In the summer of 1797, Samuel Taylor Coleridge had several friends visit, among whom were poet William Wordsworth, his sister Dorothy Wordsworth, and essayist Charles Lamb. The group was looking forward to enjoying pleasant rambles through the countryside during their stay.
Unfortunately, towards the beginning of the sojourn, Coleridge met with a rather unhappy accident: His wife, Sara, accidentally spilled boiling milk on his foot, incapacitating him for the duration of the visit. His friends went out one evening for the much-anticipated nature walk, leaving a disgruntled Coleridge alone at home.
