ons of the country cannot be preserved.... It is a mere
question _of time_. A great majority of the present parliament, I
believe, are in the main favourable to the preservation of the Church,
but among these many are ignorant how that is to be done. Add to the
portion of those who with good intentions are in the dark, the number
who will be driven or tempted to vote against their consciences by the
clamour of their sectarian and infidel constituents under the Reform
Bill, and you will have a daily augmenting power even in this
parliament, which will be more and more hostile to the Church every week
and every day. You will see from the course which my letter thus far has
taken, that I regard the prayer of the Petitioners to whom you are
opposed as formidable still more from the effect which, if granted, it
will ultimately have upon the Church, and through that medium upon the
Monarchy and upon social order, than for its immediate tendency to
introduce discord in the universities, and all those deplorable
consequences which you have so feelingly painted as preparatory to their
destruction.

I am not yet able to use my eyes for reading or writing, but your
pamphlet has been twice read to me....

God bless you....

Affectionately yours,
WM. WORDSWORTH.[131]

[130] _Memoirs_, ii. 263-4.

[131] _Ibid._ ii. 267-8.

84. _The Poems of Skelton_.

LETTER TO THE REV. ALEXANDER DYCE.

Rydal Mount, Kendal, Jan. 7. 1833.

MY DEAR SIR,

Having an opportunity of sending this to town free of postage, I write
to thank you for your last obliging letter. Sincerely do I congratulate
you upon having made such progress with Skelton, a writer deserving of
far greater attention than his works have hitherto received. Your
edition will be very serviceable, and may be the occasion of calling out
illustrations, perhaps, of particular passages from others, beyond what
your own reading, though so extensive, has supplied. I am pleased also
to hear that 'Shirley' is out.

* * * * *

I lament to hear that your health is not good. My own, God be thanked,
is excellent; but I am much dejected with the aspect of public affairs,
and cannot but fear that this nation is on the brink of great troubles.

Be assured that I shall at all times be happy to hear of your studies
and pursuits, being, with great respect,

Sincerely yours,