ady Frederick, is shared by my
wife and my daughter, and my son William; and will be also participated
in by my elder son, when he hears of the sad event.

[201] Lord Lonsdale's death.

I wrote to Dr. Jackson[202] to inquire whether the funeral was to be
strictly private, and learnt from him that it is to be so; otherwise I
should not have deprived myself of the melancholy satisfaction of
attending. Accept, dear Lady Frederick, my best wishes; and be assured
of my prayers for your support; and believe me,

Your very affectionate friend,
WM. WORDSWORTH.[203]

[202] The respected Rector of Lowther, and Chancellor of the Diocese.

[203] _Memoirs_, ii. 407-8.

138. _Birthday in America and at Home: Church Poetry_.

LETTER TO PROFESSOR REED.

1844.

In your last letter you speak so feelingly of the manner in which my
birthday (April 7) has been noticed, both privately in your country, and
somewhat publicly in my own neighbourhood, that I cannot forbear adding
a word or two upon the subject. It would have delighted you to see the
assemblage in front of our house, some dancing upon the gravel
platform, old and young, as described in Goldsmith's travels; and
others, children, I mean, chasing each other upon the little plot of
lawn to which you descend by steps from the platform. We had music of
our own preparing; and two sets of casual itinerants, Italians and
Germans, came in successively, and enlivened the festivity. There were
present upwards of 300 children, and about 150 adults of both sexes and
all ages, the children in their best attire, and of that happy and, I
may say, beautiful race, which is spread over this highly-favoured
portion of England. The tables were tastefully arranged in the open
air[204]--oranges and gingerbread in piles decorated with evergreens and
Spring flowers; and all partook of tea, the young in the open air, and
the old within doors. I must own I wish that little commemorations of
this kind were more common among us. It is melancholy to think how
little that portion of the community which is quite at ease in their
circumstances have to do in a _social_ way with the humbler classes.
They purchase commodities of them, or they employ them as labourers, or
they visit them in charity for the sake of supplying their most urgent
wants by alms-giving. But this, alas, is far from enough; one would wish
to see the rich mingle with