219. To Josiah Wade

Address: Mr. Wade | No. 6 Barclay Parade, Bristol Transcript Coleridge family. Pub. E.L.G. i. 90.

Saturday [ 6 January 1798]

My very dear Friend

This last fortnight has been eventful -- I received an hundred pounds from Josiah Wedgewood, in order to prevent the necessity of my going into the Ministry -- I have received an invitation from Shrewsbury to be the Minister there -- and after the fluctuations of mind which have for nights together robbed me of Sleep, & I am afraid of Health, I have at length returned the order to Mr Wedgewood with a long letter explanatory of my conduct, & accepted the Shrewsbury Invitation -- so I shall be with you by the middle of next week -- But I am moneyless, & want 20£-for 10£ I have written to Mr Estlin, 5£ I will get, somehow or other from the Editor of the New Monthly Magazine, and 5£ I must bor Row of you, if you can lend it me with perfect convenience, but, I beseech [you], do not put yourself out of your way in these hard times -for [if] it be not perfectly convenient to you, I doubt not, I shall be able to get it somewhere or other --

My dear friend, T. Poole, is not convinced of the expediency, either to the public or myself, of my returning the Draft & accepting the congregation -- It would have been a heart sadning thing to. have parted from him in any way, but to part from him, he not satisfied that there is any necessity or propriety in my parting from him, is very painful. -- But more of this when we meet -- let me hear from you immediately -- God love you

S. T. Coleridge