[29] Memoirs, vol. ii. pp. 164-70.  G.

(b) OF THE PEOPLE, THEIR WAYS AND NEEDS.

Letter to Archdeacon Wrangham.

Grasmere, June 5. 1808.

MY DEAR WRANGHAM,

I have this moment received your letter.

—­is a most provoking fellow; very kind, very humane, very generous, very ready to serve, with a thousand other good qualities, but in the practical business of life the arrantest marplan that ever lived.  When I first wrote to you, I wrote also to him, sending the statement which I sent to you, and begging his exertions among his friends.  By and by comes back my statement, having undergone a rifacimento from his hands, and printed, with an accompanying letter, saying that if some of the principal people in this neighbourhood who had already subscribed would put their names to this paper, testifying that this was a proper case for charitable interferences, or that the persons mentioned were proper objects of charity, that he would have the printed paper inserted in the public newspapers, &c.  Upon which, my sister wrote to him, that in consequence of what had been already subscribed, and what we had reason to expect from those friends who were privately stirring in the business, among whom we chiefly alluded to you, in our own minds, as one on whom we had most dependence, that there would be no necessity for public advertisements, but that if among his private friends he could raise any money for us, we should be very glad to receive it.  And upon this does he write to you in this (what shall I call it? for I am really vexed!) blundering manner!  I will not call upon you to undertake the awkward task of rebuilding that part of the edifice which ——­ has destroyed, but let what remains be preserved; and if a little could be added, there would be no harm.  I must request you to transmit the money to me, with the names of the persons to whom we are obliged.

* * * * *

With regard to the more important part of your letter, I am under many difficulties.  I am writing from a window which gives me a view of a little boat, gliding quietly about upon the surface of our basin of a lake.  I should like to be in it, but what could I do with such a vessel in the heart of the Atlantic Ocean?  As this boat would be to that navigation, so is my letter to the subject upon which you would set me afloat.  Let me, however, say, that I have read your sermon (which I lately received from Longman) with much pleasure; I only gave it a cursory perusal, for since it arrived our family has been in great confusion, we having removed to another house, in which we are not yet half settled.  The Appendix I had received before in a frank, and of that I feel myself more entitled to speak, because I had read it more at leisure.  I am entirely of accord with you in chiefly recommending religious books for the poor;