William Wordsworth, engraved by Achille
Collas after
a medallion by Henry Weekes (1838)
From: The Authors of England: A Series of Medallion
Portraits of Modern Literary Characters,
Engraved from the Works
of British Artists (London: Charles Tilt, 1838)
Sir Walter Scott was a friend
and admirer of William Wordworth. They first met when Scott accompanied
the poet and his sister on a tour of the Border Country in September
1803. Scott visited the Wordsworths at Grasmere in August 1805
and climbed Helvellyn with Wordsworth and Sir Humphry Davey.
A further visit to Grasmere took place in August 1825. Finally,
the Wordsworths visited Abbotsford in
1831, leading Wordsworth to compose 'On the Departure of Sir
Walter Scott from Abbotsford,
for Naples'. Writing of Wordsworth, Scott declared that he did
not know 'a man more to be venerated for uprightness of heart
and loftiness of genius' (letter to Allan Cunningham, 7 January
1821). His conversation 'as much distinguished by manly sense
and candour as by talent and principle, was like a fountain in
the desert' (letter to Sir George Beaumont, 28 August 1825).
Scott, who particularly admired Wordsworth's sonnets, regretted
that his poetry was not as popular as it deserved to be as it
was 'too subtle and metaphysical in the idea, & too blunt
in the expression' (letter to Allan Cunningham, 14 October 1828).
The medallion by Weekes was cast after a bust by Sir
Francis Leggatt Chantrey.
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