Coleridge-Opium-taking-Receives large Sums from the Wedgwoods -Professes a Desire, which has no Reality, to go abroad with Thomas Wedgwood - His childish complaining His Opinion on Life-A Supply of Indian Hemp or Bang-Mr. Thomas Wedgwood goes abroad-Soon returns-His great Liking for Thomas Campbell-Despondency-His Letters mere Fragments-Hazlitt-Coleridge renews his Offer of Companionship-Goes to Malta-Poole and Rickman— Francis Horner-Volunteering-Chapel in York Street-Manufacturing Reforms needed at Etruria-Elegant Articles at this Period—A curious Suggestion of Bramah, the Mechanist-Poole-Improvements in the Breed of Sheep-Female Friendly Societies-Poole's BookRoom at Stowey-Thrashing Machines-Poole's Ideas on Education— Willmott at Etruria-Chisholm still delights in Science-Improvements in the Pyrometer-Mackintosh's Letter from Bombay-Young Byerley-Law Reforms-Invites Thomas Wedgwood to India.

DURING their brief stay in Pembrokeshire, in the early winter of 1802-1803, Thomas Wedgwood and Coleridge appear to have varied their metaphysical discussions in planning schemes of foreign travel, either in companionship or separately. They parted without fixing upon any; Mr. Wedgwood returned to Cote, and Coleridge to his family at Keswick. At this time both were in wretched health: one breaking up under the incurable brain and stomach disease from which he had so long suffered; the other a prey to oft-recurring mental and physical misery, from indulgence in opium. Cottle says distinctly that Coleridge, in January 1800, was no stranger to this fatal lethe; and the habit probably dates back to some years earlier. It is unknown how he acquired this habit. He may have taken it at first for assuagement of pain, and, delighting in the soothing

COLERIDGE'S PHYSICAL INHERITANCES.

209

elation it produced, repeated the dose again and again till the habit became confirmed. If he acquired it from others, it could not be from Thomas Wedgwood. The latter seems to have tried the nepenthe of every nostrum and drug which might relieve, even temporarily, his fits of hypochondriacism; but then the cure of his disease lay on the track of stimulation. But he possessed a strong will and the highest moral nature; and when he tried opium it was as a medicine, which lasted its day of favour, and no longer. On the other hand, Coleridge rapidly became its slave. Won by its temporary effects on body and mind, and regarding not the ever recurring Nemesis of the morrow, he succumbed more and more to terrible excess, and, living for years in an alternate state of diseased exaltation and suicidal depression, wrecked on it the hopes of his life. Under the influence of watchful care, his doses of the pernicious drug were abridged in later years; but, furtively or openly, he was an opium-taker to the end.

Much has to be said in palliation, for no man causes his own physical organisation and inheritances. Coleridge derived from a gouty and eccentric father peculiarities and infirmities of constitution which needed throughout life judicious government. In childhood and boyhood he was neglected and unhappy; in manhood still more unfortunate, for that steady industry which would have insured self-respect and cheerfulness, and relieved him from the continuous anxieties of poverty and dependence, was rendered impossible by this fatal habit. It is not probable, constituted as he was, that Coleridge, even under a system of friendly control, would have ever been a man capable of achieving those long and laborious mental tasks which require, for accomplishment, immense patience and

P

210

SOURCES OF COLERIDGE'S INCOME.

unceasing force of will; yet undoubtedly, but for this nepenthe, he would have left the world larger possessions in his transcendent verse; his speculations, other than the product of self-imposed excitement and hallucination, would have rested on a sounder basis, and his political and religious views been worthier of a cultivated mind than what they were.

De Quincey, Southey, Cottle, and others, have speculated as to the sources whence Coleridge derived much of the money spent in opium. The Mayer MSS. clear up the mystery in part. Beyond the annuity of 150%. per annum, secured to him by the bounty of Josiah and Thomas Wedgwood, there was a large margin of gifts and borrowings. Nor was he the only recipient of what the generous brothers would give or lend. We have already seen1 that Wordsworth and Coleridge received between them, from the month of September 1798 to July 1799, 2631. 17s. 3d., of which the larger portion went to Coleridge. In another account of 1799, 226l. 10s. is set against the name of Coleridge. In 1800 the annuity alone appears; in 1801 the aggregate received is 1887. 10s. The accounts for 1802 are imperfect, but 251. was paid on March 27, and in September 50l. In a balance sheet of 1803, Coleridge's name stands opposite the large sum of 5051., whilst Wordsworth receives 737. 78., the Rev. Francis Wrangham 501., and James Mackintosh 150l. Coleridge was also helped by Poole, Cottle, Southey, De Quincey, and others.

His hypochondriacism and wretched health at this period must have rendered him singularly unfitted to fill the office of companion; and, moreover, though utterly without means except such as he could borrow,

he was, early in January 1803, planning a Quixotic voyage to the Canary Islands, or otherwise a journey to Italy; and Mr. Wedgwood, restless and ill, was again bent on leaving England. His sister and his friend Richard Sharp both wrote to Coleridge, proposing that he and Mr. Wedgwood should travel together; but Coleridge, though professing the utmost readiness, evidently did not wish to go thus accompanied. He wrote long and childish histories of his wretched health, and hinted that he might not always be up to the necessary high mark of cheerfulness. The true reason was undoubtedly the dread that his supplies of opium might fail him. Writing from Keswick, January 9, 1803, he says to Mr. Wedgwood: 'If your last plan continue in full force, I have not even the phantom of a wish thitherward struggling; but if aught have happened to you, in the things without or in the world within, to induce you to change the place or the plan, relatively to me, I think I could raise the money. But I would a thousandfold rather go with you, whithersoever you go. I shall be anxious to hear how you have gone on since I left you. You should decide in favour of a better climate somewhere or other. The best scheme I can think of is to go to some part of Italy or Sicily, which we both liked. I would look out for two houses. Wordsworth and his family could take the one and I the other, and then you might have a home either with me, or, if you thought of Mr. and Mrs. Luff under this

1 To the Canaries.

1

2

2 In a subsequent year, this friend and neighbour of the Wordsworths wrote thus to the firm at Etruria :

Gentm.

Patterdale, July 9th, 1808.

You will oblidge me in sending a Crate of your White Ware to Wm. Wordsworth, Esq., Grasmere, near Kendal, Westmoreland, and

212

DOUBTS AND SUGGESTIONS.

modification, one of your own; and in either case you would have neighbours, and so return to England when the home sickness pressed heavy upon you, and back to Italy when it was abated, and the climate of England begun to poison your comforts. So you would have abroad, in a genial climate, certain comforts of society among simple and enlightened men and women; and I should be an alleviation of the pang which you will necessarily feel as often as you quit your own family. I know no better plan; for travelling in search of objects is at best a dreary business, and, whatever excitement it might have had, you must have exhausted it. God bless you, my dear friend. I write with dim eyes, for indeed, indeed, my heart is very full of affectionate, sorrowful thoughts towards you.'1 In a subsequent letter, written from Stowey, he adds: With regard to myself and my accompanying you, let me say thus much. My health is not worse than it was in the North; indeed, it is much better. I have no fears. But if you fear that, my health being what you know it to be, the inconveniences of my being with you will be greater than the advantages (I feel no reluctance in telling you so), it is so entirely an affair of spirits and feeling that the conclusion must be made by you, not in your reason, but purely in your spirit and

another to John Mounsey, Esq., Patterdale Hall, near Penrith; both the Crates to contain the same Articles as sent to us.

I will take an early opportunity of remitting you the money for my Crate, and also for Mr. John Landerland's.

I am, gents,

Yr. very obdt. hbl. servt.,

C. Luff.

Messrs. Wedgwood and Co.

Etruria,

near Newcastle under Line,

Staffordshire.

1 Cottle's Reminiscences, pp. 450-451.