XL] FAILURE OF HEALTH. 357 



situation on the east slope of Grasmere is vei 

 ful. It is perhaps the prettiest of the smaller lakes, and 

 the points of view and rides very varied. We have had 

 some very stormy weather, but also some delightful days. 

 To-day we were hours on the lake. I fear I am not 

 sufficiently Wordsworthian to be worthy of all my 

 privileges e.g. to have Wordsworth's original cottage, 1 

 where he wrote the "Excursion" within about 200 yards 

 of where I now write this piece of prose. We are happy 

 in having our dear children all together, and so healthy 

 and happy, enjoying the complete country/ 



To the Same. 



1 CLIFTON, April 3rd, 1853. 



' I have been wishing to write to you often since you 

 were here, and always hoped to have a more cheering 

 account to give of Alicia. But we have been making 

 slow progress, and with some serious drawbacks. She 

 has only been twice out of her room this year, and her 

 kness is extreme. May God give us grace to trubt 

 in Him, and hope to the end. Dr. Symonds is kinder 

 than ever. . . , God has visited us with very great trials 

 in the way of sickness, but has hitherto carried us through 

 without serious loss. I feel sure that the lesson was 

 <!, and trust it may work a due effect, though the 

 chasteni rievous. My own health continues won- 



derfully uniform. I was much obliged by your sending 

 the Guardian. I like the Duke of Argyll much, and we 

 correspond occasionally. 



' . . . Tin* former recommendations about ad cuntl< m 

 degrees at Cambridge, proposed a y ar a <;<>, were much 

 more limited, and expressly excluded Scotch Uni- 

 :i< n MM I ivni<.n>t rated to Dr. AYhewell, and 

 sent him a copy of our examination papers. The i^ross 

 ignorance and studied neglect of what i^oes on in Scot- 



1 There must bo some mistake hero. Wordsworth wrote tilt 

 part of tin- ' Kxri. in tin- 'mi-inn! mlta^ 1 , 1 l>nt at Allan 



Bank, a large house to the west <>i th< 1 i. 



