Queen Caroline and her misfortunes had been in his young days the subject of one of Coleridge’s poems, On a late Connubial Rupture in High Life. She still engaged his attention, and he meditated writing on the matter, from which, however, Gillman dissuaded him.
Letter 185. To Allsop
Oct. 25th, 1820.
My dearest Friend,
It will please you, though I scarcely know whether the pleasure is worth the carriage, to know that my own feelings and convictions were, from the very commencement of this unhappy affair, viz.—the terms proposed to the Queen by Lord Hutchinson, in coincidence with your present suggestion, and that I actually began an essay, and proposed a sort of diary, i.e. remarks moral and political, according as the events of the day suggested them. But Mr. Gillman dissuaded me. Again, about five weeks ago I had written a letter to Conder, the editor of the Eclectic Review and ci-devant bookseller, offering, and offering to execute, a scheme of publication, “the Queen’s case stated morally; 2, judicially; 3, politically.” But again Mr. G. earnestly persuaded me to suppress it. His reasons were, first, that my mind was not sufficiently tranquil, in consequence of I.’s affair, to enable me to rely upon going through with the publication; secondly, that it would probably involve me with certain of my connexions in high life, and be injurious to Hartley and Derwent, especially the latter; with thirdly, the small chance of doing any good, people are so guided by their first notions. To tell you the truth, Mr. G.’s own dislike to it was of more weight than all his three reasons.
However, we will talk of the publication, if it be not too late, and at all events I will compose the statement.
I pray you make no apologies for doing that which cannot but add to the esteem and affection with which I am most truly your friend, fraternally and paternally.
We shall soon see you?
S. T. Coleridge.
T. Allsop, Esq.