Such is an account of the contents of these volumes; and it may be permitted the Editor to record his hearty thanks to the Sons of the Poet—­WILLIAM WORDSWORTH, Esq., Carlisle, and the just dead Rev. JOHN WORDSWORTH, M.A., Brigham—­and his nephew Professor WORDSWORTH of Bombay, for their so flattering committal of this trust to him; and especially to the last, for his sympathetic and gladdening counsel throughout—­augury of larger service ultimately, it is to be hoped.  To the co-executor with WILLIAM WORDSWORTH, Esq.—­STRICKLAND COOKSON, Esq.—­like acknowledgment is due.  He cannot sufficiently thank AUBREY DE VERE, Esq., for his brilliant contribution to the ’Personal Reminiscences.’  The Rev. ROBERT PERCEVAL GRAVES, M.A., of Dublin (formerly of Windermere), has greatly added to the interest of these volumes by forwarding his further reminiscences of WORDSWORTH and the Hamilton Letters.  Fifteen of these letters of WORDSWORTH, not yet published, will be given in a Life of the great mathematician of Ireland, Sir W.R.  HAMILTON, towards whom WORDSWORTH felt the warmest friendship, and of whose many-sided genius he had the most absolute admiration.  Mr. GRAVES, walking in the footsteps of FULKE GREVILLE, Lord BROOKE, who sought that on his tomb should be graven ’Friend of Sir Philip Sidney’ (albeit he would modestly disclaim the lofty comparison), regards it as his title to memory that he was called ’my highly esteemed friend’ by WORDSWORTH (vol. iii. p. 27).  For the GRAVESES the Poet had much regard, and it was mutual.  A Sonnet addressed to WORDSWORTH by the (now) Bishop of Limerick was so highly valued by him that it is a pleasure to be able to read it, as thus: 

    ’To Wordsworth.

      The Sages of old time have pass’d away,
      A throng of mighty names.  But little power
      Have ancient names to rule the present hour: 
      No Plato to the learners of our day
      In grove of Academe reveals the way,
      The law, the soul of Nature.  Yet a light
      Of living wisdom, beaming calm and bright,
      Forbids our youth ’mid error’s maze to stray. 
      To thee, with gratitude and reverent love,
      O Poet and Philosopher! we turn;
      For in thy truth-inspired song we learn
      Passion and pride to quell—­erect to move,
    From doubts and fears deliver’d—­and conceiving
    Pure hopes of heaven, live happy in believing.

August 1833.’  C.G.

Lady RICHARDSON has similarly added to the value of her former ‘Recollections’ for this work.  Very special gratitude is due to the Miss QUILLINANS of Loughrigg, Rydal, for the use of the MS. of Miss FENWICK’S Notes—­one half in their father’s handwriting, and the other half (or thereabout) in that of Mrs. QUILLINAN (’DORA’), who at the end has written: