LETTER138

letter138

charleslambtowilliamanddorothywordsworth

[p.m.september28,1805.]

mydearwordsworth(ordorothyrather,fortoyouappertainstheestpartofthisanswerbyright.)—iwillnotagaindeservereproachbysolongasilence.ihavekeptdeludingmyselfwiththeideathatmarywouldwritetoyou,butsheissolazy,or,ibelievethetruestateofthecase,sodiffident,thatitmustreverttomeasusual.thoughshewritesaprettygoodstyle,andhassomenotionoftheforceofwords,sheisnotalwayssocertainofthetrueorthographyofthem,andthatandapoorhandwriting(inthisageoffemalecalligraphy)oftendeterherwherenootherreasondoes.wehaveneitherofusbeenverywellforsomeweekspast.iamverynervous,andshemostsoatthosetimeswheniam:sothatamerryfriend,advertingtothenobleconsolationwewereabletoaffordeachother,denominatedusnotunaptlygumboilandtoothache:fortheyusetosaythatagumboilisagreatrelieftoatoothache.wehavebeentwotinyexcursionsthissummer,forthreeorfourdayseach:toaplacenearharrow,andtoegham,wherecooper'shillis:andthatisthetotalhistoryofourrusticationsthisyear.alas!howpoorasoundtoskiddaw,andhelvellyn,andborrodaile,andthemagnificentsesquipedaliaoftheyear1802.pooroldmolly!tohavelostherpride,that"lastinfirmityofnoblemind,"andhercow—providenceneednothavesetherwitstosuchanoldmolly.iamheartilysorryforher.rememberuslovinglytoher.andinparticularrememberustomrs.clarksoninthemostkindmanner.ihopebysouthwardsyoumeanthatshewillbeatornearlondon,forsheisagreatfavoriteofbothofus,andwefeelforherhealthasmuchasispossibleforanyonetodo.sheisoneofthefriendliest,comfortablestwomenweknow,andmadeourlittlestayatyourcottageoneofthepleasantesttimesweeverpast.wewerequitestrangerstoher.mr.c.iswithyoutoo?—ourkindestseparateremembrancestohim.

astoourspecialaffairs,iamlookingaboutme.ihavedonenothingsincethebeginningoflastyear,whenilostmynewspaperjob,andhavinghadalongidleness,imustdosomething,orweshallgetverypoor.sometimesithinkofafarce—buthithertoallschemeshavegoneoff,—anidlebragortwoofaneveningvaporingoutofapipe,andgoingoffinthemorning;butnowihavebidfarewelltomy"sweetenemy"o,asyouwillseeinmynextpage,iperhapsshallsetsoberlytowork.hangwork!iwishthatalltheyearwereholyday.iamsurethatindolenceindefeazibleindolenceisthetruestateofman,andbusinesstheinventionoftheoldteazerwhopersuadedadam'smastertogivehimanapronandsethimahoughing.penandink,andclerks,anddesks,weretherefinementsofthisoldtorturerathousandyearsafter,underpretenceofcommerceallyingdistantshores,promotinganddiffusingknowledge,good,&c.—

afarewelltoo

maythebabylonishcurse

straitconfoundmystammeringverse,

ificanapassagesee

inthisword-perplexity,

orafitexpressionfind,

oralanguagetomymind,

(stillthephraseiswideanacre)

totakeleaveofthee,o;

orinanytermsrelate

halfmylove,orhalfmyhate,

forihateyetlovetheeso,

that,whicheverthingishew,

theplaintruthwillseemtobe

aconstrain'dhyperbole,

andthepassiontoproceed

morefromamistressthanaweed.

sootyretainertothevine,

hus'blackservant,negrofine,

sorcererthatmak'stusdoatupon

thybegrim'dcomplexion,

and,forthypernicioussake

moreandgreateroathstobreak

thanreclaimedloverstake

'gainstwomen:thouthysiegedostlay

muchtoointhefemaleway,

whilethousuck'stthelabouringbreath

fasterthankisses;orthandeath.

thouinsuchaclouddostbindus,

thatourworstfoescannotfindus,

andillfortune(thatwouldthwartus)

shootsatrovers,shootingatus;

whileeachmanthro'thyheighteningsteam,

doeslikeasmokingetnaseem,

andallaboutusdoesexpress

(fancyandwitinrichestdress)

asicilianfruitfulness.

thouthroughsuchamistdoesshewus,

thatourbestfriendsdonotknowus;

and,forthoseallowedfeatures,

duetoreasonablecreatures,

liken'stustofellchimeras,

monsters,that,whoseeus,fearus,

worsethancerberus,orgeryon,

or,whofirstlovedacloud,ixion.