Wordsworth, Dora (1804-1847). - Letter, from Rydal Mount, to Edward Quillinan (1791-1851), at No. 12 Bryanston Street, Portman Square, dated 21 November 1829. WLL / Wordsworth, Dora / 1 / 23

My dear Mr Quillinan,

I avail myself of a frank to Town to send the Extract & thank you for your kind letter just received. Father too wishes me to thank you for settling the affair with Gunston & for your very entertaining account of him; We hope he is nothing worse than a Humbug & we have the satisfaction of having the thing now off our minds. Thanks also for your visit to Longmans - Upon one step Father is determined - that is, to have his Poems printed some way or other or in one little Vol: so that the purchasers of the former Ed: may procure them if they like. This he deems but common justice.

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He has not yet heard from Mr Dyce but has no doubt that the offensive expression will be expunged as it certainly ought never to have appeared.

If Father should see Mr de Quincey he will let him know how he is honored at Geneva -

What you say about the Mortage is welcome - we shall be glad if anything come of it as in these hard times it is inconvenient for money to be lying all but dead -

Grieved am I to be unable to relieve your bleeding heart - of the Douglas we have heard nothing & have no news but that my Mother & Edith in their wisdom the other night chose to give names to my pretty fish - the largest of the gold ones was called "The Red Harriet"

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- & the fattest of the Silver ones has got the name of "Old Till" alias "Tilly" alias "The great White Fish" (Perhaps you do not know that White Fish in the Language of the North signifies a designing Flatterer) but to be serious about these mute and ever moving Creatures we are all charmed with them & I would tell you how, when, & where had I not talked them over yesterday in a letter to Miss Jewsbury (whom by the way you would not have found at home) & I do not like to repeat myself only that I will say that while Hamlet, read by Father last night, was beghosting us they bewitched us -

We wished for you today as the splendor of our Lake surpassed that of all earthly waters ever seen - It was

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a thick Novemr morning - At first a small golden eye appeared towards Bowness - it extended to a streak which broadened till the whole lake became inconceivably brilliant - yet at the same time a subdued light - the sky above remaining intensly gloomy - imagine to yourself something between moonlight & setting sun-shine, more rich than the one & softer & more delicate than the other & you will approach towards a conception of what we had before our eyes this day for little less than half an hour but to other & not meaner matters. Your Lover went to Whitehaven on Tuesday by mail as was her intention - she had a pleasant moonlight journey under Helvellyn - her address is Mrs Payen's Lowther St Whitehaven

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Father bids me tell you that he has removed the 1st Stanza of his "Sound Poem" as I call it, with which you were pleased to a place where it tells more & has written another stanza which is a better introduction - We all think there is a grandeur in this Poem but it ought to have been in the "Recluse" & Mother on that account but half enjoys it -

And now at length let me thank you for all the trouble you have kindly taken about the Watch - The one that has hit your fancy "cannot mend" but please as to exterior - You will prove its going qualities & cautious Father commends your determination of calling in further advice as to its value before closing the bargain - Read the enclosed note to Mr Courtenay and add to it your wishes about the mode of payment as most convenient.

Aunt Wordsworth I am thankful to say keeps as well as we could wish - Edith with her kind rememberances desires me to say she has walked two inches higher since she received your pretty compliment about the Album -

Happy are we to hear such good accounts of the Darlings our love & kisses to them - All unite in kind & affectionate regards to you.

Ever your's faithfully

Dora Wordsworth

Rydal Mount

Novr 21st 1829 -

As you possess the Sylvan Wanderer Father wishes you to see what ground there is for Mr Dyce to find fault with Sir E.B. by comparing the transcript with that in Dyce's Ed: should you have an opportunity of doing so -

Remember you asked for Hartley's Sonnet so dont put down my sending it to vanity if you please sir -

Edward Quillinan Esqre.,

12. Bryanston St.,

Portman Square.

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Object summary: WLL / Wordsworth, Dora / 1 / 23