LETTER125

letter125

marylambtodorothywordsworth

(sameletter)

[p.m.october13,1804.]

mydearmisswordsworth—iwritaletterimmediatelyuponthereceiptofyours,tothankyouforsendingmethewelcometidingsofyourlittleniece'sbirth,andmrs.wordsworth'ssafety,&waitedtillicouldgetafranktosenditin.notbeingabletoprocureone,iwilldefermythanksnolongerforfearmrs.wordsworthshouldaddanotherlittlebabytoyourfamily,beforemycongratulationsonthebirthofthelittledorothyarrive.

ihopemrs.wordsworth,&theprettybaby,&theyoungphilosopher,arewell:theyarethreestrangerstomewhomihavealongingdesiretobeacquaintedwith.

mybrotherdesiresmenottosendsuchalonggossipingletterasthatihadintendedforyou,becausehewishestofillalargeshareofthepaperwithhisacknowledgmentstomr.wordsworthforhisletters,whichheconsidersasaveryuncommonfavor,yourbrotherseldomwritingletters.imustbegmybrotherwilltellmr.wordsworthhowveryproudhehasmademealsobypraisingmypoorverses.willyoubesokindastoforwardtheoppositepagetomrs.coleridge.thissheetofpaperisquiteapartnershipaffair.whentheparliamentmeetsyoushallhavealetterforyoursoleuse.

mybrotherandihavebeenthissummertorichmond;wehadalodgingthereforamonth,wepassedthewholetimethereinwanderingabout,&comparingtheviewsfromthebanksofthethameswithyourmountainscenery,&tried,&wished,topersuadeourselvesthatitwasalmostasbeautiful.charleswasquiteamr.clarksoninhisadmirationandhisfrequentexclamations,forthoughwehadoftenbeenatrichmondforafewhourswehadnoideaitwassobeautifulaplaceaswefounditonamonth'sintimateacquaintance.

werejoicetohearofthegoodfortuneofyourbravesailor-brother,ishouldhavelikedtohavebeenwithyouwhenthenewsfirstarrived.

yourveryfriendlyinvitationshavemadeuslongtobewithyou,andwepromiseourselvestospendthefirstmoneymybrotherearnsbywritingcertainbooks(charlesoftenplansbutneverbegins)inajourneytograsmere.

whenyoureyes(whichiamsorrytofindcontinueunwell)willpermityoutomakeuseofyourpenagainishallbeveryhappytoseealetterinyourownhandwriting.

ibegtobeaffectionatelyrememberedtoyourbrother&sister&remaineveryouraffectionatefriend

m.lamb.

complimentstooldmolly.