Sarah Hutchinson has never been much more than a name, though a name connected with some of the greatest in English literature. The sister of Mrs. Wordsworth, and a member of the Wordsworth household for thirty years, Coleridge's beloved Asra to whom many of his poems were written, Southey's friend and Lamb's, and a guest of the Arnolds at Rugby, she was a member of an interesting circle. For her intimate relations to Wordsworth and Coleridge it has long been apparent that we should like to know her better. Now her letters to members of her family and to friends demonstrate how worthwhile it is to know her for herself as well. The letters come from the family and from the Wordsworth collection at Dove Cottage and are here printed (almost in full) for the first time. They show a lively and amusing woman, kind, forthright to the extent of bluntness, especially when she takes up the cudgels in the cause of what she considers truth or justice or human kindness. Coleridge describes her in one apt and characteristic sentence: 'If Sense, Sensibility, Sweetness of Temper, perfect simplicity and unpretending Nature, joined to shrewdness and entertainingness make a valuable Woman, Sara Hutchinson is so.' Such qualities certainly make a delightful letter-writer.

Letters and journals form the basis for this illuminating account of the lives of the women of the Wordsworth, Coleridge and Southey households. It tells the story of their passionate attachments, petty jealousies, the deaths of children, the realities of chronic ill health and barbaric medical practice, and the suppression of their own talents.

The most celebrated authors of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales are immortalized not only in their writing but also in the museums, libraries, and other memorials dedicated in their honor. Over 300 sites devoted to 40 authors are covered in this guide. The sites range from restored historic homes to memorial statues. Each entry describes the site and its history, placing it within the context of the author's life and career. Directions are provided to help the reader reach each site; telephone numbers, admission prices, and hours are also included for the traveler's convenience. The text is illustrated with photographs from these historic and literary homes, libraries, and other important memorial locations. Postage stamps commemorating the writers are also included.

Living in a revolutionary age, Coleridge's poetry was written in a spirit of moral and emotional inquiry into the absolutes of the human condition. He is best known for his visionary poetry ('Kubla Khan') and his ballads ('The Rime of the Ancient Mariner'), but he used and transformed a variety of verse forms, from the sonnet to the conversation poem, on subjects as diverse as nature, love, and politics. This selection calls attention to the range of Coleridge's work, its strong autobiographical content,and its artistic development throughout his career. The old chronological form has been abandoned and the poems are organised according to genre, with each section displaying its own individual development in craft and theme.