_North_.--In that Satire you have charged Wordsworth with having talked of Southey's poetry as not worth five shillings a ream. So long as you refrained from _publishing_ this invidious imputation, even those few among Wordsworth's friends who knew that you had _printed_ it, (Southey himself among the number,) might think it discreet to leave the calumny unregarded. But I observe that you have renewed it, in a somewhat aggravated form, in the Article that you now wish me to publish. You here allege that Wordsworth represented Southey as an author, _all_ whose poetry was not worth five shillings. You and I both know that Wordsworth would not deign to notice such an accusation. Through good and evil report, the brave man persevered in his ascent to the mountain-top, without ever even turning round to look upon the rabble that was hooting him from its base; and he is not likely now to heed such a charge as this. But his friends may now ask, on what authority it is published? Was it to you, Mr. Walter Landor, whom Southey (in his strange affection for the name of Wat) had honoured with so much kindness--to you whose "matin chirpings" he had so generously encouraged, (as he did John Jones's "mellower song,")--was it to you that Wordsworth delivered so injurious a judgment on the works of your patron? If so, what was your reply? [113] [Footnote 113: "I lagg'd; he (Southey) call'd me; urgent to prolong My matin chirpings into mellower song."--LANDON. ] _Landor_.--Whether it was expressed to myself or not, is of little consequence; it has been studiously repeated, and even printed by others as well as by me. _North_.--By whom? _Landor_.--That, too, is of no importance to the fact.