Mrs. Wordsworth and I left home four days ago, and do not intend to return, if all goes well, in less than five or six weeks from this time.  We purpose in our way home to visit York, the cathedral of which city has been restored; and then we shall go to Leeds, on a visit to our friend Mr. James Marshall, in full expectation that we shall be highly delighted by the humane and judicious manner in which his manufactory is managed, and by inspecting the schools which he and his brother have established and superintended.  We also promise ourselves much pleasure from the sight of the magnificent church, which, upon the foundation of the old parish church of that town, has been built through the exertions and by the munificence of the present incumbent, that excellent and able man Dr. Hook, whom I have the honour of reckoning among my friends.

This letter is written by the side of my brother-in-law, who, eight years ago, became a cripple, confined to his chair, by the accident of his horse falling with him in the high road, where he lay without power to move either hand or leg, but left in perfect possession of his faculties.  His bodily sufferings are by this time somewhat abated, but they still continue severe.  His patience and cheerfulness are so admirable that I could not forbear mentioning him to you.  He is an example to us all; and most undeserving should we be if we did not profit by it.  His family have lately succeeded in persuading him to have his portrait taken as he sits in his arm-chair.  It is an excellent likeness, one of the best I ever saw, and will be invaluable to his family.  This reminds me of Mr. Inman and a promise which he made that he would send us a copy of your portrait of myself.  I say a promise, though it scarcely amounted to that absolutely, but it was little short of it.  Do you think he could find time to act upon his own wish in this matter? in which I feel interested on Mrs. Wordsworth’s account, who reckons that portrait much the best both as to likeness and execution of all that have been made of me, and she is an excellent judge.  In adverting to this subject, I of course presume that you would have no objection to the picture being copied if the artist were inclined to do it.

My paper admonishes me that I must conclude.  Pray let me know in your next how Mrs. Reed and your family are in health, and present my good wishes to her.

Ever your faithful and much obliged friend,
WM. WORDSWORTH.[211]

143. Of the College of Maynooth, &c.

LETTER TO A NEPHEW.

Rydal Mount, June 30. 1845.

MY DEAR C——­,

I ought to have acknowledged my debt to you long ago, but the inflammation in one of my eyes which seized me on my first arrival in London kept its ground for a long time.  I had your two first pamphlets read to me, and immediately put them into circulation among my friends in this neighbourhood; but wishing to read them myself I did not like to write to you till I had done so, as there were one or two passages on which I wished to make a remark.