Page:Poems and extracts - Wordsworth.djvu/12

 Rh of the anthology to which it refers and for which it was written as introduction. It will doubtless interest many such admirers to have a faithful reproduction of the manuscript, that rests here in my library with other Wordsworth treasures.

It is a small quarto in whole citron morocco, heavily gilded on sides and edges, with blue watered silk linings, and has the letters M. F. B. stamped on both sides of the cover. Such, I think, would be a dealer's description of the volume. The inside of it is, however, what interests the Wordsworthian. A slip affixed to one of the blank pages carries the following particulars in the handwriting of Lady Mary Lowther after her marriage : 'These Poems and Extracts were selected by Wm. Wordsworth Esqre. for me (as may be seen by the dedication). The handwriting is that of his sister in law Mrs Hutchinson who wrote as he dictated in the winter evgs. of 1829 —M. F. Bentinck.' The dedication referred to is that of the sonnet 'To the Lady Mary Lowther', which in the manuscript is dated from Rydal Mount, Dec. 21, 1819, and bears Wordsworth's autograph signature.

The connexion between the Wordsworths and