Leeches were
formerly
2s.
William Wordsworth
]
This poem was known in the Wordsworth household as "The Leech-Gatherer,"
although it never received that name in print. An entry in Dorothy
Wordsworth's Journal of Friday, 3rd October 1800, may preface what she
wrote in 1802 about the composition of the poem.
"When William and I returned from accompanying Jones, we met an old
man almost double. He had on a coat thrown over his shoulders above
his waistcoat and coat. Under this he carried a bundle, and had an
apron on, and a night-cap. His face was interesting. He had dark eyes,
and a long nose. John, who afterwards met him at Wytheburn, took him
for a Jew. He was of Scotch parents, but had been born in the army. He
had had a wife, 'and a good woman, and it pleased God to bless him
with ten children. ' All these were dead but one, of whom he had not
heard for many years, a sailor. His trade was to gather leeches; but
now leeches were scarce, and he had not strength for it. He lived by
begging, and was making his way to Carlisle where he would buy a few
books to sell. He said leeches were very scarce, partly owing to this
dry season; but many years they had been scarce. He supposed it was
owing to their being much sought after; that they did not breed fast;
and were of slow growth.
Leeches were formerly 2s. 6d. the 100; now
they were 30s. He had been hurt in driving a cart, his leg broken, his
body driven over, his skull fractured. He felt no pain till he
recovered from his first insensibility. It was late in the evening,
when the light was just going away. "
It is most likely that this walk of William and Dorothy Wordsworth
"accompanying Jones," was on the day of Jones's departure from Dove
Cottage, viz. 26th September.
The Journal continues:
"Tuesday, 4th May, 1802. --Though William went to bed nervous and jaded
in the extreme, he rose refreshed. I wrote out 'The Leech-Gatherer'
for him, which he had begun the night before, and of which he wrote
several stanzas in bed this morning. . . . "
(They started to walk up the Raise to Wytheburn. )
"It was very hot; we rested several times by the way, read, and
repeated 'The Leech-Gatherer.
This poem was known in the Wordsworth household as "The Leech-Gatherer,"
although it never received that name in print. An entry in Dorothy
Wordsworth's Journal of Friday, 3rd October 1800, may preface what she
wrote in 1802 about the composition of the poem.
"When William and I returned from accompanying Jones, we met an old
man almost double. He had on a coat thrown over his shoulders above
his waistcoat and coat. Under this he carried a bundle, and had an
apron on, and a night-cap. His face was interesting. He had dark eyes,
and a long nose. John, who afterwards met him at Wytheburn, took him
for a Jew. He was of Scotch parents, but had been born in the army. He
had had a wife, 'and a good woman, and it pleased God to bless him
with ten children. ' All these were dead but one, of whom he had not
heard for many years, a sailor. His trade was to gather leeches; but
now leeches were scarce, and he had not strength for it. He lived by
begging, and was making his way to Carlisle where he would buy a few
books to sell. He said leeches were very scarce, partly owing to this
dry season; but many years they had been scarce. He supposed it was
owing to their being much sought after; that they did not breed fast;
and were of slow growth.
Leeches were formerly 2s. 6d. the 100; now
they were 30s. He had been hurt in driving a cart, his leg broken, his
body driven over, his skull fractured. He felt no pain till he
recovered from his first insensibility. It was late in the evening,
when the light was just going away. "
It is most likely that this walk of William and Dorothy Wordsworth
"accompanying Jones," was on the day of Jones's departure from Dove
Cottage, viz. 26th September.
The Journal continues:
"Tuesday, 4th May, 1802. --Though William went to bed nervous and jaded
in the extreme, he rose refreshed. I wrote out 'The Leech-Gatherer'
for him, which he had begun the night before, and of which he wrote
several stanzas in bed this morning. . . . "
(They started to walk up the Raise to Wytheburn. )
"It was very hot; we rested several times by the way, read, and
repeated 'The Leech-Gatherer.
