Wordsworth, Mary (1770-1859). - Letter, from an unstated address, to Dora Wordsworth (1804-1847), at 3 Clarence Lawn, Dover, dated 14 November 1837 (year from postmark). WLL / Wordsworth, Mary / 2 / 111.

Tuesday Evening past 8 oC Novr. <14/37>

Dearest Dora

I have just left Aunty, happily at her supper, & as it is the last evening I shall probably be alone - I will amuse myself by writing a few words before prayers to you - if I can make the pen write - tho' I must have something more interesting to tell before I shall send off a letter than what concerns myself, since I forwarded my last - was it not just after I recd. yr. 2d. London letter? so to that I need not recur - only to say it delighted me to find you so stout as you must have been in London - if you were not imprudent? In your fear of telling things twice over, you have failed to report of your London Sunday - I only infer your visit to Mrs Coleridges was on that day, but there is no regular detail of that, as of all other days, during your stay - but no matter - You are now settled, & I trust comfortably - & I only hope that we mappen may get to see you.

But you are wondering why I am at home when I told you I was to meet Father at K on Monday – he wrote, & put me off till Wed. & the enclosed will tell you why we do not go to Brigham, if we do not proceed thither together – In reply to Isa: I told her how matters stood – receiving her letter only this morning – I could not change Father’s purpose of going to K. as he would be off very early tomorrow, so that if there was not room for me in the Coach, I should not disappoint him by not meeting him, or our own poor friends there, whom I had prepared for a call from us – So God willing, so far I shall go - & if Father has not had a letter from Isa: of a later date, in consequence of their hearing of his intention, (which they had not when her letter to me was written) & which may encourage him us to proceed – we shall return tomorrow night home – When this letter shall tell you about the poor Southeys, whom it will be a satisfaction to have seen. I confess I am disappointed, for I was well pleased with the thought of seeing the dear Children &c & for my part I do not think there is more to be afraid of from their fever than our own – which I believe is bad enough in Ambleside. – We shall not be likely to move soon again once set-down , & I hope to work. Father says “my eyes are not bad, but certainly weaker than I could wish them – the lids reddening, & the balls watery, when exposed to strong light or sharp air – but very little bloodshot” – This is pretty well for him to say from Lowther – you need not be jealous – as no nurse has succeeded you – at least after the 2 or 3 first nights he allowed me to put on the ointment – but then he became cross (the fact was he was working) said nothing did good, & he would leave them to nature

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& nature has done very well - but I will not proceed on this fair page with this pen

Only I must tell you that I had Sir P. Malcolm with the Pasleys at my luncheon - a delight of a man, & I grieved that Father did not see him - he leaves tomorrow. Good night & God bless you & yr. good hostess - I hear them coming! - Thursday morning - I have burnt Isa's letter on 2d. thoughts, it was better not to plague yr. eyes to wade thro' melancholy details - they were merely, that we were not to go (they did not know that father was off to L. Ker that we intended going to B) this week - as their cook & housemaid were gone, & new ones not come - that John had buried one child who had died of the Typhus - that the clerk seemed to be dying of the same disease & that in short it was all around them - that Mr Dickinson had order them to keep their windows closed, the air was so bad, & that it was scarcely safe for us to go - yet she says K. is proud of his [clogs], but he only goes into the garden. Her troubles do not end here for her sisters have got the hooping cough, - & that Jane W. must not of course come home - but she will be well taken care of by her Mother who will not lose sight of her night nor day - but that this watching over 3 (taking for granted this must be necessary) will go hard with her Mother - who must not come to them, nor they go to W. on acct. of the other children, as if Johnny got the disease it wd "be fatal". And, so poor thing she torments herself, but she can not help it. - of course, tho' dear Father had written to them to say positively he would go, whether I did or not - on our meeting at Keswick it was of course thought by all that we should return - & I dare say till this morn) when they sent to C. for the St James's, they had never heard of our intention - O yes they would by Mr Walker who was my fellow passenger in the Coach, and by whom I forwarded Mrs Marshall's present, & some cakes Ann had made for me to carry.

Well Father had arrived before me - James had rode Sir Ed. the night before to within 7 miles of K. & Ld L. sent Father & the Carr next mg with one of the Lowther Horses - I found him with Mr. S. all there in the same way, but nearer a close - that poor sufferer on her bed where for the last 10 days a morsel or drop had not passed her lips - nor had she been moved for several days - no calls requiring it - but I will not dwell on particulars - too painful to be thought of - but a complaint never escapes her - & I left them patiently waiting hoping that that must be the last night - a blessed & a merciful change will it be. S. walked with Father up the hill - & at moments he was even chearful - he is a heavenly minded man - when I think of it let me tell you that he has no anxiety about his £1000 - They wrote to him to say that all would be sold but that could not as he S. had a [view] on the Copy-right, & it could not be disposed of without his consent - in short it was his property - as far as the £1000 is concerned. We left K. about 3 oC & it was about 7 before

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we reached home - it had been a lovely day - but we saw little of it - or of James' rapid progress, shut up in that vehicle (as father found necessary for his eyes) which James says distresses Sir Ed: far more than our 4 wheels - We before we were aware of this distress had proposed - this morning being beautiful, & before we parted with the Carr to have gone to Mrs Bolton's &c - till we were told it was impossible for Sir Ed: could hardly get home! This is a good deal fudge, as he says he will be well able to go with our own tomorrow. Since breakfast I have been reading such an accumulation of newspapers - & now Father is gone to see Aunty, as he must rest before we write letters - (he has got done none since you went) his eyes are wonderfully well - the edges of the bad one look occasionally a little red but that is all - & he is in all respects quite well I think - Aunty well - she has taken to sleep longer in the mornings - but she gets sadly tired before her bed time - Bertha says her Father means to send them both here as soon as he can - he too I hope will get a little change.

I shall forward this, to prevent your being anxious about us, but you see I have little to tell - must go to Fox how in consequence of a letter from Mrs A. (who says all that is affec about you, & regrets they could not have a sight of you &c) to prepare for their comfortable reception on the 16th [December] they not meaning to send a servant before then - & if I can procure a temporary housemaid, & a kitchen maid for them, they would rather not bring their usual establishment - She has been benefited by Dr Jepson's prescriptions - the Dr. is well but somehow disappointed in getting his 1st. Vol of R.Hy out - some [demur] of the booksellers who think they have a claim upon it - consequent upon some old proposal - but the work has taken altogether a different shape. They are doubtful when this may be settled - but he does not "suffer this or any thing to interrupt his usual cheerfulness that makes them all so happy" - she gives excellent accts of the elder boys in their own school - By the bye if you have not seen or heard of it you will be glad to hear that Georgy has got a scholarship - Mrs Cookson came with this news from Henry, just before I saw it in the newspaper

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She gave a good acct. of Eliz - who had gone while they were at Church on Sunday to see Mrs Harris - in her distress - this was not very prudent - on such a frosty morning as it was - that day & till mid day on Monday we had a delightful sunny frosty weather - then came on the drizzle, which lasted over Tuesday - but yesterday I rose to a beautiful day, & had a pleasant drive in the Lady of the Lake.

As I do not like to be troublesome at the Colonial Off & not wishing that you should often be longer than a week in hearing from home - I have got Father to write to Talfourd - & he has dictated a long interesting epistle on Copy-right - Aunts Journal, which he means to publish (I doubt if it will not excite too much) &c, in which I shall enclose this, & ask permission of the Sergeant to be occasionally throughout the winter our medium of correspondence - Father has had a very kind letter from Dr Davy - he recommends the plan - but great interest is required & no time to be lost in putting John's name in the list of [[?]] already about 200 are before him - the Dr. says he has written to John to ask him to Pete Fort - to talk the matter over. Father left the letter with his Mother yesterday, she not being in the house when he called. Best love to dear Miss F. & God bless you both. Opened at Ambleside to put in the enclosed thank God

[Stir] up yr. Cousins thro' Mrs Hoare, if you do better to not write to them about Pupils & Mrs Merewether says Warter would be the best person to apply to - I have no patience to look back upon what I have written & you must excuse bad writing - for my wrist is so stiff I can hardly write at all - & alas for your poor eyes! - You did not mention spectacles among your London purchases - & those I looked longingly after

<London November Nineteen 1837

Miss Wordsworth

3 Clarence Lawn

Dover

TM Talfourd>

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Object summary: WLL / Wordsworth, Mary / 2 / 111