site logo

The Poets In A Puzzle


Cottle, in his Life of Coleridge, relates the following amusing

incident:--



"I led the horse to the stable, when a fresh perplexity arose. I removed

the harness without difficulty; but, after many strenuous attempts, I

could not remove the collar. In despair, I called for assistance, when

aid soon drew near. Mr. Wordsworth brought his ingenuity into exercise;

but, after several unsuccessful efforts, he re
inquished the achievement,

as a thing altogether impracticable. Mr. Coleridge now tried his hand,

but showed no more grooming skill than his predecessors; for, after

twisting the poor horse's neck almost to strangulation and the great

danger of his eyes, he gave up the useless task, pronouncing that the

horse's head must have grown (gout or dropsy?) since the collar was put

on; for he said 'it was a downright impossibility for such a huge os

frontis to pass through so narrow a collar!' Just at this instant, a

servant-girl came near, and, understanding the cause of our consternation,

'La! master,' said she, 'you don't go about the work in the right way.

You should do like this,' when, turning the collar completely upside

down, she slipped it off in a moment, to our great humiliation and

wonderment, each satisfied afresh that there were heights of knowledge

in the world to which we had not yet attained."



* * * * *



More

;