"Exeter, Sept. 22, 1799.
My dear Cottle,
... You will, I hope, soon have a cargo to send me of your own, for the
second volume of the 'Anthology' and some from Davy. If poor Mrs.
Yearsley were living I should like much to have her name there. As yet I
have only Coleridge's pieces, and my own, amounting to eighty or one
hundred pages. 'Thalaba, the Destroyer' is progressing.
There is a poem called 'Geber' of which I know not whether my review of
it, in the Critical' be yet printed, but in that review you will find
some of the most exquisite poetry in the language. The poem is such as
Gilbert, if he were only half as mad as he is, could have written. I
would go a hundred miles to see the (anonymous) author.[59]
There are some worthies in Exeter, with whom I have passed some pleasant
days, but the place is miserably bigoted. Would you believe that there
are persons here who still call the Americans 'the Rebels' Exeter is the
filthiest town in England; a gutter running down the middle of every
street and lane. We leave on Monday week. I shall rejoice to breathe
fresh air. Exeter, however, has the best collection of old books for
sale, of any town out of London.[60]
I have lately made up my mind to undertake one great historical work, the
'History of Portugal,' but for this, and for many other noble plans, I
want uninterrupted leisure; time wholly my own, and not frittered away by
little periodical employments. My working at such work is Columbus
serving before the mast. God bless you.
Yours affectionately,