June 2012 Auction Ends Thursday, June 28th, 5pm Pacific
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 6/28/2012
Romantic poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge handwritten letter to his brother. The author of "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" and "Kubla Kahn" dates his letter 17 May 1791. It reads in part: "…The sore throat gargarization and attention have removed: My cough remains - and is indeed in its zenith: not cerberus ever bark'd louder: every act of mussitation seems to divorce my bowells and belly…My Mother, I trust, is well – My Brother James too, Mrs J – and Mrs. L. Coleridge…when at a Lady's house I met Mr. Tomkins, who is confessedly the Finest Writer in Europe. He is likewise a Literary Character…We had a long conversation together, in the close of which he declared, that he thought me a very clever young man - and I declared, that I thought his Collection of Poems one of the best Collections, I had ever seen. Whereupon he insisted on my going with him to Macklin's, to whose Gallery he can introduce whom he pleases; and here he shewed me the Title-page of Macklin's famous Bible, written by himself. It was, without hyperbole, most astonishingly beautiful. I could not help delicately insinuating that I conceived such writing not more the production of a fine-formed Hand, than the emanation of an elegant Soul…" Signature and small portion of letter's remainder appears to have been clipped. 3pp. letter on card style stationery measures 9" x 14.5". Creasing, irregular trimming to left edge and last portion of stationery removed, else near fine.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge Autograph Letter -- "…I conceived such writing not more the production of a fine-formed Hand, than the emanation of an elegant Soul…" -- 1791
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