[PLATE: SIR W. ROWAN HAMILTON.]
The most remarkable of Hamilton's friendships in his early years was
unquestionably that with Wordsworth. It commenced with Hamilton's
visit to Keswick; and on the first evening, when the poet met the
young mathematician, an incident occurred which showed the mutual
interest that was aroused. Hamilton thus describes it in a letter to
his sister Eliza:--
"He (Wordsworth) walked back with our party as far as their lodge,
and then, on our bidding Mrs. Harrison good-night, I offered to walk
back with him while my party proceeded to the hotel. This offer he
accepted, and our conversation had become so interesting that when we
had arrived at his home, a distance of about a mile, he proposed to
walk back with me on my way to Ambleside, a proposal which you may be
sure I did not reject; so far from it that when he came to turn once
more towards his home I also turned once more along with him. It was
very late when I reached the hotel after all this walking."
Hamilton also submitted to Wordsworth an original poem, entitled
"It Haunts me Yet." The reply of Wordsworth is worth repeating:--
"With a safe conscience I can assure you that, in my judgment, your
verses are animated with the poetic spirit, as they are evidently the
product of strong feeling.
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