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William Wordsworth, Dorothy Wordsworth

The Letters of William and Dorothy Wordsworth, Vol. 5: The Later Years: Part II: 1829–1834 (Second Revised Edition)

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636. W. W. to LORD LONSDALE

MS. Lonsdale MSS. Hitherto unpublished.

[In M. W.'s hand]

Tuesday Aug 30th [1831]

My Lord,

On behalf of my Nephew Charles Wordsworth of Christ Church and my younger Son, I take the liberty of requesting that your Lordship would allow them a couple of days Shooting on any moor where their presence might not interfere with your arrangements. I may add that they are both Novices, and are not likely to commit any great Slaughter. My Son having only been out 2 days, (2 years ago, at Ravenstonedale, by Col: Lowther's permission) and my Nephew not at all.

You will perhaps recollect that I mentioned Mr Westall's panoramic Views2 of this Country. The one that is finished—that pg 423of Windermere—pleased much. They are not published by Subn but if yr Ldship would allow me to give in your name to Mr W. for the whole set as they come out—he would reserve for you one of the earliest Impressions.

On Sunday last, being at Bowness Church, I saw Mr and Mrs Bolton—who are both in their better way; I dined at the Island, and for the first time had a long conversation with Mr Curwen upon the Reform Bill—I gave him unreservedly my views on its character and tendency. He regretted much that the change had been pushed so far—he said that there was an intention (which I believe has been mentioned in the Papers) in Cumberland, to petition against the division of the County as tending to place them1 under nomination; and as to his own views, he observed, that he had no objection to two Members being returned by the great landed Proprietors, provided that two others were a fair representation of the landed Interest of the county in general.

At Halsteads I found the Fairfaxes2 of Gilling Castle. Mrs F. is a thoughtful and clear-headed woman—the young man seemed much pleased with what I said to Mr Marshall on the Reform Bill, a subject which I should have been loth to introduce but Mr M. asked me, if my opinion had undergone any change in its favour.3 I ought to add that the days which would suit my Nephew are Friday and Saturday next.

  • I have the honor to be         
  • your Ldshp's faithful St.     
  • [signed] Wm Wordsworth

[W. W. adds]

An inflammation in my eyes has obliged me to employ Mrs W.'s pen.

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Notes
Editor’s Note
2 For William Westall the artist, see MY ii. 362, 510. He had made another tour of the Lakes this month and was working in the neighbourhood (see Warter, iv. 236).
Editor’s Note
1 i.e. the four new seats which, under the Reform Bill, were to come from dividing Cumberland into two new constituencies, the eastern and western divisions.
Editor’s Note
2 Charles Gregory Piggott of Gilling Castle, near Helmsley, Yorks., assumed the name of Fairfax by Royal Licence in 1793, and the following year married Mary, sister of Sir Henry Goodricke, Bart., of Ribston, Yorks. Their son was Charles Gregory Fairfax (b. c. 1795).
Editor’s Note
3 In his reply of 6 Sept. Lord Lonsdale wrote: 'Lord Althorp goes blundering on with his Reform Bill, which appears to approach its end …', and in a further letter on 30 Sept. he predicted that the Bill would be rejected in the Lords. (WL MSS.) See L. 645 below.
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