Wordsworth, Dora (1804-1847). - Letter, from Rydal Mount, to Rotha Quillinan (1822-1876), Chez Madame Le Leu, Haute Ville, Boulogne sur Mer, dated 10 September 1833. WLL / Wordsworth, Dora / 1 / 51

Rydal Mount

Sept 10th 1833

My dearest Rotha,

I fear you may think my memory troublesomely retentive as to all that concerns you - the 15th is nigh at hand and you must forgive the depth & sincerity of that love which tempts me to send blessings & prayers (worthless alas as I know them to be) across the seas for you my darling God Child on this your twelfth birthday - I could write to you very seriously but why should I? You are a good Child and therefore a happy child; that you may ever continue so is all that is left for me to desire.

It is an age since we have had any tidings from you - Papa promised to write to us in a month or 5 weeks - but his one month is fast running into three - I sent you a hurried letter to Mr Skotrowe's care some weeks ago but perhaps it may not have reached you - that scrawl was of no value except as containing pleasant accounts of dear Miss Wordsworth & now I may send you still more cheering ones - She has never looked so well or been so well since her first attack 20 months ago as at present - she can read, & write, & work, & talk - & walk about her room (without a stick) & dress herself entirely - drives out every day when weather permits sometimes even comes down stairs to see her friends & takes frequent walks along the upstairs passage & even

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surprises Mr. Carter with a morning call in his office - going down those two or three steps unassisted except by her stick - She has been sitting for her picture to a Mr Crosthwaite - a self-taught artist - a native of Cockermouth & a weaver by trade until he was twenty years of age - from his history & his price 5 Guineas much was not to be expected - but for him he has done wonders & has delighted us all by making an admirable likeness of my Aunt - & such a pretty picture! at least so it was when he took it away on Saturday - but there is much to be done to it before it is finished in back ground &c - & I hope he may not spoil it in the finishing - She is taken just as she now is - sitting in her large chair with paper case on her knee & pen & ink on the table on one side & little “Miss Belle” - on the other - looking so pert & funny -

The Artist came to Rydal to claim the fulfilment of a promise which my Father good naturedly made some years ago to sit to him & really he has succeeded in making a very respectable likeness of your God Father - it is about the size of Boxall's, only more of him, down to the knees I think, & much to Aunt's delight Nep's head appears in one corner a striking likeness - Aunt's which is the same size was begun for charity - but as the work proceeded our charity turned into gratitude to the little man

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for putting us into possession of a thing so valuable - one word more of pictures & I have done - the Portraits from Mr Stone have not arrived nor have we heard a word about them since Papa's letter which told us we might send for them - another word on the same subject if you please. Tell Papa the copy of your picture is sent to town. I only wish it had been better! for a copy we think it very respectable nay more, or it would not have been sent - but copies must ever be worthless things compared to Originals - & this is doubly the case as regards sketches, so said my friend when she returned the pictures ill satisfied with her performance - I have desired it to be put in a case thinking that a more convenient kind of thing than a frame, (tho' less becoming) for your Papa while he is a Wanderer - I begged tho' that it might be so made as to take out & hang up if required - When finished it will be sent to Mr Skotrowe’s care -

We had such a [[?]] summer that I know not where to begin with an account of our doings & seeings - I will begin at home - Your friend Willy has been with us more than a fortnight - he was over during the Regatta week two of his friends from the neighbourhood of London[][Timins] met him here they (very nice [] young men) with Miss Smith & Cordelia Marshall [] made a merry party - & we had sailing on the lake & dances on the green []

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ball & a gay assembly at Ambleside & rides & drives &c - now they are all gone & we are quite alone but daily expecting Mr H.C. Robinson on his return from Scotland where he has been rambling ever since my Father parted from him 6 weeks at least ago. The Southeys too we hope to see this week - they are one & all making a tour of the Lakes & Rydal Mount is to be head quarters whilst on this side the Raise. Willy is gone back to Carlisle he rather hopes to visit Brinsop next month if he can be spared from his office - Miss Smith is at present with her old school fellow - now a young widow Mrs Ashworth at Grasmere - she left us with a promise of returning for a few days if possible

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previous to her final departure for the south which is to be towards the end of this month or the beginning of next - It was a great pleasure to me to have her here - we could talk over days when I was young or younger than dear Mima & she younger than you - Happy days! when we had no cares or sorrows but what our own wayward hearts created - oh Rotha dear make the most of the present precious years of your life - both as to the present & enjoyment of them but more especially as the season for laying in stores for the future - again in spite of myself I am getting into a serious strain - my heart just now is sad & I feel as if it were selfish in me to employ my pen in writing to a joyous child such being my case -

I have just lost a very dear & very kind Uncle - my Mother's eldest brother who always made a sad Pet of me loving me better much better than I deserved. He is the Uncle we visited at Stockton in the spring then he was not well - but no fatal disorder was dreaded - nor was that the case till about three weeks before his death when his sufferings became very severe and they discovered that he was laboring under a disease of the heart which had been of long standing & must soon end his days & so it did

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on the last day of last month - & ere this he is laid in a pretty church yard washed by the river Tees close to the house where my Mother & Aunts & Uncles past their younger days & where already rest laid four of his own Daughters & a favorite Sister - My poor Mother feels his death deeply - but she set us a beautiful example of calm & cheerful resignation to the Will of the Almighty - forgive me for dwelling so long on this subject when I have others so much more interesting & suitable to your young heart - first my dear little Niece who is I hear becoming "A universal show" an every bodys beauty - & strong & merry & healthy as she is bonny - & what is better still her dear Mother is almost as well as her babe - My brother has had a second sharp feverish attack but I dont suppose it has done him much harm - all the better for it I should say as he was growing too fat - Their parsonage at Brigham is shewing its head above ground. Your other friend John Wordsworth Cambridge John is on his way to Geneva I dare say he is there by this time I had a letter from him the other day dated from Baden Baden - he was well & enjoying himself greatly - London John keeps well & contented at least

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such were the latest accounts.

Dear Miss Cookson is so much better that she rode over & drank tea with us sometime ago - she is out on[] poney almost every day - when weather permits - last week we had two or three stormy days - but not so stormy as farther south - we have been horror stricken as you may imagine by accounts of that dreadful shipwreck off Boulogne - what then must you have felt who were on the spot! it seems to have been almost on the very ground where my Father & Mother & Aunt were wrecked on their return from their long tour - but fortunately for them the tide was just ebbing so the vessel was left dry among the rocks or sands ere she was knocked to pieces -

What a letter I have written! your poor little eyes will be worn out before you get half way thro' & yet I feel not to have told you one half of what I wished - Your garden I have not named & it is very gay in its autumnal garb - if you could but see it this loveliest of all lovely days! then the Cats & Doves & horses & solitary fish they are all well & all your friends are well & not one of them can forget you - All in this house especially think & talk of you [] & Father & Mother & Aunt join with me in most affectionate [] you & your dear Sister & in heartfelt wishes for many & [] happy returns of the 15th of Sept to "our Spiritual Child" - yours in all love & affect

Dora Wordsworth

[Paragraph goes over page 2 and 3] Perhaps your Papa saw in the Papers the death of John Edmund Leonards brother from a wound received in Don Pedro's service - yesterday we heard of the death of his Mother - it was very sudden - at the Isle of Man. The shock wh the death of her son caused shortened the Mother's days

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P.S: Since writing the above we have received a letter from Aunt Sarah enclosing Papa's to her which sets our anxieties at rest as to the main point - you are well & still at Boulogne - & enjoying yourselves most exceedingly I should imagine - They are all well at Brinsop & I think if you remain at Boulogne you will have a visit from Aunt Sarah before many months are over - She has finished some stockings for Papa & longs for an opportunity of sending them to Town but that is such an outlandish place if we had them here in this, as the Herefordshire Squires think, wild uncivilised region - we could forward them any week to London friends are constantly going up & down - I trust my worthless letter to you may not have been sent by post as was the lot of Aunt Sarah's oh I shall be vexed if such be the case - this scrawl I mean to make you pay for as I wish you to receive it on or about your birthday - again God bless you Darling Robin - Father is so busy sonnettering - two a day frequently - on Staffa - Iona - Burn's farm - Isle of Man - River Leven - Silver chains

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made from Helvelyn's silver - & I know not what besides - his eyes were very bad a week ago but are much better. "Netta" wd send her love to you were she here.

Your friend Miss Keate is still at Keswick I often hear of her joining the Southeys in their excursionizing parties; last week she made one of a party to Wastwater - I suspect I shall soon lose my oldest & dearest friend Edith her Lover hopes to carry her off ere long.

Tell Papa that his friend's friend Mr A Whicker only delivered his letter to my Father a week ago - my Father has not yet been able to return the young man's call but will do so this week when he is going to Storrs - the youth is at Bowness where he has been reading all summer. I met him at one or two parties & had the honor of dancing with him & then introduced him to Father after his telling me he had a letter from Mr Quillinan wh he hoped to deliver shortly -

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Tell Papa the Brathey estate is bought by a Mr Redmayne a "draper bold" - from Bond Street - we understand he does not give up the shop yet a while - Mr Marshalls third son had some thoughts of becoming a purchaser - his 3rd Daughter Julia is to be married next month to a Mr Elliott - a Brighton Clergyman - a Wilberforcian a very clever & learned man - a good fortune - & 18 or 20 years older than his bride elect.

Miss Rotha Quillinan

chez Made [?] Le Leu - Haute Ville

au dessus de la Porte de Calais.

sur le rempart -

Boulogne sur Mer

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Object summary: WLL / Wordsworth, Dora / 1 / 51