returned to dinner at three o'clock. A fine cloudy morning. Walked about the squire's grounds. Quaint waterfalls about, about which Nature was very successfully striving to make beautiful what art had deformed—ruins, hermitages, etc. etc. In spite of all these things, the dell romantic and beautiful, though everywhere planted with unnaturalised trees. Happily we cannot shape the huge hills, or carve out the valleys according to our fancy.
16th.—New moon. William walked in the wood in the morning. I neglected to follow him. We walked in the park in the evening. . . .
17th.—Walked in the wood in the morning. In the evening upon the hill. Cowslips plentiful.
18th.—Walked in the wood, a fine sunny morning, met Coleridge returned from his brother's. He dined with us. We drank tea, and then walked with him nearly to Stowey. . . .
19th.— . . .
20th.—Walked in the evening up the hill dividing the Coombes. Came home the Crookham way, by the thorn, and the "little muddy pond." Nine o'clock at our return. William all the morning engaged in wearisome composition. The moon crescent. Peter Bell begun.
21st, 22nd, 23rd.— . . .
24th.—Walked a considerable time in the wood. Sat under the trees, in the evening walked on the top of the hill, found Coleridge on our return and walked with him towards Stowey.
25th.—Coleridge drank tea, walked with him to Stowey.
26th.—William went to have his picture taken.[1] I walked with him. Dined at home. Coleridge and he drank tea.
- ↑ This was the earliest portrait of Wordsworth by W. Shuter. It is now in the possession of Mrs. St. John, Ithaca, U.S.A.—Ed.
