Posted on 12/19/2011 11:13:38 AM PST by mojito
From Samuel Taylor Coleridge to Thomas Poole, September 24, 1796:
"My dear, very dear Poole …Mrs Coleridge was delivered on Monday, September 19th, 1796, half past two in the Morning, of a SON…When I first saw the Child, I did not feel that thrill & overflowing of affection which I expected—I looked on it with a melancholy gaze—my mind was intensely conntemplative & my heart only sad.—But when two hours after, I saw it at the bosom of it’s Mother; on her arm; and her eye tearful & watching it’s little features, then I was thrilled & melted, & gave it the Kiss of a FATHER…—It’s name is DAVID HARTLEY COLERIDGE."
Samuel Taylor Coleridge, the new father, was twenty-three years old. It was five years after he went up to Jesus College, Cambridge, as a classical scholar of dazzling promise; three years after he drank, whored, neglected his studies, ran up debts, considered shooting himself, accepted a bounty of six and a half guineas to join the 15th Regiment of Light Dragoons, covered his buttocks with saddle sores, repeatedly fell off his horse, was discharged, and returned to Cambridge; two years after he dropped out; one year after he met William Wordsworth; one year after he married Sara Fricker; six months after he published his first book of poems.
(Excerpt) Read more at laphamsquarterly.org ...
Ping.
It is indeed!
Thank you so much for posting the link, mojito!
Thanks for the ping, mojito.
I’m book marking the link to read later.
Wishing you a very Blessed Christmas.
Thank you, Amy.
God bless you and Merry Christmas.
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