If kindly feeling can be repaid by kindly feeling, I am not your debtor.
I would wish to express the same thing which is big at my heart, but I
know not how to do it without indelicacy. As much abstracted from
personal feeling as possible, I honor and esteem you for that which you
have done.
I must of necessity stay here till the close of Sunday next. On Monday
morning I shall leave it, and on Tuesday will be with you at Cote-House.
Very affectionately yours,
S. T. COLERIDGE.
T. Wedgwood, Esq.
[Footnote 1: Not in "Early Recollections".]
The next letter refers to the offer of the Pension of L150 a year, which
the Wedgwoods conferred on Coleridge.
LETTER 72. TO COTTLE
(24 January, 1798).
My very dear Cottle,
The moment I received Mr. T. Wedgwood's letter, I accepted his offer.
How a contrary report could arise, I cannot guess....
I hope to see you at the close of next week. I have been respectfully
and kindly treated at Shrewsbury. I am well, and now, and ever,
Your grateful and affectionate friend,
S. T. COLERIDGE. [1]
[Footnote 1: Letter LXXVIII follows 72.]
The next letter is an amusing one coming from Coleridge. It is an
apology for the "Monody on the Death of Chatterton", which he wished to
discard from the second edition of his poems, but which Cottle insisted
on retaining among the poet's "choice fish, picked, gutted, and
cleaned.
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