Wordsworth, Dora (1804-1847). - Letter, from Rydal Mount, to Christopher Wordsworth (1807-1885), at Trinity College, Cambridge, dated 12 November 1833. WLL / Wordsworth, Dora / 1 / 56

Rydal Mount

Thursday Novr 12th

My dear Chris,

You must wish Owen behind the fire & not me for it is by his particular desire you are troubled with another letter from Rydal the purport of which is to inform you that he Owen leaves Ambleside on Monday with the intention of being present at his Sister Agatha's marriage on Thursday (at or near to Birmingham) & then proceeding to Cambridge where he expects to be on Saturday the 21st (is it not?) & where he hopes to find you: as his stay at Trinity cannot be prolonged above a couple of days he flatters himself that even if you have planned leaving Coll: for a short time, upon hearing that he is coming you will be tempted to alter your arrangements - I could fill my paper with the disappointment your last letter caused to all in this house especially to our dear Aunt, who did think you would stretch a point to come to see her confined as she is to one room month after month but you book worms cant understand how we busy Idlers prize a visit from you if but of three days

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therefore it avails nothing pressing the matter further - but when I call to mind the state she my Aunt was in last winter & remember that it was not till after New years day she became so ill I cannot but tremble at the thought of what we may be called upon to endure for her dear sake ere a few short months have past over our heads - Just now thank God she is wonderfully well & has rallied from her last sharp attack of illness much more rapidly than we had dared to expect - she could enjoy your society thoroughly just now - & may be if you do not profit by this opportunity another may not be offered to you - the thread of her life is frail in the extreme - It was this dear Chris that made us all so desirous you should visit Rydal this Xmas -

Excuse me for saying so much on the subject - but I wished you to understand that we are fully aware of the value & importance of your time & that it was for no selfish or trifling reason we were willing nay anxious that a portion of it should be thrown away in coming to Rydal -

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My Father has spoken to our Pastor on the subject of the address or what ever it is to the ArchBishop & he seemed to take it in or up with great zeal poor John from whom we heard yesterday tells us he can make nothing of his luke warm brethren in that neighbourhood no clergyman but himself & Dr Ainger took the slightest interest in it. Hitherto the state of my Father's eyes added to the stormy weather has prevented him sounding the neighbouring clergy - but he fears much cannot be done as they are all the Bishop of Chester's Men except Mr Dawes & the Sewels & what is to be expected from them? but this will not prevent his using all his eloquence to bring them over to his notions - My Fathers eyes are better but too weak to allow of his writing or even looking at a book & as he may not yet employ his mind he finds as you may imagine these long fire & candle light evenings distressing & tiresome in the extreme - My Mother & I read to him a great great deal but as neither her chest nor my throat is of the very strongest we find it fatiguing & he cannot always keep awake & reading

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aloud is tiresome at best one gets on so slowly.

Our neighbours were very kind & coming to sit with us in an evening but now their number is much decreased - the Ladies of Fox Ghyll are gone to London & the Pasleys into Yorkshire Mr Hamilton to be sure is still at Ivy Cottage but I suspect he will soon be following his Love to town -

Some of the Southeys are coming over for a short time - Edith & her Lover & Bertha - I have seen Mr Warter but he is a perfect Stranger to the rest of the household - there is no prospect I fear of a speedy union & they have been engaged now more than four years - Mr Southey has some reviewing on hand or he would have come with them - You wont tell me Cousin Johns address so I will trouble you to complete the direction of a letter to him which I mean to send by Owen - &

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will you tell us whether the following are all the Prize Poems & Essays of the Wordsworth's - if not will you send the rest by Owen as these are all we possess &c; my Father wishes to have them all bound together

He & my Mother & Aunt join with me in most affectionate love & best wishes to dear Uncle & yourself & believe me ever your affecte Cousin

Dora Wordsworth

I was well pleased to hear that Digby was married - it will humanize him a little which was all he seemed to require to make him perfect - he was not a Catholic when I saw him in John's rooms remember.

The Druids a poem by C-W- & the translation into Greek of Carmen Latinum first line "Sub sole puro coericlei nitent" - C-W Epigramata - wh I dont understand & Charles' Latin Oration 1833

"But do not so" &c by JW. The Invasion of Russia - C.W. Carmen Latinum Hannibal C-W. Epigramata same year C-W. & the translation into Greek of "time hath &c" C-W

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More there are I feel pretty sure so pray send them -

When you write to us I wish you would name our kind friends at Hampstead we are very anxious to hear how Mr & Miss Hoare are as to health & spirits the death of S. Hoare must have been a heavy affliction to all that large family.

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On looking over my brothers letter I find I have misread it Dr Ainger & Mr Lowther are both from home & he can find no one interested in it but himself - Poor Mr Curwen was greatly pleased when he found Harry had been invited to dinner at the Lodge but I fear this Son will be no comfort to him - nor indeed any one of the four - & he is a most affectionate & only too indulgent a Father - this indeed is the rock upon which he was split -

What a blundering blotty scrawl this is - I am heartily ashamed of it -

Chris: Wordsworth Esqre

Trin: Coll:

Cambridge

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Object summary: WLL / Wordsworth, Dora / 1 / 56