Wordsworth, Mary (1770-1859). - Letter, from Rydal Mount, to Edward Quillinan (1791-1851), at Lee Priory, near Wingham, Kent, dated 10 December 1824 (year from postmark and another hand). WLL / Wordsworth, Mary / 1 / 64.

Rydal Mount

Decr. 10th <1824>

My dear Friend

I found your letter a couple of hours ago upon the table on my return from the Ivy Cot where I had been taking care of Tillbrooks property - opening windows &c &c In reply to your application I will transcribe from a Letter which reached us yesterday from Tillbrook stating that he had written in answer to one which had been made to him for a friend of Mrs J. Harden "that the Cottage would not, to the best of my belief, be occupied during the Winter, but that if she wished to become tenant to the end of the first week in July I would endeavour to accommodate her but that after that time I had serious intentions of occupying it myself, during July, Aug, Septr & Oct." He then goes on to state what he shall require in the way of Linen &c &c & writes with so much pleasure of the chance of sleeping under his own roof that poor fellow I sincerely trust he may not be disappointed - he says "but for a previous engagement into Kent his Xmas dinner should assuredly been cooked in Ivy Cot." Being master of this you must apply, or not as you think fit, to Till himself if you really desire to become again his Tenant - at any rate it is in your power to be Mr Elliott's until May day- or if you merely had a wish to spend your Xmas there I am sure you would be very welcome & it would be no bad thing to keep the house in season for there is plenty of fuel & we could I think procure you a tidy attendant - to bring the darlings would be out

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of the question for so short a space as even until July- & we expect the sublime [Grecian] as you are pleased to call John tomorrow or soon after- & in the course of the Holidays we shall have Mr Wm Jackson for our guest therefor the Mount cannot receive you.

Mrs Luff has really & truly purchased Fox-ghyll- the de Q's are to leave for[[-?-]] home early in the Spring (i.e. provided the O.E.[[-?-]] arrives from London whence he has been expected for weeks, & is able to move himself & Family out of it - by the bye Mrs de Q is confined by her 5th) - then her (Mrs L's): business of building, repairing & ornamenting will begin- she is now upon a visit on the other side of Kirkstone- [[?]] Barker writes to Doro from Truro- Croft Lodge Ladies are at Cheltenham- the Campbells leave next week for Edinburgh. Many other residents are fled for the winter- Mrs Robinson is going to be confined [[-?-?-?-?-]] &c &c thus we feel ourselves most comfortably free from calls of form civility & duty- Wm & his daughter went on Tuesday to Keswick- the Father to pass a few days with with Southey, & Doro to pay a friendly visit to the solitary Mother of her friend Mary Calvert, who was married last Autumn. We hope to have them at home tomorrow - Willy's poney goes to to meet his father Doro has her own with her- she rides her Br John's poney every day- wet or fair- & this exposure & exercise seems to keep her free from

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cold- do you not pity my having to write with such a pen- truly I pity your having to decipher what I write but I am too lazy to seek a better pen.

I rejoice that the Sonnets have given so much satisfaction- indeed they are beautiful & poor T.M was extremely affected by the one upon Mary- we have not heard from Torquay since Rotha's was sent to them- our accounts of them are melancholy- T. declines slowly but surely- & dearest Sarah is suffering from Tooth ache, an evil which always besets her, when her health is suffering the air of Devon is too [relising] for her constitution- She seldom writes when all is not well. The [Stockings] you mention are old acquaintances of mine- They lay in a drawer in my room at Hindwell "I wish you your health to wear them"- y[] what an antiquated being I am- to remember & use such old fashioned phrases.- God bless Barrett, I like him for sticking to his letter- & I will have the sonnet written for you in a proper manner, in some happy moment.

Willy is as happy at this moment as the possession of a young Mastiff- & a convalescing whelp from Miss Knott's beautiful breed of the [water dog] kind (& which he has been doctoring with Calomel &c for the distemper) can make him- one of these "play-mates" he must part with. He has just passed the window raised a yd above the ground upon stilts, which will some day do him a mischief- & is watching the progress of the frost with intense desire to be upon the Lake- All this will tell you he is remarkably well- so he is, only the black tongue in the [Mornings]

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still abides by him.- I must now be off to close the windows- for the sun very very soon leaves that gem of a cottage & the frosty air will do it no good.- Only I must tell you what is no good news to us at least- Mr Carter is preparing himself for the Church- has given up the duties of the Garden- we shall not however lose his invaluable services in the Off. for some time thank God! & mean time he is Willy's tutor entirely. What an affliction almost his loss will be- you will not find Mr Gee at Hendon yet.- I had a letter from Mrs Gee dated the 3d & she said he had left them for a fortnight- If you do not come- what are we to do with your goods- do not think they are in our way & I hope there is naught that can receive injury - The knives we use when we have company- by way of giving them a cleaning- perhaps 1/2 a doz times they have been brought out- Miss W. is very well & joins Willy & myself in love to you & the Darlings- farewell ever your faithful friend M W. Tell me really & truly if this is not whipping a shilling out of your pocket

Edwd. Quillinan Esqre

Lee Priory

Near Wingham

Kent

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Object summary: WLL / Wordsworth, Mary / 1 / 64