may be their
lives, and however unvitiated their taste. But for those who dip into
books in order to give an opinion of them, or talk about them to take up
an opinion--for this multitude of unhappy, and misguided, and misguiding
beings, an entire regeneration must be produced; and if this be
possible, it must be a work _of time_. To conclude, my ears are
stone-dead to this idle buzz, and my flesh as insensible as iron to
these petty stings; and, after what I have said, I am sure yours will be
the same. I doubt not that you will share with me an invincible
confidence that my writings (and among them these little poems) will
co-operate with the benign tendencies in human nature and society,
wherever found; and that they will, in their degree, be efficacious in
making men wiser, better, and happier. Farewell! I will not apologise
for this letter, though its length demands an apology. Believe me,
eagerly wishing for the happy day when I shall see you and Sir George
here,

Most affectionately yours,
W. WORDSWORTH.

Do not hurry your coming hither on our account: my sister regrets that
she did not press this upon you, as you say in your letter, 'we cannot
_possibly_ come before the first week in June;' from which we infer that
your kindness will induce you to make sacrifices for our sakes. Whatever
pleasure we may have in thinking of Grasmere, we have no impatience to
be gone, and think with full as much regret of leaving Coleorton. I had,
for myself, indeed, a wish to be at Grasmere with as much of the summer
before me as might be; but to this I attach no importance whatever, as
far as the gratification of that wish interferes with any inclination or
duty of yours. I could not be satisfied without seeing you here, and
shall have great pleasure in waiting.[31]

[31] _Memoirs_, vol. i. pp. 331-40.

OF 'PETER BELL' AND OTHER POEMS. _Letter to Sir George H. Beaumont,
Bart_.

MY DEAR SIR GEORGE,

I am quite delighted to hear of your picture for 'Peter Bell;' I was
much pleased with the sketch, and I have no doubt that the picture will
surpass it as far as a picture ought to do. I long much to see it. I
should approve of any engraver approved by you. But remember that no
poem of mine will ever be popular; and I am afraid that the sale of
'Peter' would not carry the expence of the engraving, and that the poem,
in the estimation of the public, would be a weight upon the print. I say
not this in