oping that the coachman would slacken his pace
down the hill, and pass us as far from our wheel as the road would
allow. But he did neither. On the contrary, he drove furiously down the
hill; and though, as we afterwards ascertained, by the track of his
wheels, he had a yard width of road to spare, he made no use of it. In
consequence of this recklessness and his want of skill, the wheel of his
coach struck our wheel most violently, drove back our horse and gig some
yards, and then sent us all together through a small gap in the wall,
with the stones of the wall tumbling about us, into a plantation that
lay a yard perpendicular below the level of the road from which the
horse and gig, with us in it, had been driven. The shafts were broken
off close to the carriage, and we were partly thrown and partly leaped
out. After breaking the traces, the horse leaped back into the road and
galloped off, the shafts and traces sticking to him; nor did the poor
creature stop till he reached the turnpike at Grasmere, seven miles from
the spot where the mischief was done. We sent by the coach for a chaise
to take us to Rydal, and hired a cart to take the broken gig to be
mended at Keswick.

The mercy was, that the violent shock from the coach did not tear off
our wheel; for if this had been done, J----, and probably I also, must
have fallen under the hind wheels of the coach, and in all likelihood
been killed. We have since learned that the coachman had only just come
upon the road, which is in a great many places very dangerous, and that
he was wholly unpractised in driving four-in-hand. Pray excuse this long
and minute account. I should have written to you next day, but I waited,
hoping to be able to add that my indisposition was gone, as I now trust
it is.

With respectful remembrances to Lord Lonsdale, and kindest regards to
yourself and Miss Thompson, I remain,

Dear Lady Frederick,
Affectionately yours,
Wm. Wordsworth.[176]

[176] _Memoirs_, ii. 371-3.

118. _Of Alston and Haydon, &c._

LETTER TO HENRY REED, ESQ., PHILADELPHIA.

Rydal Mount, Jan. 13. 1841.
MY DEAR MR. REED,

It is gratifying to learn that through your means Mr. Alston has been
reminded of me. We became acquainted many years ago through our common
friend Mr. Coleridge, who had seen much of Mr. Alston when they were
both living at Rome.

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