WORDSWORTH MARY: (1770-1859) Wife of English Poet Laureate William Wordsworth from 1802. A lengthy A.L.S., M Wordsworth, four pages, 4to, Rydal, 12th July (c.1829), to Mrs. [Jane] Marshall ('My dear Friend') at Penrith. Wordsworth announces 'Your kind proposal of coming over with the chance of seeing dear Dorothy & for so short a time affected her very much, but she authorizes me to say, “that she cannot think of it, more especially as she feels that by waiting a little while she may be sufficiently well to receive a real visit of a few days, from you”' and continues 'This my dear Mrs. M is the answer she begged me to give to you - but painful as it is to me from myself I am compelled to say, that the strength which she seems to have in prospect is not at hand, & that her weakness will continue to shrink from fixing a time (greatly as she wishes it) to see you. I should therefore say, that whenever you are yourself well, & it is convenient to you to cross Kirkstone, that you should do so, without Dorothy being consulted', further commenting on her sister-in-law's poor health, 'Her feelings and apparent strength in the course of the day vary so very much that at different times she is not like the same person - in look & in power at times she seems so well that we are filled with hope - then in a very short space she will fall away into a state….that destroys our expectations…' as well as that of her husband, 'You will be sorry to hear that Mr. W. has had a bad attack of inflammation in one of his eyes, we trust, as this has much abated that in a little time by care he will be able to use them, which at present he is quite incapable of doing - and this unlucky circumstance would of itself have prevented him having the pleasure of meeting Mr. Marshall at Keswick, which he much wishes to do, but a further reason would have detained him at home - that he has now with him Mr Hare of Trinity Coll - a very particular friend who will remain with us some days'. Wordsworth also sends news of her daughter, Dora, and other family members, 'Dora returned from Moresby on Friday well, & left her Brother & Sister well also - so that you will find all our reduced family at home. My sister Joanna intends leaving us on the 23rd…..Her departure will be a trouble to poor Dorothy who is most terribly attached to my sister Joanna so that dear Mrs M. it has this instant struck me, that if that time suited you, your visit would then be a happy diversion to her thoughts, which I know will want cheering on the occasion' With the autograph address panel to the final page bearing a small black wax seal (small area of paper loss where originally broken). VG