Chapter XIV: Letter 138: To Dr. Andrew Bell14

15 April, 1808.

A concurrence of intelligence from my friends in the North, has not only made it difficult for me to force my mind away from dreaming about them, but has employed me in running about after my friends day after day; yet even this would not have prevented my commencing (according to my judgment, which, on such a work, is but another word for my feelings) on the sheets you have sent me, if I had seen aught which appeared to me likely to diminish its _present utility_. I confess that I seem to perceive some little of an effort produced by talking with _objectors_, with men who, to a man like you, are far, far more pernicious than avowed antagonists. Men who are actuated by fear and perpetual suspicion of human nature, and who regard their poorer brethren as possible highwaymen, burglarists, or Parisian revolutionists (which includes all evil in one), and who, if God gave them grace to know their own hearts, would find that even the little good they are willing to assist proceeds from fear, from a momentary variation of the balance of probabilities, which happened to be in favour of letting their brethren know just enough to keep them from the gallows. O dear Dr. Bell, you are a great man! Never, never permit minds so inferior to your own, however high their artificial rank may be, to induce you to pare away _an atom_ of what you know to be right! The sin that besets a truly good man is, that, naturally desiring to see instantly done what he knows will be eminently useful to his fellow beings, he sometimes will consent to sacrifice a part, in order to realize, in a given spot (to construct, as the mathematicians say), his idea in a given diagram. But yours is for the world--for all mankind; and all your opposers might, with as good chance of success, stop the half-moon from becoming full--all they can do is, a little to retard it. Pardon, dear sir, a great liberty taken with you, but one which my heart and sincere reverence for you impelled--as the Apostle said, Rejoice!--so I say to you _Hope_! From hope, faith and love, all that is good, all that is great, all lovely and "all honourable things," proceed, from fear, distrust and the spirit of compromise--all that is evil. You and Thomas Clarkson have, in addition to your _material_ good works, given to the spiritual world a benefaction of incalculable value. You have both--he in removing the evil, you in producing good--afforded a practicable proof how great things one good man may do, who is thoroughly in earnest.

May the Almighty preserve you!

P.S. If, in the course of a few days, you could send me the same, or another copy of, the sheets I now send you, they would be useful to me in composing my lecture on the subject. Sir G. and Lady Beaumont are very desirous to see and consult you about a school at Dunmow. Be assured, while I have life and power, I shall find a deep consolation in being your zealous apostle. I write in a great hurry, scarce knowing what I write; but before a future edition, I will play the minute critic with you, and regard your book as a literary work for posterity.

About this time Coleridge met his old sweetheart, Mary Evans; and, in answer to an invitation to call upon her and her husband, Mr. Todd, he wrote: "Undoubtedly the first moment of the feeling was an awful one to me, the _second_ of time previous to my full recognition of you, the Mary Evans of 14 years ago, flashed across my eyes with a truth and vividness as great as its rapidity." The full letter, which is undated, but must be of 1804-8, was communicated to the _Athenæum_ of 18 May 1895, by her granddaughter, Mrs. Linde, of Wiesbaden.]

FOOTNOTES:

[12] [Perhaps "wearying."]

[13] [Letter CLXIV is our 137. Letters CLXV-CLXVII follow.]

[14] [Southey's _Life of Bell_, p. 575.]