The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1851-02-19
Anecdotes of Wordsworth.

TltJhhS IldiDlN, II bOl llllSill SUliitllllltS.
Anecdotes Of Wordsworth.
1t Is not our intention to criiicise the
writings of the great philosophical poet
of modern times, but merely to note
down few recollections of the benign
old taan before they pass away forever
with the leetng shades of memory
Glorious old man of the mountain,
inethlnks we see him now; his Geep-set
gray eyes stepped in contemplation his
hand buried in his wai4lcoat-one leg
crossed over the rcci:ng in
deep, but somewhat tremulous voice, a
passage, either from Mliou or himself
the only two poets he honored by his
quotations. While the vision stands be.
fore us, let US sketch the outward and
visible shape, which held great spiri,
within its lold
Tall, aud broadly formed, spare of
flesh, with slight stoop, carelessly dress
ed a fine oval face nose aquline,
though somewhat heavy bald about the
brow, with a few gray hairs str g-ling
over the forehead; fragments Of gray
whiskers, aud a mouth, inclined to be
large, but enerscical!y compressed his
eyebrows turned upward when listening,
and contracted when talking, with deep
voice, broken by its very emphasis this
is as near a picture as we can give of
the 9" Bard of Rydal." To certain ex-
tent, although in "A different sense, what
Pope wrote for Gay, applies to Words
worth
% In wit man-n simplicity, child"
Taking wit as poelcal intellect, this
is Wordsworth's character in a single
sentence.
There was strange mixture of the
sublime ard the ridiculous in his COM
position He would descant on Nilon,
or the principles Of poetry, with fresh
ness and yigor of mind worthy of the
author o! the " l.aodam!a," and the next
minute utter such astounding opinions
about steam boats, reform, and human
progress and politics, as wolld positively
make a child of ten years old smile.
The mos; Temarkab thing about him
was his entire ignorance Of modern lit
eratnre the poetry of the last thirty
years was unknown to him: no soliciia-
ton would possibly induce him to read it
; the only contemporaries he had read
or acknowledged, were Scott, Rogers,
, Landor, Colcridge, and Souihey.
The undue attention which he bestow-
ed upon what other men considered tri>
lles, was another remarkable trait in his
character he would correspond perse,
vcringly with the secretary Of railway
, concerning IN overcharge in the carriage
; of a parcel, and lie would walk dozen
, miles, aud call at dozen houses, TO re-
5 cover an old cotton umbrella, not worth
! a shilling. The Importance of these
I small matters had doubtless heeu forced
; upon him by his early poverty, and b,
e the manly independence and integrity o
his character.
, Exnct himself, he exacted exactnes,
$ from others, and if, when in company
! with friend, they took cab together
; he would on no account suffer his com.
D. panion to pay more than his share : whei
D., the conveyance stopped, he would in
= quire Of the driver the fare take ont hi,
- own half, and give it 10 the Jehu, leayin.
a his associate to do the same. We re.
member on one occasion, when we hac
= jumped ont first, aud paying all tho
charge, aud he aherward paying the sharE
5 Jehu his half, that he, On discovering tho
imposition, wanted us to run halfway
! down Soulhampton-slreet 10 get the over
c charge back, and regaIed the company
j al dinner that day with an energetic de-
nnncialion Of tie rascaiiy of cab.men
T and the idleness aud eXtrayagance o
= youth.
= Among his weaknesses was a reyer-
, ence for rank and wealth, perfectly puz,
: zling in so independent man: if he
r had promised To dine with baronet, and
an invitation came from an earl, he con-
= sidered ii a piece Of religions duty ID
4 forfeit prior engagement, and he would
e never realize the idea that the baronet
d could possibly be offended.
= Another curious trait in his character
: was his inability to understand the slight
5 est approach to joke even when ex,
+, planned To him, he would feel uneasy
f, and put it on a logical rack with hin