ed out with the "glare and dust of celebrity," she was
longing for the hills and the quiet peacefulness of the Lake country. It
is needless to say that the first poetess of Nature was charmed with the
first poet of Nature, and the poet with the poetess. Her letters were
full of expressions of delight and keen appreciation of the privilege
she was enjoying. Wordsworth was kindness itself. "I am charmed with Mr.
Wordsworth, whose kindness to me has quite a soothing influence over my
spirits. Oh! what relief, what blessing there is in the feeling of
admiration when it can be freely poured forth! 'There is a daily beauty
in his life,' which is in such lovely harmony with his poetry, that I am
thankful to have witnessed and _felt_ it."

Mrs. Hemans, after staying a fortnight at Rydal Mount, took a little
cottage called Dove's Nest near the lake. Here she was joined by her
children, into whose pursuits she heartily threw herself. This was a
season of grateful rest to her. "How shall I tell you of all the
loveliness by which I am surrounded, of all the soothing and holy
influence it seems shedding down into my inmost heart! I have sometimes
feared within the last two years, that the effect of suffering and
adulation, and feelings too highly wrought and too severely tried, would
have been to dry up within me the fountains of such peace and simple
enjoyment; but now I know--"

'Nature never did betray
The heart that loved her.'

"I can think of nothing but what is pure, and true, and kind; and my eyes
are filled with grateful tears even whilst I am writing to you." But
even to this sweet retirement she was pursued by curious tourists,
"hunting for lions in doves' nests," and by letters which threatened "to
boil over the drawer to which they were consigned."

She had made up her mind that it was a wise step to leave Wavertree. At
one time Edinburgh was thought of as a fit place for her residence. But
finally Ireland, and not Scotland, became the home of her latter days,
one reason for this choice being that her brother would be near to give
his advice and guidance as to her sons. In 1831 she took up her abode in
Dublin, where, whilst entering very little into general society, she
much enjoyed intercourse with many kindred spirits whom she gathered
around her. Amongst her most valued friends were the Archbishop of
Dublin and Mrs. Whately, from whom she met with marked kindness. These
years in Dublin have been descri