363. To Josiah Wedgwood Address: Josiah Wedgewood Esq. | Gunville | near | Blandford | Dorset. MS. Wedgwood Museum. Pub. Tom Wedgwood, 110. Postmark: 15 November 1800. Stamped: Keswick. Wednesday, Nov. 12 1800 My dear Sir I received your kind letter with the 20£ -- My eyes are in such a state of inflammation that I might as well write blindfold -- they are so blood-red, that I should make a very good Personification of Murder. I have had Leaches twice, & have now a blister behind my right Ear. How I caught this Cold, in the first instance, I can scarcely guess; but I improved it to it's present glorious state by taking long walks all the mornings, spite of the wind, & writing late at night, while my eyes were weak. I have made some rather curious observations on the rising up of Spectra in the eye in it's inflamed state, & their influence on Ideas &c -- but I cannot see to make myself intelligible to you. Present my kindest remembrances to Mrs W. & your Brother. Pray, did you ever pay any particular attention to the first time of your little One's smiling & laughing[?] Both I & Mrs Coleridge have carefully watched our little one and noted down all the circumstances &c, under which he smiled & under which he laughed for the first six times -- nor have we remitted our attention -- but I have not been able to derive the least confirmation of Hartley's or Darwin's Theory. You say most truly, my dear Sir! that a Purmit is necessary -Pursuit, I say -- for even praise-worthy Employment, merely for good, or general good, is not sufficient for happiness, is not fit for Man -- God bless you, my dear Sir! and Your sincerely affectionate Friend, S. T. Coleridge P.S. I cannot at present make out how I stand in [a] pecuniary way -- but I believe that I have anticipated on the next year to the amount of 80 or 40 pound probably more --