246. To Thomas Poole Address: Mr Thomas Poole | Mr R. Poole's | Sherborn MS. British Museum. Pub. Letters, i. 248. Stamped: Bridgewater. Monday, May 14th, 1798 Morning, 10 o clock -- My dearest Friend I have been sitting many minutes with my pen in my hand, full of prayers & wishes for you & the house of affliction in which you have so trying a part to sustain -- but I know not what to write. May God support you! may he restore your Brother -- but above all I pray that he will make us able to cry out with a fervent sincerity, Thy Will be done! -- I have had lately some sorrows that have cut more deeply into my heart than they ought to have done -- & I have found Religion & commonplace Religion too, my restorer & my comfort -- giving me gentleness & calmness & dignity! Again, and again may God be with you, my best dear Friend! -- O believe me, believe me, my Poole! dearer, to my understanding & affections unitedly, than all else in this world! -- It is almost painful & a thing of fear to tell you that I have another boy -- it will bring upon your mind the too affecting circumstance of poor Mrs Richard Poole 1 -- The prayers which I have offered for her have been a relief to my own mind -- I would that they could have been a consolation to her. -- Scripture seems to teach us that our fervent prayers are not without efficacy even for others -- and tho' my Reason is perplexed, yet my internal feelings impel me to a humble Faith, that it is possible & consistent with the divine attributes. -Poor Dr Toulmin! he bears his calamity like one in whom a faith thro' Jesus is the Habit of the whole man, of his affections still more than of his convictions. The loss of a dear child in so frightful a way cuts cruelly with an old man -- but tho' there is a tear & an anguish in his eye, that eye is raised to heaven. Sara was safely delivered at half past one this morning -- the boy is already almost as large as Hartley. She had an astonishingly good time, better if possible than her last; and excepting her weakness, is as well as ever. The child is strong, & shapely -- & has the paternal beauty in his upper lip. -- God be praised for all things! -- Your affectionate & entire Friend S. T. Coleridge ____________________ 1 Poole's brother Richard was on his death-bed, and Mrs. Richard Poole had just given birth to a baby. -408-