relates; this will strike at the root of evil by teaching her to form
correct notions of present things, and will steadily strengthen her
mind. Much caution should be taken not to damp her natural vivacity, for
this may have a very bad effect; and by the indirect influence of the
example of manly and dignified manners any excessive wildnesses of her
own will be best kept under. Most unrelaxing firmness should from the
present hour be maintained in withstanding such of her desires as are
grossly unreasonable. But indeed I am forgetting to whom I am speaking,
and am ashamed of these precepts; they will show my good will, and in
that hope alone can I suffer them to stand. Farewell, there is great
reason to congratulate yourself in having a child so promising; and you
have my best and most ardent wishes that she may be a blessing to her
parents and every one about her.[29]

[29] _Memoirs_, vol. ii. pp. 164-70. G.

_(b)_ OF THE PEOPLE, THEIR WAYS AND NEEDS.

_Letter to Archdeacon Wrangham_.

Grasmere, June 5. 1808.

MY DEAR WRANGHAM,

I have this moment received your letter.

--is a most provoking fellow; very kind, very humane, very generous,
very ready to serve, with a thousand other good qualities, but in the
practical business of life the arrantest marplan that ever lived. When I
first wrote to you, I wrote also to him, sending the statement which I
sent to you, and begging his exertions _among his friends_. By and by
comes back my statement, having undergone a _rifacimento_ from his
hands, and _printed_, with an accompanying letter, saying that if some
of the principal people in this neighbourhood who had already subscribed
would put their names to this paper, testifying that this was a proper
case for charitable interferences, or that the _persons mentioned were
proper objects of charity_, that he would have the printed paper
inserted in the public newspapers, &c. Upon which, my sister wrote to
him, that in consequence of what had been already subscribed, and what
we had reason to expect from those friends who were privately stirring
in the business, among whom we chiefly alluded to you, in our own minds,
as one on whom we had most dependence, that there would be no necessity
_for public advertisements_, but that if among his private friends he
could raise any money for us, we should be very glad to receive it. And
upon this does he write to you in this (what shall I call it? for I am
really vexed!) blunderin