"Keswick, Oct. 10, 1836.
My dear Cottle,
I have long foreseen that poor S. T. Coleridge would leave a large
inheritance of uneasiness to his surviving friends, and those who were
the most nearly connected with him.
The _Head of the Family_ being in these parts, I have heard more
concerning the affair of _your Memoir_, as it respects the feelings of
that family than I should otherwise. He is a thoroughly good man; mild,
unassuming, amiable, and judicious beyond most men. This matter interests
him greatly, on account of his brother having married Mr. S. T.
Coleridge's daughter. Indeed it is in consequence of a letter from the
---- that I am now writing. He cared nothing when a gross and wanton
insult was offered to him in that ... book, but on this occasion he is
much concerned.
A few omissions (one letter in particular, respecting the habit of taking
opium,) would spare them great pain, and leave your book little the
poorer, rich as your materials are. Wilfully I am sure you never gave
pain to any human being, nor any living creature.... You are not like a
witness who is required to tell all which he knows. In those cases the
moral law requires us to tell nothing but the truth, but does not demand
the whole truth, unless the suppression of any part of it should be
tantamount to falsehood.
Of this indeed you are fully aware. You have enough to tell that is
harmless as well as interesting, and not only harmless, but valuable and
instructive, and that _ought_ to be told, and which _no one but yourself
can tell_. Strike out only.... I will read over the Memoir when we meet.
You have abundance of materials; and many things may come to mind which
may supply the place of what should be withdrawn. _You will understand my
motive in pressing this upon you._ God bless you, my dear old friend.
Your's most affectionately,