the garden at Rydal.

[110] _Memoirs_, ii. 224.

[111] _Specimens of British Poetesses. A.D._

The account of your indisposition gives me much concern. It pleases me,
however, to see that, though you may suffer, your industry does not
relax; and I hope that your pursuits are rather friendly than injurious
to your health.

You are quite correct in your notice of my obligation to Dr.
Darwin.[112] In the first edition of the poem it was acknowledged in a
note, which slipped out of its place in the last, along with some
others. In putting together that edition, I was obliged to cut up
several copies; and, as several of the poems also changed their places,
some confusion and omission, and, in one instance, a repetition, was the
consequence. Nothing, however, so bad as in the edition of 1820, where a
long poem, 'The Lament of Mary Queen of Scots,' was by mistake
altogether omitted. Another unpleasantness arose from the same cause;
for, in some instances, notwithstanding repeated charges to the printer,
you have only two Spenserian stanzas in a page (I speak now of the last
edition) instead of three; and there is the same irregularity in
printing other forms of stanza.

You must indeed have been fond of that ponderous quarto, 'The
Excursion,' to lug it about as you did.[113] In the edition of 1827 it
was diligently revised, and the sense in several instances got into less
room; yet still it is a long poem for these feeble and fastidious times.
You would honour me much by accepting a copy of my poetical works; but I
think it better to defer offering it to you till a new edition is called
for, which will be ere long, as I understand the present is getting low.

[112] In Mr. W.'s lines 'To Enterprise.' _A.D._

[113] I had mentioned to Mr. W. that, when I had a curacy in Cornwall, I
used frequently to carry 'The Excursion' down to the sea-shore, and read
it there. _A.D._

A word or two about Collins. You know what importance I attach to
following strictly the last copy of the text of an author; and I do not
blame you for printing in the 'Ode to Evening' 'brawling' spring; but
surely the epithet is most unsuitable to the time, the very worst, I
think, that could have been chosen.

I now come to Lady Winchelsea. First, however, let me say a few words
upon one or two other authoresses of your 'Specimens.' British poetesses
make but a poor figure in the 'Poems by Eminent Ladies.'[114]

[114] Two volumes, 1755. _A.D._

Bu