Your letter arrived this day, & yesterday I received & answered one from Julius Hare concerning your Dialogues.

The purport of his was to say that Taylor (a man I believe very superior to most of his trade) demurred upon grounds of principle to certain passages, & had, after some previous correspondence with him proposed that either I or Wordsworth should see the proofs, & if we approved of what he condemnd he would be bound by our decision. – Wordsworth is gone to the Netherlands, & I replied without hesitation that I would most willingly take upon myself this responsibility, & expunge whatever act for you in this matter as you would act by me, – taking care that wherever there was an omission the place should be marked.

Longman was desired in December to send you my own

& Wordsworths books,

& Humboldts Travels,

– he has never told me by what vessel they are sent, which he ought to have done, – but they should have reached you long ere this.

I long to see these Dialogues. Upon the question of Catholicism we shall entirely agree. There is a chapter upon the subject in my forth coming view of our Ecclesiastical History,

– & whatever effect we may produce upon those who are more than moderately inclined to this base & grovelling superstition (as you say M^r Hare is) I think we shall produce some upon those who at present are less than moderately acquainted with its real character. Yet I regret some of its parts.

My first volume is wormwood to the Foxites, & not more palatable to the worshippers of M^r Pitt.

I think there is not one feeling expressed in it with which you will not concur. The op single opinion in which you are likely to dissent from me is one which is derived from observation, – in opposition to my wishes, – that old despotisms can better be modified by a single will than by a popular assembly; & that in such countries as Spain & Portugal, a despotic minister (like Pombal)

acting in conformity to the spirit of the age, is the reformer to be wished for. I would have governments reformed, as Cranmer

would in all points, & did in most, reform the Church of England. But let individuals & communities err as they may, it is apparent that upon the great scale mankind are improving. But this too may appear differently in Italy from what it does in England.

I am glad to hear of your England children.

Till we become parents we know not the treasures of our own nature, – & what we then discover may make us believe that there yet latent affections & faculties which another state of existence may develope. My boy is now beginning his fifth year, & is thank God, flourishing & promising as I could wish. My eldest daughter is a young woman, taller than her mother. Time has set his mark upon me, but lays his hand gently, – as yet he has taken nothing from me but the inclination for writing poetry, & threatens nothing at present but my grinders, which he is attacking by regular [MS torn]proaches, sapping & mining. Last summer I was severely shaken by an annual catarrh which for many years has taken up its quarters with me for the whole summer, & last year effected a lodgement in my chest. Since it departed I have used more exercise & a more generous diet, & have kept in better condition during the winter than for the last seven years.

My Colloquies

have long been stationary. Yours will give them a fillip, – as far as they have proceeded I am well pleased with them. My Book of the Church will be published in about ten weeks, – perhaps in time to be forwarded to you with your own book.