. . . I have been buying two Shakespeares, a second and third Folio--the
second Folio pleases me much: and I can read him with a greater zest now.
One had need of a big book to remember him by: for he is lost to the
theatre: I saw Mr. Vandenhoff play Macbeth in a sad way a few nights ago:
and such a set of dirty ragamuffins as the rest were could not disgrace
any country barn. Manfred I have missed by some chance: and I believe
'it was all for the best' as pious people say. The Theatre is bare
beyond anything I ever saw: and one begins to hope that it has touched
the bottom of its badness, and will rise again. I was looking the other
day at Sir W. Davenant's alteration of Macbeth: who dies, saying,
'Farewell, vain world: and that which is vainest in't, Ambition!'
Edgeworth, whom I think you remember at Cambridge, is come to live in
town: and I see him often at the Museum. The want of books chiefly drove
him from Italy: besides that he tells me he likes a constant change of
scenes and ideas, and would be always about if he could. He is a very
original man I think, and throws out much to be chewed and digested: but
he is deficient in some elements that must combine to govern my love and
admiration. He has much imagination of head, but none of heart: perhaps
these are absurd distinctions: but I am no hand at these definitions. His
great study is metaphysics: and Kant is his idol. He is rather without
company in London, and I wish much to introduce him to such men as I
know: but most of your Apostolic party who could best exchange ideas with
him are not in town. He is full of his subjects, and only wants
opponents to tilt at. . . .
The life of Coleridge {32} is indeed an unsatisfactory thing: I believe
that everybody thinks so. You seem to think that it is purposely
unsatisfactory, or rather dissatisfactory: but it seems to me to proceed
from a kind of enervation in De Quincey. However, I don't know how he
supports himself in other writings. . . .
To fill up my letter I send you a sonnet of C. Lamb's, out of his Album
Verses--please to like it--'Leisure.'
_To John Allen_.
MANCHESTER, _May_ 23, 1835.