Journals of Dorothy Wordsworth, Vol. 1 (of 2)

22nd.--I spent the morning in starching and hanging out linen; walked through the wood in the evening, very cold. 23rd.--Coleridge dined with us. He brought his ballad finished.[11] We walked with him to the Miner's house. A beautiful evening, very starry, the horned moon. [Footnote 11: The ballad was finished by February 18, 1798. See Early Recollections, etc., by Joseph Cottle, vol. i. p. 307 (1837).--ED.] 24th.--Coleridge, the Chesters, and Ellen Cruikshank called. We walked with them through the wood. Went in the evening into the Coombe to get eggs; returned through the wood, and walked in the park. A duller night than last night: a sort of white shade over the blue sky. The stars dim. The spring continues to advance very slowly, no green trees, the hedges leafless; nothing green but the brambles that still retain their old leaves, the evergreens, and the palms, which indeed are not absolutely green. Some brambles I observed to-day budding afresh, and those have shed their old leaves. The crooked arm of the old oak tree points upwards to the moon. 25th.--Walked to Coleridge's after tea. Arrived at home at one o'clock. The night cloudy but not dark. 26th.--Went to meet Wedgwood at Coleridge's after dinner. Reached home at half-past twelve, a fine moonlight night; half moon. 27th.--Dined at Poole's. Arrived at home a little after twelve, a partially cloudy, but light night, very cold. 28th.--Hung out the linen. 29th.--Coleridge dined with us. 30th.--Walked I know not where. 31st.--Walked. April 1st.--Walked by moonlight.