Letter from E.H. Cradock, Grasmere, to William Angus Knight, 1882 August 28 : autograph manuscript signed.

Expressing his hope that Knight will be able to come to Grasmere in October and "...not complete your notes to the prelude till you have been. I should like to go with you and obtain a view of the Parish Register of Hawkshead during Wordsworths time 1778-86,7 & for this purpose I could make previous application and appointments with the Clergyman. If W. Raincock is buried there he is probably the immortal boy - but I expect that the Registers will reveal the negative for Rayrigg, (at least a Rayrigg) is close to Bowness - whereas the immortal was clearly born (& bred] at Hawkshead a curious variety in the Edd. W. W. varies the boy's age from 'ere he was 10' , 'to full 12'. But as a [illegible] small parish there might be very few deaths about that age - & we might possibly hit on the right boy. We could also ascertain Ann Tyson's age at her death...I am inclined to think that your spot of the single sheep & blasted thorn is probably right - If the probability is strong it seems a pity to support any alternative - as the doubt interferes greatly with sentiment;" suggesting specific edits to his Lake District book for a possible new edition and edits to Volume II of his Wordsworth; adding "I hope that you will take full time with the Prelude - the most important of all the poems & the one which per chance of F.N. leaves most opening for elucidation. The Frasers are here & Matt. Arnold, Wm. Wordsworth's son & some Wilsons, Christopher's relations."