as nothing.

To turn to a more pleasing subject. Have you painted anything else
beside this picture from 'Peter Bell'? Your two oil-paintings (and,
indeed, everything I have of yours) have been much admired by the
artists who have seen them. And, for our own parts, we like them better
every day; this, in particular, is the case with the small picture from
the neighbourhood of Coleorton, which, indeed, pleased me much at the
first sight, but less impressed the rest of our household, who now see
as many beauties in it as I do myself. Havill, the water-colour painter,
was much pleased with these things; he is painting at Ambleside, and has
done a view of Rydal Water, looking down upon it from Rydal Park, of
which I should like to know your opinion; it will be exhibited in the
Spring, in the water-colour Exhibition. I have purchased a black-lead
pencil sketch of Mr. Green, of Ambleside, which, I think, has great
merit, the materials being uncommonly picturesque, and well put
together: I should dearly like to have the same subject (it is the
cottage at Glencoign, by Ulleswater) treated by you. In the poem I have
just written, you will find one situation which, if the work should ever
become familiarly known, would furnish as fine a subject for a picture
as any thing I remember in poetry ancient or modern. I need not mention
what it is, as when you read the poem you cannot miss it. We have at
last had, by the same post, two letters from Coleridge, long and
melancholy; and also, from Keswick, an account so depressing as to the
state of his health, that I should have set off immediately to London,
to see him, if I had not myself been confined by indisposition.

I hope that Davy is by this time perfectly restored to health. Believe
me, my dear Sir George,

Most sincerely yours,
W. WORDSWORTH.[32]

[32] _Memoirs_, vol. i. pp. 340-3.

OF BUILDING AND GARDENING AND LAYING OUT OF GROUNDS. _Letter to Sir
George H. Beaumont, Bart_.

Grasmere, October 17th. 1805.

MY DEAR SIR GEORGE,

I was very glad to learn that you had room for me at Coleorton, and far
more so, that your health was so much mended. Lady Beaumont's last
letter to my sister has made us wish that you were fairly through your
present engagements with workmen and builders, and, as to improvements,
had smoothed over the first difficulties, and gotten things into a way
of improving themselves. I do