‘My dear Rogers,—I am going to address you in character of Churchwarden of Little St. Clement’s, East Cheap: how came you by this odd distinction?
‘My friend Mr.
Johnson is minister of that church, and having heard that
certain pictures, and a fund for the purchase of pictures, exist at the
disposal of the British Institution for the decoration of churches, he
| WORDSWORTH ON SIR GEORGE BEAUMONT | 443 |
‘And now, my dear friend, let me condole with you on the loss we have sustained in the death of Sir George Beaumont. He has left a gap in private society that will not be filled up, and the public is not without important reasons to honour his memory and lament his loss. Nearly five and twenty years have I known him intimately, and neither myself nor my family ever received a cold or unkind look from him. With what tender interest do I think of the happy hours we three spent together last summer.
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‘I prized every hour that went by
Beyond all that had pleased me before;
And now they are passed and I sigh,
And I grieve that I prized them no more.
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‘The printing of my poems is going on pretty rapidly.
‘Ever, with kindest regards from all here,
‘Dora is improved in health, but the severe weather confines her to her room.’
