Page:Osorio; a tragedy, as originally written in 1797 (IA cu31924105501831).pdf/16

 which he produced conjointly with Wordsworth. Here, with the omission of some of the opening lines of the latter scene, they continued to appear in the successive editions of 1800, 1802, and 1805.

"The manuscript of Osorio," says Mr. Gillman, "had been sent to Sheridan, who did not even acknowledge the receipt of the letter which accompanied the drama; he, however, observed to a friend that he had received a play from Coleridge, but there was one extraordinary line in the Cave Scene, drip, drip, which he could not understand: 'in short,' said he, 'it is all dripping.' This was the only notice he took of the play; but the comment was at length repeated to the author through the medium of a third party."

In reference to this celebrated story, the accomplished daughter of the poet writes as follows:—

"The 'dripping,' whatever its unction may once have been, is stale enough now; but the story has freshness in it yet. Such neglects as that of Mr. Sheridan in not returning the MS. of Remorse are always excusable in public men of great and