Tuesday Evening, Grasmere, 1805.

We see nothing here that does not remind us of our dear brother; there is nothing about us (save the children, whom he had not seen) that he has not known and loved.

If you could bear to come to this house of mourning to-morrow, I should be for ever thankful.  We weep much to-day, and that relieves us.  As to fortitude, I hope I shall show that, and that all of us will show it in a proper time, in keeping down many a silent pang hereafter.  But grief will, as you say, and must, have its course; there is no wisdom in attempting to check it under the circumstances which we are all of us in here.

I condole with you, from my soul, on the melancholy account of your own brother’s situation; God grant you may not hear such tidings!  Oh! it makes the heart groan, that, with such a beautiful world as this to live in, and such a soul as that of man’s is by nature and gift of God, that we should go about on such errands as we do, destroying and laying waste; and ninety-nine of us in a hundred never easy in any road that travels towards peace and quietness.  And yet, what virtue and what goodness, what heroism and courage, what triumphs of disinterested love everywhere, and human life, after all, what is it!  Surely, this is not to be for ever, even on this perishable planet!  Come to us to-morrow, if you can; your conversation, I know, will do me good.

* * * * *

All send best remembrances to you all.

Your affectionate friend,
W. WORDSWORTH.

The following, to another friend, completes the sad tale: 

Grasmere, March 16. 1805.

He wrote to us from Portsmouth, about twelve days before this disaster, full of hopes, saying that he was to sail to-morrow.  Of course, at the time when we heard this deplorable news, we imagined that he was as far on his voyage as Madeira.  It was, indeed, a thunderstroke to us!  The language which he held was always so encouraging, saying that ships were, in nine instances out of ten, lost by mismanagement:  he had, indeed, a great fear of pilots, and I have often heard him say, that no situation could be imagined more distressing than that of being at the mercy of these men.  ‘Oh!’ said he, ’it is a joyful hour for us when we get rid of them.’  His fears, alas! were too well founded; his own ship was lost while under the management of the pilot, whether mismanaged by him or not, I do not know; but know for certain, which is, indeed, our great consolation, that our dear brother did all that man could do, even to the sacrifice of his own life.  The newspaper accounts were grossly inaccurate; indeed, that must have been obvious to any person who could bear to think upon the subject, for they were absolutely unintelligible.  There are two pamphlets upon the subject; one a mere transcript from the papers; the other may be considered, as to all important particulars, as of authority;