MY dear Miss Hutchinson, I had intended to write you a long letter, but as my frank is dated I must send it off with a bare acknowledgment of the receipt of your kind letter. One question I must hastily ask you. Do you think Mr. Wordsworth would have any reluctance to write (strongly recommending to their patronage) to any of his rich friends in London to solicit employment for Miss Betham as a Miniature Painter? If you give me hopes that he will not be averse to do this, I will write to you more fully stating the infinite good he would do by performing so irksome a task as I know asking favours to be. In brief, she has contracted debts for printing her beautiful poem of “Marie,” which like all things of original excellence does not sell at all.
| 1816 | LEIGH HUNT’S PRISON FRUIT | 497 |
These debts have led to little accidents unbecoming a woman and a poetess to suffer. Retirement with such should be voluntary.
The Bell rings. I just snatch the Pen out of my sister’s hand to finish rapidly. Wordswth. may tell De Q that Miss B’s price for a Virgin and Child is three guineas.
