Page:Osorio; a tragedy, as originally written in 1797 (IA cu31924105501831).pdf/14

vi Charles Lamb writes to Coleridge (June 13th, 1797):—"Lloyd tells me that Sheridan put you upon writing your tragedy. I hope you are only Coleridgeizing when you talk of finishing it in a few days. Shakespeare was a more modest man; but you best know your own power."

During the time of the visit above-mentioned, Miss Wordsworth writes from Racedown to a friend:—"After tea he (Coleridge) repeated to us two acts and a half of his tragedy, Osorio." Coleridge writing at the time of this visit to his friend Cottle (June, 1797) says:"He (Wordsworth) admires my tragedy, which gives me great hopes."

In a letter received by Cottle from Coleridge soon after, he says:—"I shall now stick close to my tragedy (called Osorio), and when I have finished it, shall walk to Shaftesbury to spend a few days with Bowles." This letter, as was usual, has no date, but a letter from Wordsworth determines about the time when Coleridge had nearly completed his play. Wordsworth says, under date September 13, 1797:—"Coleridge is gone over to Bowles with his tragedy, which he has finished to the