were the sonnets to Priestley, Kosciusko and Fayette. The last five
lines of 50 were in the sonnet to Sheridan. The lines on page 129 were
Sara's verses "The Silver Thimble." None of these were reprinted in
1797. The beautiful lines addressed from somebody at Bristol to somebody
at London were those from Sara Coleridge to Lamb, referred to on page
33. Coleridge persisted in the use of the word "effusion".]




LETTER 16


CHARLES LAMB TO S. T. COLERIDGE

[Dated at end: Dec. 5, 1796.]

_To a young Lady going out to India_

Hard is the heart, that does not melt with Ruth
When care sits cloudy on the brow of Youth,
When bitter griefs the _female_ bosom swell
And Beauty meditates a fond farewell
To her loved native land, and early home,
In search of peace thro' "stranger climes to roam."[*]

The Muse, with glance prophetic, sees her stand,
Forsaken, silent Lady, on the strand
Of farthest India, sickening at the war
Of waves slow-beating, dull upon the shore