_12th._--Tom Poole returned with Coleridge to dinner, a brisk, cold, sunny day; did not walk. _13th._--Poole dined with us. William and I strolled into the wood. Coleridge called us into the house. * * * * * * _15th._--I have neglected to set down the occurrences of this week, so I do not recollect how we disposed of ourselves to-day. _16th._--William, and Coleridge, and I walked in the Park a short time. I wrote to ----. William very ill, better in the evening; and we called round by Potsdam. _17th._--I do not remember this day. _18th._--The Coleridges left us. A cold, windy morning. Walked with them half way. On our return, sheltered under the hollies, during a hail-shower. The withered leaves danced with the hailstones. William wrote a description of the storm.[9] [Footnote 9: See "A whirl-blast from behind the hill" in the "Poetical Works," vol. i. p. 238.--ED.] _19th._--Wm. and Basil and I walked to the hill-tops, a very cold bleak day. We were met on our return by a severe hailstorm. William wrote some lines describing a stunted thorn.[10] [Footnote 10: See _The Thorn_, "Poetical Works," vol. i. p. 239.--ED.] _20th._--Coleridge dined with us. We went more than half way home with him in the evening. A very cold evening, but clear. The spring seemingly very little advanced. No green trees, only the hedges are budding, and looking very lovely. _21st._--We drank tea at Coleridge's. A quiet shower of snow was in the air during more than half our walk. At our return the sky partially shaded with clouds. The horned moon was set. Startled two night birds from the great elm tree. _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.