The situation at the Cookson's became increasingly strained. Recalled to Penrith from Halifax in May 1787, Dorothy Wordsworth writes to her friend Jane Pollard during that summer: each day we do receive fresh insults, you will wonder of what sort; believe me of the most mortifying kind; the insults of servants every one of them so insolent to us as makes the kitchen as well as the parlour quite insupportable. James has even gone so far as to tell us that we had nobody to depend upon but my Grandfather, for that our fortunes were but very small, and my Brothers can not even get a pair of shoes cleaned without James's telling them they require as much waiting on as any Gentleman, nor can I get a thing done for myself without absolutely entreating it as a favour.
She was therefore overjoyed to move at the invitation of her uncle William Cookson to Forncett in Norfolk in 1788 when he was appointed to the living there. Her brother William had already departed for St John's College, Cambridge in October 1787 (17).
Deprived of the company of her brother William for more than two years, she writes, concerning initially the qualities of her younger brother Christopher, seen for the first time for some five years, then goes on to compare and contrast the two:
'He (Christopher) is like William: he has the same traits of character but less highly touched, he is not so ardent in any of his pursuits but is yet more particularly attached to the same pursuits which have so irresistible an Influence over William, which deprive him of the Power of chaining his attention to others discordant to his feelings. Christopher is no descpicable Poet, but he can become a Mathematician also, he is not insensible of the Beauties of the Greek and Latin classics, or of any of the charms of elegant literature but he can draw his mind from these fascinating studies to others less alluring; he is steady and sincere in his attachments; William has both these Virtues in an eminent degree; and a sort of violence of Affection if I may so term it which demonstrates itself every moment of the day when the Objects of his affection are present with him, in a thousand almost imperceptible attentions to their wishes, in a sort of restless watchfulness which I know not how to describe, a Tenderness that never sleeps, and at the same time such a delicacy of mannters as I have observed in few men.'
and
'We have been endeared to each other by early misfortune - We in the same moment lost a father, a mother, a home, we have been equally deprived of our patrimony by the cruel Hand of lordly Tyranny. These afflictions have all contributed to unite us closer by the bonds of affection notwithstanding we have been compelled to spend our youth far asunder. We drag at each remove a lengthening chain.'
(Letter to Jane Pollard, Forncett,16 February 1793)
The 'lordly tyranny' referred to is Lord Lonsdale's refusal to pay the debt he owed John Wordsworth, his agent.
The two uncles Richard Wordsworth and Christopher Cookson, were responsible for the administration of the estate of John Wordsworth, William and Dorothy's deceased father. Dorothy elaborates on the situation with regard to the relationship between William and his uncles.
'You must know that this favorite brother of mine happens to be no favorite with any of his near relations except his Brothers by whom he is adored..... I have not time or room to explain to you the foundation of the prejudices of my two Uncles against my dear William; the subject is an unpleasant one for a letter, it will employ us more agreeably in conversation, then, though I must confess that he has been somewhat to blame, yet I think I shall prove to you that the excuse might have been found in his natural disposition. 'In truth he was a strange and wayward wight fond of each gentle etc etc ' That verse of Beattie's Minstrel always reminds me of him...'
(letter to Jane Pollard, Forncett, 10 july 1793):
The verse continues 'fond of each gentle and each dreadful scene: In darkness and in storm he found delight...'
The full title of the poem is The Minstrel, or the Progress of Genius.
The early poem An Evening Walk is addressed to Dorothy, and expresses something of Wordsworth's extreme attachment to his sister. The following excerpts from one of Dorothy's letters to her friend Jane Pollard give a taste of the strength of his sentiments.
She writes
'I will transcribe a passage or two from my brother's letters which will give you a faint idea of his affection for me and of his desire to see me;
'How my dearest friend could you dare to apologize for writing me a second letter particularly when its object was to inform me of an addition to your happiness? How much do I wish that each emotion of pleasure and pain that visits your heart should excite a similar pleasure or a similar pain within me, by that sympathy which will almost identify us when we have stolen to our little cottage? I am determined to see you as soon as ever I have entrered into an engagement: immediately I will write to my uncle, and tell him that I cannot think of going any where before I have been with you. Whatever answer he gives me I certainly will make a point of once more mingling my transports with yours. Alas: my dear sister how soon must this happinness expire, yet there are moments worth ages.
'With reference to our meeting, this scheme will not at all affect it as in case of my not meeting with any employent we shall probably be in North Wales about the time of your going into Yorkshire and it will be easy for me to see you at Halifax. Oh my dear, dear sister with what transport shall I again meet you, with what rapture shall I again wear out the day in your sight. I assure you so eager is my desire to see you that all obstacles vanish. I see you in a moment running or rather flying to my arms.'
(Letter to Jane Pollard, Forncett, 10 July, 1793)
For her part, Dorothy expresses herself equally passionately:
'The evening is a lovely one, and I have strolled into a neighbouring meadow where I am enjoying the melody of birds and the busy sounds of a fine summer's evening, while my eye is gratified by a smiling prospect of cultivated fields richly wooded, our own church (her uncle William was curate), and the parsonage house. But oh how imperfect is my plesaure! I am alone; why are not you seated with me? and my dear William why is not he here also? I could almost fancy that I see you both near me. I have chosen a bank where I have room to spare for a resting-place for each of you. I hear you point out a spot where, if we could erect a little cottage and call it our own we should be the happiest of human beings. I see my Brother fired with the idea of leading his sister to such a retreat as Fancy, ever ready at our call, hastens to assist us in painting; our parlour is in a moment furnished, our garden is adorned by magic; the roses and honeysuckles spring at our command, the wood behind the house lifts at once its head and furnishes us with a winter's shelter, and a summer's noon-day shade.' (Letter to Jane Pollard, Forncett, 10 July 1793)
Referring to William Calvert's offer to pay the expenses of a tour in the west of England, she writes:
'I think he (William) cannot pursue a better scheme, as his expenses will be reduced to the articles of cloaths and washing, and he is perfectly at liberty to quit his companion as soon as anything more advantageous shall offer. But this is not to my purpose; it is enough for you that I am likely to have the happiness of introducing to you my beloved brother. You must forgive me for talking so much of him, my affection hurries me on to the subject and makes me forget that you cannot be so much interested in it as I am. You do not know him; you do not know how amiable he is. Perhaps you reply 'but I know how you are blinded'. Well, my dearest Jane, I plead guilty at once. I must be blind, he cannot be so pleasing as my fondness makes him. I am willing to allow that half the virtues with which I fancy him endowed are the creation of my love, but surely I may be excused! he was never tired of comforting his sister, he never left her in anger, he always met her with joy, he preferred her society to every other pleasure, or rather when we were so happy as to be within each other's reach, he had no pleasure when we were compelled to be divided.' (ibid)
'I often hear from my dear Brother William, I am very anxious about him just now as he has not yet got any settled employment. He is looking out and wishing for the opportunity of engaging himself as tutor to some young gentleman, an office for which even friends less partial than I am, alllow him to be particularly well qualified. '
Dorothy writes:
'My brother William was with us six weeks in the depth of winter. You may recollect that at that time the weather was uncommonly mild; we used to walk every morning about two hours, and every evening we went into the garden at four or half past four and used to pace backwards and forwards till six. Unless you have accustomed yourself to this kind of walking you will have no idea that it can be pleasant, but I assure you it is most delightful..... (Letter to Jane Pollard, Forncett, 23 May 1791)'
Such extravagant sentiments (see above) would perhaps seem more appropriate in a relationship with an unconnected young man, but no such young man ever appeared, and the sentiments only became stronger, culminating in the extraordinary episode on William's marriage in 1802.
'I have long loved Mary Hutchinson as a sister, and she is equally attached to me; this being so, you will guess that I look forward with perfect happiness to this connection between us, but, happy as I am, I half dread that concentration of all tender feelings, past, present and future which will come upon me on the wedding morning.'
'I kept myself as quiet as I could, but when I saw the two men running up the walk, coming to tell us it was over, I could stand it no longer and threw myself on the bed where I lay in stillness neither hearing or seeing any thing...'
'This forced me from the bed where I lay and I moved I knew not how straight forward, faster than my strength could carry me till I met my beloved William and fell upon his bosom. He and John Hutcchinson led me to the house and there I stayed to welcome my dear Mary.'
(Moorman 552)
One could speculate that the excess of emotion originates in the fact that the siblings were early separated, but it is also true that such separation can lead to later indifference.
Miss Wordworth has undoubted claim to good humour, but does not possess in my opinion, that je ne sais quoi, so necessary to sweeten the sour draught of human misfortune and smooth the ruged road of this Life's passage... (Azariah Pinney, letter to James Tobin, 12 April 1796)