His stay here was brief, owing to an amusing episode. Strangely enough CLARE was ignorant of the fact that his elderly host had a young and handsome wife. In the belief that he was doing homage to the charms of one of Mr. Cary’s grown-up daughters, he addressed several poems, which were not without the quality of ardour, to the wife of the translator’s bosom. After this, although his explanation was accepted and understood, CLARE thought he had better depart from Chiswick. During this stay in London the Northamptonshire poet was introduced to William Gifford and Charles Lamb, the latter of whom, if report may be trusted, was guilty of a rather coarse jape at his expense. Not long after this, CLARE returned to Helpstone. It is worthy to note that, whereas his first visit to London had only accentuated his country raptures, the village minstrel now actually pined for the fatted calves, the theatres, the glitter, and the merry companions of the city. The taint of Rippingille was upon him. Reaction came in time; the meadows captured him again; but this small piece of history is significant of much. As soon as he was once more in possession of his best self, CLARE began to face his troubles--most of which sprang from insufficient means at this time--with as much courage as he could summon. He was rather slow in being convinced that he could not derive a steady income from the composition of poetry; but when this truth was driven home his mind at once became agile in devising numberless plans for the betterment of his state, for he suffered from a torturing anxiety when he remembered for how many his fate had appointed him the bread-winner. He was now fighting hand to hand with poverty, valorous in behalf of his aged mother, his wife, and his little children, who enjoyed the fruits of whatsoever victories were gained far more than did their defender--since he secretly starved himself in order to increase the tale of loaves presided over by Patty. In the year 1823, worn out by his failures to extract a supporting flow of guineas from either poetry or agriculture, he fell very ill, just after the shock occasioned by the death of Mr. Gilchrist. His recovery was of the slowest, and it was not till he was put by Mr. Taylor under the care of Dr. Darling, in London, that the poet mended in a manner to satisfy his friends. It was during this third visit to the Metropolis that CLARE came in contact with De Quincey, Coleridge, William Hazlitt, and Allan Cunningham, to mention only four of the prominent men whom Mr. Taylor delighted to make members of his evening parties. CLARE found his imaginary portraits to be very deceptive, especially so in the case of De Quincey. The bulk and dull appearance of Coleridge also surprised, as well as disappointed, him, for he had pictured the great man in a guise completely opposite to reality. There is little need to say that in Mr. Taylor’s house nothing of a bacchanalian tinge was likely to occur; but even the moderate