1130. W. W. to C. W. JNR.

• Address: The Rev^d Christopher Wordsworth, Harrow.
• Postmark: 29 Mar. 1837.
• MS. British Library. Hitherto unpublished

• Paris Thursday Evening
• March 23^rd [1837]

My dear Chris,

Here we arrived a little after six yesterday afternoon, having left London, by steam-boat, on Sunday Morning. We were detained till between one and two on Monday at Calais, and obliged to stop at Samers, about six in the afternoon, it blew and snew so hard. Next morning the ground was white with deepish snow so that we got on slowly, through severe cold; but here we are, and I have been rambling about Paris the whole of the day, in a common Frock-coat, while 3 fourths of the persons one meets are wrapped from the heels to the upper lip in blue cloaks.

But now for business. I have a favour to ask of you which I trust it will give you pleasure to grant. You must know, but this is a secret and you must keep it, that my excellent and amiable Friend Miss Fenwick, who was kind enough to stand Godmother, for John's second son, named W^m Wordsworth, is desirous of placing £500 to accumulate for the purpose of his future education. She wished me to be a Trustee, but I declined on account of my advanced age. I have therefore to beg what would much gratify her, that you would act in my place. Three trustees are desirable and your Colleagues will be your Cousin Dora, and Mr Strickland Cookson, a Solicitor of Lincoln's Inn, who is a most excellent man, and a tried Friend. He will manage the business part, and it will be for you and Dora, to determine hereafter how the money can be best applied to answer Miss Fenwick's benevolent purposes. If this Child should die, it is Miss Fenwick's wish that the money with the accumulation (p. 378) pg 378upon [it]¹ should go to complete the education, of any other of John's Children, according to your judgement and Dora's.

Now as Miss Fenwick is anxious that this trust deed should be executed as soon as possible, I do request my dear Nephew that you would consent to act, and signify without delay your consent to Mr Cookson. His address is W. S. Cookson Esquire, Clayton and Cookson, Lincoln's Inn.

I should have written to you before I left London, but I knew you were moving about, and I was not made acquainted with Miss Fenwick's intentions till a couple of days or so before our departure.

The money will be placed in the funds, there to accumulate and to be applied as above stated. It was much more agreeable to Miss Fenwick that John should not know any thing of this; and for other reasons I think it best.

On Saturday or Monday, we depart for Lyons. We bought a carriage in London, and it promises well.

Farewell my dear Nephew, and remember me to all enquiring Friends, I need not say to your Father and Others. This is taken by Mr Moxon who came with us thus far, and it will pass through Mr Joshua Watson's hands to whom I have written.²

• most affectionately Yours            
• W Wordsworth