 1819. See the collection-level record for more information (MA 1848.1-92).
This letter is from the Joanna Langlais Collection, a large collection of letters written by Samuel Taylor Coleridge to various recipients. The collection has been divided into subsets, based primarily on Coleridge's addressees, and these sub-collections have been cataloged as MA 1848-1857.
Address panel with seal and postmarks: "Robert Southey, Esqre / Greta Hall, / Keswick / Cumberland / England."
This letter is from the Joanna Langlais Collection, a large collection of letters written by Samuel Taylor Coleridge to various recipients. The collection has been divided into subsets, based primarily on Coleridge's addressees, and these sub-collections have been cataloged as MA 1848-1857.
Address panel with seal and postmarks: "Robert Southey, Esqre / Greta Hall, / Keswick / Cumberland / England."
Provenance
Purchased from Joanna Langlais in 1957 as a gift of the Fellows, with the special assistance of Mrs. W. Murray Crane, Mr. Homer D. Crotty, Mr. and Mrs. Donald F. Hyde, Mr. Robert H. Taylor and Mrs. Landon K. Thorne. Formerly in the possession of Ernest Hartley Coleridge and Thomas Burdett Money-Coutts, Baron Latymer.
Summary
Describing the view of the city of Porto from on board the brig Speedwell, as they sail to Gibraltar: "By the Glass I could distinguish the larger Buildings in Oporto / a scrambling City, part of it seemingly walls washed by the Sea, part of it upon Hills / at first view, it looked much like a vast Brick kilnery in an sandy clayey Country, on a hot summer afternoon / seen more distinctly, it gave the nobler idea of a ruined City in a Wilderness, it's Houses & Streets lying low in ruins under it's ruined walls, & a few Temples & Palaces standing untouched"; describing the air, the color of the water and the countryside around the city; saying the sight of the city makes him think of Southey, "I now seeing for the first time a country, you love so dearly"; saying that he hopes Edith has given birth safely and suggesting that the baby be named either Edith or Robert; writing about how little he likes his own name ("altogether it is perhaps the worst combination, of which vowels & consonants are susceptible"); mentioning his "anxious Feelings" and "superstitious Twitches" in writing about the birth so optimistically, but saying "Hope is less ominous than Fear"; describing in detail how his health has fared at sea and what his appetite has been like; saying that the severe rocking of the ship is distracting and he has been gazing in admiration and envy at a much larger ship ("our Commodore, the Leviathan of 74 guns") that has been sailing near them and moves "as tho it's speed were spiritual -- the being & essence without the body of motion"; commenting on two unlikable fellow-passengers; describing the sunset, as he sits at "my desk, namely, the Rudder Case, on the Duck Coop; the Ducks quacking at my Legs"; including a sketch of the rudder case, showing the position of the chicken and duck coops; including a diagram of the outline of the Sintra Mountains near Lisbon; mentioning various towers, buildings and villages he had seen through a glass; saying that it looks like they will reach Malta in about a month and that he had planned to get things done on the journey, but so far has only read through an Italian grammar; describing the fine wine, brandy and rum he brought with him and saying that he has been able to drink only lemonade the entire trip; criticizing James Webbe Tobin for bombarding him with advice about his health; describing how Tobin had badgered him in London, including dunning him for a debt; promising to write to Sara as soon as he arrives in Malta; asking to be remembered to various friends at home; referring to Mary Lovell's troubles; noting when they arrive in Gibraltar on the 19th; adding a final note: "April 23rd. -- if wind serves, we set sail tomorrow."
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