Item 156 - Letter from Julius Charles Hare

Herstmonceux - JCH is extremely pleased that WW is so pleased with his letter to Cavendish [A Letter to the Hon. R. Cavendish, on the recent Judgement of the Court of Appeal in Affirming the Doctrine of the Church, 1850]: 'The question as to the force of the judgement does seem to me so clear; yet so many persons, otherwise intelligent & clearheaded, are utterly in the dark about it'. The Bishop of London's conduct throughout this episode seems to have been weak. The Address WW sent him needs to be modified in the manner JCH recommended. It would otherwise 'do more harm than good, & wd be regarded as little more than an expression of latitudinarian philosophical indifference. Therefore, even though it were restricted to the laity, I wd strongly urge the desirableness of giving it a more definite Christian tone'. When WW sees Sir James [Sir James Graham], will he 'thank him in my name for his beautiful, but exaggerated mention of the Guesses [Guesses at Truth, by Two Brothers, 1827]. I shall have to say something of him when I reprint the Vindication of Luther. We have been reading over the Arlutes in his first volume with exceeding interest and pleasure, and wonder that a man with such a mass of occupations, the burthen of our whole Colonial Empire, on his shoulders, shd have found time & powers of thought to become so familiar with so many of the great characters in the history of the church'. JCH had a letter from Mrs Twining (Mary Arnold) in response to some inquiries to Wordsworth prompted by WW's letter: 'The dear old poet was supposed to be dying on Sunday the 7th, his eightieth birthday; but had rallied somewhat since. His illness has revived his sister's love for him. Mrs Wordsworth hoped that he might be called away rather than restored, if his restoration were only to be a state like poor Southey's [Robert Southey]. Her love for him is truly heroic: I hope that, whatever may be the immediate issue, their separation will be but short. How much love & thankfulness from thousands of hearts that he has enlightened & purified, will rise with his departing spirit to heaven'.