made his formal
proposal to Mr. Murray to publish his collected poems:

_Mr. Wordsworth to John Murray_.

RYDAL MOUNT, NEAR AMBLESIDE

_December_ 4, 1826.

Dear Sir,

I have at last determined to go to the Press with my Poems as early as
possible. Twelve months ago the were to have been put into the hands of
Messrs. Robinson & Hurst, upon the terms of payment of a certain sum,
independent of expense on my part; but the failure of that house
prevented the thing going forward. Before I offer the publication to any
one but yourself, upon the different principle agreed on between you and
me, as you may recollect, viz.; the author to meet two-thirds of the
expenses and risk, and to share two-thirds of the profit, I think it
proper to renew that proposal to you. If you are not inclined to accept
it, I shall infer so from your silence; if such an arrangement suits
you, pray let me _immediately_ know; and all I have to request is, that
without loss of time, when I have informed you of the intended quantity
of letter-press, you will then let me know what my share of the expense
will amount to.

I am, dear Sir,

Your obedient servant,

WM. WORDSWORTH.

As Mr. Murray did not answer this letter promptly, Mr. H. Crabb Robinson
called upon him to receive his decision, and subsequently wrote:

_Mr. H.G. Robinson to John Murray_.

_February_ 1827.

"I wrote to Mr. Wordsworth the day after I had the pleasure of seeing
you. I am sorry to say that my letter came too late. Mr. Wordsworth
interpreted your silence into a rejection of his offer; and his works
will unfortunately lose the benefit of appearing under you auspices.
They have been under the press some weeks."

For about fifteen years there had been no business transactions between
Murray and Constable. On the eve of the failure of the Constables, the
head of the firm, Mr. Archibald Constable (October 1825), was paying a
visit at Wimbledon, when Mr. Murray addressed his host--Mr. Wright,
whose name has already occurred in the _Representative_
correspondence--as follows:

My Dear Wright,

Although I intend to do myself the pleasure of calling upon Mr.
Constable at your house tomorrow immediately after church (for it is our
charity sermon at Wimbledon, and I must attend), yet I should be most
happy, if it were agreeable to you and to him, to favour us with your
company at dinner at, I will say, five tomorrow. Mr. Constable is
godfather to my son, who will be at h