and from which I am decidedly of opinion there is no positive
grounds for dissent. I return thanks to God for keeping me so long
in suspense, for I know it has been beneficial to my soul, and I
feel a considerable trust that the way is now about to be made
clear, and that my doubts and fears on this head will, in due
time, be removed."

Being advised to degrade for a year, and to place himself with a
private tutor, he went to the Rev. Mr. Grainger of Winteringham,
in Lincolnshire, in the autumn of 1804. While under that gentleman's
care he studied with such intense fervour, that fears were excited
not for his health only, but for his intellect; and a second severe
attack of illness was the consequence. Poetry was now laid aside,
and as he himself told a friend in February, 1805,

"My poor neglected Muse has lain absolutely unnoticed by me for
the last four months, during which period I have been digging in
the mines of Scapula for Greek roots, and instead of drinking with
eager delight the beauties of Virgil have been culling and drying
his phrases for future use."--"I fear my good genius, who was
wont to visit me with nightly visions in woods and brakes and by
the river's marge, is now dying of a fen ague, and I shall thus
probably emerge from my retreat not a hair-brained son of
imagination, but a sedate black-lettered book worm, with a head
like an etymologicon magnum."

To Mr. Capel Lofft, in the September following, after stating that
all his time was employed in preparing himself for orders, his
estimate of the necessary qualifications being, very high, he
observed: