degree, even to all persons, however wise and pure may be their lives, and however unvitiated their taste.  But for those who dip into books in order to give an opinion of them, or talk about them to take up an opinion—­for this multitude of unhappy, and misguided, and misguiding beings, an entire regeneration must be produced; and if this be possible, it must be a work of time.  To conclude, my ears are stone-dead to this idle buzz, and my flesh as insensible as iron to these petty stings; and, after what I have said, I am sure yours will be the same.  I doubt not that you will share with me an invincible confidence that my writings (and among them these little poems) will co-operate with the benign tendencies in human nature and society, wherever found; and that they will, in their degree, be efficacious in making men wiser, better, and happier.  Farewell!  I will not apologise for this letter, though its length demands an apology.  Believe me, eagerly wishing for the happy day when I shall see you and Sir George here,

Most affectionately yours,
W. WORDSWORTH.

Do not hurry your coming hither on our account:  my sister regrets that she did not press this upon you, as you say in your letter, ’we cannot possibly come before the first week in June;’ from which we infer that your kindness will induce you to make sacrifices for our sakes.  Whatever pleasure we may have in thinking of Grasmere, we have no impatience to be gone, and think with full as much regret of leaving Coleorton.  I had, for myself, indeed, a wish to be at Grasmere with as much of the summer before me as might be; but to this I attach no importance whatever, as far as the gratification of that wish interferes with any inclination or duty of yours.  I could not be satisfied without seeing you here, and shall have great pleasure in waiting.[31]

[31] Memoirs, vol. i. pp. 331-40.

OF ‘PETER BELL’ AND OTHER POEMS. Letter to Sir George H. Beaumont,
Bart.

     MY DEAR SIR GEORGE,

I am quite delighted to hear of your picture for ‘Peter Bell;’ I was much pleased with the sketch, and I have no doubt that the picture will surpass it as far as a picture ought to do.  I long much to see it.  I should approve of any engraver approved by you.  But remember that no poem of mine will ever be popular; and I am afraid that the sale of ‘Peter’ would not carry the expence of the engraving, and that the poem, in the estimation of the public, would be a weight upon the print.  I say not this in modest disparagement of the poem, but in sorrow for the sickly taste of the public in verse.  The people would love the poem of ‘Peter Bell,’ but the public (a very different being) will never love it.  Thanks for dear Lady B.’s transcript from your friend’s letter; it is written with candour, but I must say a word or two not in praise of it.  ‘Instances of what I mean,’ says your friend, ’are to be found in a poem on a Daisy’ (by the by, it is on the Daisy, a mighty difference!) ‘and on Daffodils reflected in the Water.’  Is this accurately transcribed by Lady Beaumont?  If it be, what shall we think of criticism or judgment founded upon, and exemplified by, a poem which must have been so inattentively perused?  My language is precise; and, therefore, it would be false modesty to charge myself with blame.