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Topics in Intelligent Engineering and Informatics 15

Ryszard Klempous
Jan Nikodem Editors

Smart
Innovations in
Engineering
and Technology
Topics in Intelligent Engineering
and Informatics

Volume 15

Series Editors
Imre J. Rudas, John von Neumann Faculty of Informatics, Óbuda University, Budapest, Hungary
Anikó Szakál, Óbuda University, Budapest, Hungary

Editorial Board
Ildar Batyrshin, Mexico
József Bokor, Hungary
Bernard De Baets, Belgium
Hamido Fujita, Japan
Toshio Fukuda, Japan
Fumio Harashima, Japan
Kaoru Hirota, Japan
Endre Pap, Serbia
Bogdan M. Wilamowski, USA

Advisory Editors
P. Baranyi, Hungary
U. Bodenhofer, Austria
G. Fichtinger, Canada
R. Fullér, Finland
A. Galántai, Hungary
L. Hluchý, Slovakia
M. O. Jamshidi, USA
J. Kelemen, Czech Republic
D. Kocur, Slovakia
P. Korondi, Hungary
G. Kovács, Hungary
L. T. Kóczy, Hungary
L. Madarász, Slovakia
CH. C. Nguyen, USA
E. Petriu, Canada
R.-E. Precup, Romania
S. Preitl, Romania
O. Prostean, Romania
V. Puri, Italy
G. Y. Sallai, Hungary
J. Somló, Hungary
M. Takács, Hungary
J. Tar, Hungary
L. Ungvari, Germany
A. R. Várkonyi-Kóczy, Hungary
P. Várlaki, Hungary
L. Vokorokos, Slovakia
This book series is devoted to the publication of high-level books that contribute to
topic areas related to intelligent engineering and informatics. This includes
advanced textbooks, monographs, state-of-the-art research surveys, as well as
edited volumes with coherently integrated and well-balanced contributions within
the main subject. The main aim is to provide a unique forum to publish books on
mathematical models and computing methods for complex engineering problems
that require some aspects of intelligence that include learning, adaptability,
improving efficiency, and management of uncertain and imprecise information.
Intelligent engineering systems try to replicate fundamental abilities of humans and
nature in order to achieve sufficient progress in solving complex problems. In an
ideal case multi-disciplinary applications of different modern engineering fields can
result in synergistic effects. Informatics and computer modeling are the underlying
tools that play a major role at any stages of developing intelligent systems. Soft
computing, as a collection of techniques exploiting approximation and tolerance for
imprecision and uncertainty in traditionally intractable problems, has become very
effective and popular especially because of the synergy derived from its
components. The integration of constituent technologies provides complementary
methods that allow developing flexible computing tools and solving complex
engineering problems in intelligent ways.

More information about this series at http://www.springer.com/series/10188

Ryszard Klempous Jan Nikodem
•

Editors

Smart Innovations
in Engineering
and Technology

123
Editors
Ryszard Klempous Jan Nikodem
Wrocław University of Science Wrocław University of Science
and Technology and Technology
Wrocław, Poland Wrocław, Poland

ISSN 2193-9411 ISSN 2193-942X (electronic)

Topics in Intelligent Engineering and Informatics
ISBN 978-3-030-32860-3 ISBN 978-3-030-32861-0 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-32861-0
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
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Foreword

Smart Innovations in Engineering and Technology is written by combining the best

attributes of good technical books which are ease of reading, understanding,
potential to predict, and impact on the future. It provides the foundations of current
and future technologies with applications. It directs a telescopic view, beams a
searchlight into emerging technologies and their applications. It combines the best
attributes of computing, mathematics, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things
(IoT), sensors, biometrics, and software engineering to create an application picture
and domain. The early chapters cover a description of a Centre of Advanced Studies
in military research from Gdynia, Poland and technologies emerging from there.
Military research has always created the future ahead of public adoption of such
technologies. Stages in carrying out innovative projects, project scopes, risks, and
the best project management practices are explained.
It further prescribes features on fuzzy job scheduling for testing as a service
platform. It also looks at software development and testing in cloud-based software
engineering. Nokia’s internal Testing as a Service (TaaS) platform is presented for
testing efficiency in the face of growing BTS software complexity in
fifth-generation (5G) networks. It also shows how to apply blockchain technology
for monitoring warship positions. Then tensors, a less known high-order matrix
extension with potential in future big data analysis, is described with a demon-
stration on how to use tensors for decomposing big data sets. Mining deep data
patterns in large data sets using GPU to reduce complexity and decompose algo-
rithms could eventually reduce processing times with distributed computing.
In the rest of the book, Yu, Chaczko, Chiu, Hartano, Ito, and Braun give readers
juicy applications of Internet of things, sensors, and biometrics. As is, the book is a
rich resource for postgraduate students and researchers looking for teaching and
reference materials and guides into areas of modern and future research and

v
vi Foreword

application interests. The book commends itself to wide readership interests among
graduate students in deep learning, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, IoT, and
biometric systems.

April 2019 Prof. Johnson Agbinya

Head of School
Information Technology
and Engineering
Melbourne Institute of Technology
Melbourne, Australia
Preface

The book contains the research endeavors from two conferences:

• 5th International IBM Cloud Academy Conference, ICACON 2017: Wrocław,
Poland.
• 5th Asia-Pacific Conference on Computer Assisted and System Engineering,
APCASE 2017: Guilin, Guangxi, China.
The proposed book, Smart Innovations in Engineering and Technology, is com-
posed of 19 chapters. All the chapters were transformed and updated variants of
notable chosen papers of the abovementioned conferences. The conferences span-
ned a wide range of topics in the fields of System and Application Engineering,
along with notable technical achievements in the cross-disciplinary topics of Cloud
Computing, Big Data, the Internet of Things (IoT), Machine Learning, and Mobile
Communications.
Chapters one to five are based on cloud computing infrastructures and tech-
nology advancements: “Center for Advanced Studies in Systems Engineering” by
Górski and Stryga, where they consider the Academic Cloud, a high-performance
virtual desktop infrastructure designed for an academic environment; “Fuzzy Job
Scheduling for Testing as a Service Platform” by Lampe, where he examines testing
in the cloud using reactive and fuzzy-based reactive simulated annealing solvers to
evaluate the merits of the proposed solution; “Online Multi-criteria Scheduling for
Testing as a Service Cloud Platform” by Rudy, where he discusses scheduling for
cloud testing, with a system overview and metaheuristic solving methods consid-
ered for experimentation; “Cloud-Enabled Warship’s Position Monitoring with
Blockchain” by Górski, Marzantowicz, and Szulc, where they elaborate on
blockchain to determine positioning using the Hyperledger and BlueMix
Platform-as-a-Service environment; and “LaTeX in Cloud—Unknown Tool in
Technical Documents’ Creation” by Brzozowska, Paniczko, and Werachowski,
where they study LaTeX cloud processing as a viable editing solution for engi-
neering report compilation.

vii
viii Preface

The work continues through chapters six to ten which cover Big Data and the
Internet of Things: “Designing API for Using Publicly Accessible Data Sets” by
Górski and Wojtach, where they develop an Application Programming Interface
using public data sets with open-source software; “Tensor Decompositions in
Multimodal Big Data: Studying Multiway Behavioral Patterns” by Ajayan,
Al-Doghman, and Chaczko, where they consider data analysis using tensor
decomposition for knowledge representation and behavioral inferences; “Policy-
Based Consensus Data Aggregation for the Internet of Things” by Al-Doghman,
Chaczko, and Ajayan, where they use consensus data aggregation for IoT using
analytical hierarchical processes with Bayesian prioritization; “Internet of Things Is
Changing Teaching of Technical Subjects at UTS” by Zhang, Chiu, Szymanski,
Chaczko, Su, and Zhou, where they provide an IoT study for pedagogical purposes
and its significance on university learning practices; and “Model Driven
Architecture in Containers-Based Software Development” by Górski and
Chrabski, where they report on model-driven design and its applicability for virtual
computing applications using the Docker Services Profile.
This is followed by chapters eleven to fifteen which consider cross-disciplinary
advancements in hardware and software computing: “Low Cost Wireless Micro-
Electro-Mechanical-Systems Accelerometers Linear Sensor Model” by Yu,
Chaczko, and Shi, where they examine a low-cost wireless MEMS along with the
system design and architecture; “Assessment of a Multi-agent RFID Platform for
Industrial Logistic Operations” by Chaczko, Chiu, and Yu, where they discuss
multi-array beamforming approaches for item localization for academic projects;
“Multimodal Access Control: A Review of Emerging Mechanisms” by Alsawwaf
and Chaczko, which is about access mechanisms and biometrics discussion using
OpenFace and Histogram of Oriented Gradients; “Parallelized Processing in
Kinematic Positioning for Single Frequency GNSS Receiver” by Hatano and Ito,
comprising of kinematic processing for a single frequency global satellite position
system; and “An Overview of Multi-layer Security System Using Biometrics” by
Chaczko, Sethi, and Alsawwaf, where they summarize multi-layered security with
the latest biometric detection methods.
Lastly, the final chapters from sixteen to nineteen examine data analysis and
recognition in multidisciplinary concerns: “Tracking of Multiple Moving Objects
Using Two Dimensional Beamforming Based on Low Cost Crossed Sensor Array”
by Shi, Braun, Yu, Chu, Shi, and Xu, expanding on 2D beamforming with ultra-
sonic sensor arrays for object trackability with minimal outlay; “A Numerical
Approach to Solving the Aerial Inspection Problem” by Grymin, Bożejko, and
Pempera, which examines aerial inspection using unmanned aerial vehicles with
2-Opt algorithm and simulated annealing; “A Markovian Approach to the Mobility
Management for the D2D Communications in 5G Cellular Network System” by
Barua and Braun, advancing Markovians for device-to-device communications
applied to modern mobile wider area networks; and “Learning Classifiers for
Multimodal Image Detection” by Kale and Chaczko, a thorough examination of
learning classifiers for scene analysis, as well as the simulation work and analysis
for the proposed methods.
Preface ix

The best attributes of good technical books include how easy they are to
understand their contents, as well as the potential to predict and have an impact on
the future in areas covered by the work. This book belongs to such a category by
providing applications of current technologies and foundations for their extension
into emerging areas for the future. The book therefore has the potential to impact on
current and future research and applications.
Smart Innovations in Engineering and Technology combines the best attributes
of computing, mathematics, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, sensors,
biometrics, and software engineering to create an application picture and domain.
The editors would like to express their thanks to the reviewers for their efforts in
this work by which all chapters have achieved a good level and quality.
The list of reviewers are as follows: Grzegorz Borowik, Wojciech Bo_zejko,
Lucia Carrion Gordon, Zenon Chaczko, Christopher Chiu, Anup Kale, Sunil
Mysore Kempegowda, Konrad Kluwak, Carmen Paz Suarez Araujo, Antonio
Pereira Dos Santos, and Jan Szymanski.
We would like to thank the foreword author Prof. Johnson Agbinya, Head of
School Information Technology and Engineering at the Melbourne Institute of
Technology for his solid and substantive work on the evaluation of the presented
book chapters.
Special thanks must go to Prof. Cezary Madryas, the Rector of the Wrocław
University of Science and Technology for his essential and financial support. The
editors are grateful to all the authors for their excellent work.
Thanks are also due to Christopher Chiu for his invaluable editorial assistance
and effort in bringing out the volume nicely in time. Finally, we would like to thank
Springer-Verlag for the smooth cooperation in the publication of this volume.

Wrocław, Poland Ryszard Klempous

June 2019 Jan Nikodem
Contents

Center for Advanced Studies in Systems Engineering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Tomasz Górski and Michał Stryga
Fuzzy Job Scheduling for Testing as a Service Platform . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Paweł Lampe
Online Multi-criteria Scheduling for Testing as a Service
Cloud Platform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Jarosław Rudy
Cloud-Enabled Warship’s Position Monitoring with Blockchain . . . . . . 53
Tomasz Górski, Karolina Marzantowicz, and Maciej Szulc
LaTeX in Cloud—Unknown Tool in Technical Documents’
Creation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Brzozowska Ewelina, Paniczko Emilia, and Werachowski Marcin
Designing API for Using Publicly Accessible Data Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Tomasz Górski and Ewa Wojtach
Tensor Decompositions in Multimodal Big Data: Studying Multiway
Behavioral Patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Alina Rakhi Ajayan, Firas Al-Doghman, and Zenon Chaczko
Policy-Based Consensus Data Aggregation for the Internet
of Things . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Firas Al-Doghman, Zenon Chaczko, and Alina Rakhi Ajayan
Internet of Things Is Changing Teaching of Technical Subjects
at UTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Wentian Zhang, Christopher Chiu, Jan Szymanski, Zenon Chaczko,
Steven Su, and Jing Zhou

xi
xii Contents

Model Driven Architecture in Containers-Based Software

Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Tomasz Górski and Bartosz Chrabski
Low Cost Wireless Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems
Accelerometers Linear Sensor Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Zhengyu Yu, Zenon Chaczko, and Jiajia Shi
Assessment of a Multi-agent RFID Platform for Industrial
Logistic Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Zenon Chaczko, Christopher Chiu, and Zhengyu Yu
Multimodal Access Control: A Review of Emerging Mechanisms . . . . . 183
Mohammad Alsawwaf and Zenon Chaczko
Parallelized Processing in Kinematic Positioning for Single
Frequency GNSS Receiver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Hiroyuki Hatano and Atsushi Ito
An Overview of Multi-layer Security System Using Biometrics . . . . . . . 219
Zenon Chaczko, Harssh Sethi, and Mohammad Alsawwaf
Tracking of Multiple Moving Objects Using Two Dimensional
Beamforming Based on Low Cost Crossed Sensor Array . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Jiajia Shi, Robin Braun, Zhengyu Yu, Liu Chu, Quan Shi, and Zhihuo Xu
A Numerical Approach to Solving the Aerial Inspection Problem . . . . . 243
Radosław Grymin, Wojciech Bożejko, and Jarosław Pempera
A Markovian Approach to the Mobility Management for the D2D
Communications in 5G Cellular Network System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Shouman Barua and Robin Braun
Learning Classifiers for Multimodal Image Detection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Anup Kale and Zenon Chaczko

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
 Center for Advanced Studies in Systems
Engineering

Tomasz Górski1(B) and Michal Stryga2

1
Faculty of Navigation and Naval Weapons, Institute of Naval Weapons
and Computer Science, Polish Naval Academy, Gdynia, Poland
t.gorski@amw.gdynia.pl
2
IBM Polska Sp. z o.o., Warszawa, Poland
michal.stryga@pl.ibm.com

Abstract. The paper describes management of project POIS.13.01.

00-00-007/12 establishing the Center for Advanced Studies in Systems
Engineering (CASE) at Military University of Technology (MUT) in
Warsaw, Poland. The project was financed from the European Union pro-
gram, Infrastructure and Environment Operational Programme 2007–
2013, activity 13.1, Infrastructure of higher education. In order to com-
plete the project it was necessary to deal with the following issues: short
time of the project, innovation and complexity of implemented solutions,
the need for the use of European Union procedures which are much more
restrictive than university ones. The article presents a description of the
scope of the project. The paper brings risks and project issues that arose
during the project. On the other hand, the authors introduces best prac-
tices that have proven themselves as risk mitigation strategies or mea-
sures taken to solve project issues. Proper requirements specification is
one of the most important practices. So, the paper describes the biggest
tender intended to build a server room and launch the academic cloud
for CASE. The authors recapitulates rules of the successful planning,
preparation and conducting of the tender’s procedure. As a result of the
tender and consecutive actions the Academic Cloud was implemented at
the university. The paper presents three main elements of the Academic
Cloud: project cloud, virtual desktops infrastructure and high perfor-
mance computing solution. Moreover, the authors summarizes the paper
and outlines directions for further work.

Keywords: Requirements specification · Project management · Public

tender · Cloud computing · Virtual desktops infrastructure · High
performance computing

1 Introduction
The subject of the article is project management of building the complex IT
solution financed from the European Union (EU) resources on the example of
c Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
R. Klempous and J. Nikodem (eds.), Smart Innovations in Engineering
and Technology, Topics in Intelligent Engineering and Informatics 15,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-32861-0_1
2 T. Górski and M. Stryga

the project Restructuring of building no. 65 for the purposes of the Center for
Advanced Studies in Systems Engineering MUT in Warsaw, POIS.13.01.00-00-
007/12 [3]. The Project Manager of this project was the first author of the article
(Tomasz Górski) pursuant to the power of attorney no 241/RKR/P/2012 issued
by Rector of the Military University of Technology in the period from 01.01.2013
to 31.12.2015. The project was realized within the framework of the Infrastruc-
ture and Environment Operational Programme 2007–2013, activity 13.1, Infras-
tructure of Higher Education. During 01.05-19.12.2012 the work was underway
on obtaining funding. There were over 40 projects in the contest and the best 4
received financing. The project was classified in the second place. The Agreement
with the amount of funding 37 347 447 PLN was signed 19.12.2012. The full scope
of the project in the target budget was planned to achieve during the period of
3 years. In order to carry out the project several important issues were indicated
to be addressed. The problem was a short execution time. The project began at
the end of the Infrastructure and Environment Operational Programme 2007–
2013. Another difficulty was the innovation and the complexity of implemented
solutions. There should have been current knowledge and skills of looking ahead
on the purchased equipment and software in the requirements specification. The
key issue was the need to follow EU regulations [13], that are far more rigorous
than the university procedures. Furthermore, EU procedures impose the obli-
gation to use unlimited public tenders [1]. Conducting the EU project at MUT
consists of three stages: the preparation of application for funding and collec-
tion of project, conducting the project itself and launching the infrastructure as
well as maintaining the permanence of the project. These are truly three differ-
ent projects. The article focuses on the stage of carrying out the right project.
The following section of the article presents a description of the scope of the
project. The next chapter describes risks and project issues that have emerged
during its implementation. The subject of project management success factors is
still valid [15]. The following section provides best practices that have proved as
good strategies for risk mitigation or measures applied to resolve project issues.
The consecutive section describes the scope of the biggest tender. Next section
consists of recapitulation of requirements specification gathered for the tender.
The next section presents three main elements of the Academic Cloud: Project
Cloud, High Performance Computing Cloud and Virtual Desktops Infrastruc-
ture. The article ends with a summary and directions for further work using
potential created during conducting the project POIS.13.01.00-00-007/12.

2 Description of the Project Scope

The project POIS.13.01.00-00-007/12 was aimed at creation of the Center for

Advanced Studies in Systems Engineering (CASE) with reconstruction and
upgrading of the one of buildings (Fig. 1) of the Military University of Tech-
nology.
Actions of the center shall focus on training IT specialists with expanded pro-
gram of architectural issues, for constructing complex systems as well as building
 Center for Advanced Studies in Systems Engineering 3

Fig. 1. The view of the building no. 65 in the present condition.

the competence enabling partnerships with leading world producers of software.

A new specialty Systems engineering at the Computer science field of study shall
be created. Within CASE the research work shall be carried out which provide
solutions for real problems existing in commercial enterprises and institutions
of the public sector. Students participating in this type of research work shall
obtain extremely high qualifications and become sought-after specialists on the
labor market. The Academic cloud (Fig. 2) shall find its application in three main
areas. Firstly, it will enable the academic staff and the students flexible creation
of application platforms and development environments, e.g. databases, Java
environments or solutions for Business Process Management. Secondly, access to
all the resources shall be ensured for minimum 500 simultaneously working users
via virtual desktops available from both from workstations in labs and computers
working in academic campus network. Thirdly, computing environment of High
Performance Computing Cloud shall be used in teaching process and scientific
projects requiring high power and short reaction times, necessary for complex
calculations or processing of large data sets.
Operation of the Center shall result in dynamic cooperation with
entrepreneurs, both in order to prepare future graduates to work, as well as run-
ning joint Research and Development projects, implemented with usage of the
built infrastructure. Ten innovative specialized laboratories have been created
that are necessary for the process of teaching in modern information technology
areas: Laboratory of advanced computer graphic techniques and biometrics, Lab-
oratory of robotics, Laboratory of computer technology basis, micro-controllers
of embedded computing systems, Laboratory of cryptology, Laboratory of mul-
timedia techniques, Laboratory of telemetry, The crisis management laboratory,
Laboratory of computer networks and IP telephony, Laboratory of large-format
visualization and augmented simulation (Fig. 3), Laboratory of IT Systems Engi-
neering (Fig. 2).
4 T. Górski and M. Stryga

Fig. 2. Server room with devices to service cloud computing as well as Laboratory of
IT Systems Engineering.

Fig. 3. Laboratory of large-format visualization and augmented simulation.

Furthermore, in CASE ten new lecture rooms have been created. All the labs
are equipped with computer all-in-one type. The labs and lecture rooms have
been equipped in short-throw projectors that are intended to cooperate with the
multimedia boards, particularly useful in education. All the labs and teaching
rooms are equipped in multimedia boards.
The project shall contribute to the long-term qualifications improvement of
graduates of the Computer Science studies, offered by the Faculty of Cybernetics.
Delivered knowledge shall have primarily practical nature.
 Center for Advanced Studies in Systems Engineering 5

3 Risks and Issues in the Project

The Project Manager enumerates the following factors negatively influencing
implementation of the project POIS.13.01.00-00-007/12:
• short time of project implementation in the environment of public and mili-
tary university,
• the lack of experience in implementation of this scale projects at the Faculty
of Cybernetics,
• expectations of a wide range of staff in relation to the purchases within the
project,
• the need to settle construction works performed before starting the project,
• the lack of indirect costs in the project,
• negative experiences of Intermediary Institution during cooperation with the
different faculty of MUT in preceding project of this type,
• the lack of eligible costs for financing the project management team,
• the initial composition of the project management team,
• failure to comply with decisions of the Steering Committee by the central and
faculty administration,
• avoiding to participate in the Steering Committee meetings by some of its
members,
• weak financial condition of MUT.
The basic risk was a short time of the project implementation. The project
was implemented by using the sources of financing in the 2007–2013 and mea-
sures for its implementation were allocated from 19.12.2012—the date of sign-
ing the Agreement for funding. The cut-off date of disbursement of the funds
allocated was 31.12.2015, the closing date of the program financing. The imple-
mentation period of the project lasted 3 years. Therefore, the above mentioned
significant scope of the project had to be carried out in a short time.
The issue is closely associated with the problem of hierarchy of people at
the university. A huge problem for the academic community is execution of
commands of the person with Rector’s power of attorney. Especially, when the
Project Manager operates in an extremely limited period of time, that enforces
decisive actions.
In addition, the Faculty of Cybernetics was not prepared to conduct so big
and long-term project. There was no previous project experience on this scale
in the area of investment in infrastructure. The Faculty of Cybernetics imple-
mented scientific-research projects with budgets of several million PLN. This
project’s budget beyond 43 million PLN was by an order of magnitude bigger
from previous projects.
Furthermore, in the investment project the Project Manager is required to
make all planned purchases of software and equipment. A complete list of the
software and equipment are set out in Annex 18 to the funding Agreement
Statement of Works and Qualitative Factors (Annex no. 18). In the case of this
project the statement contained 311 positions specifying type of fixed asset: per-
manently installed under the project (T), the portable fixed asset (P), intangible
6 T. Górski and M. Stryga

and legal values (N). During the project the Project Manager was forced to deal
with expectations of a wide range of employees at the Faculty of Cybernetics to
finance any necessary things that were outside the scope of the project, i.e. were
not included in the application for funding and were not included in Annex 18.
The Project Manager assertiveness ran up against huge discontent and growing
opposition of the faculty community.
A great challenge for the Project Manager turned out to be the settlement
of construction works, with the scope of the project, which have been performed
before starting the project. This is due to the fact, that these works were carried
out without compliance with EU procedures.
In addition, in scientific-research projects there are indirect costs for both
the faculty and university and in the investment project there aren’t any. In this
area dissatisfaction of administration also aroused because they could not spend
project money to finance the operation of the faculty and the university.
Furthermore, the previous negative experience of Intermediary Institution
concerning cooperation with the university resulted in lack of trust and a very
harsh initial collaboration.
The next project issue was the composition of the project team—members.
During the project, it was necessary to change the team members repeatedly.
Staff changes made in the project were due to the lack of tasks implementation
in the long term or open declaration of inability to their implementation on
grounds of lack of competence (and inability of competence acquisition). There
were also cases of human fear before carrying out the tender procedures for
amounts exceeding one million PLN (lack of experience or a bad experience).
The amount of several hundred PLN of allowance for team work management
might be one of causes of such behavior. For comparison, in scientific-research
projects, most of the money goes to project team.
The weak financial condition of MUT affected the project tremendously. For
example, as a result of the positive clearance of construction works, more than 4
200 000 PLN of the refund entered on the accounts. The money was immediately
transferred from the project accounts, contrary to the decision of the Steering
Committee. The money was to be maintained for CASE launching and was
immediately transferred against decisions undertaken (PI1 in Table 2) on the
Steering Committee meeting. The money described in PI1 until the closure of
the project 15.12.2015 was not returned.
In addition, the decisions of the Steering Committee were not respected by
the Rector and the central and faculty administration. It was difficult to conduct
the project without involving on the MUT Rector decisions. The project issues
were provided at the Steering Committee and the ways of solving them were
accepted, however in the consequence they were not respected. For example,
the Administrative Manager of the Faculty of Cybernetics who was supposed to
support the project did not comply with the decision of the Steering Committee.
The key issue of the project was failure to follow the Steering Committee decision
requiring him to come into the team for project management. This was due to
the desire to control the project without taking responsibility for it. Providing
 Center for Advanced Studies in Systems Engineering 7

the project issues at the Steering Committee resulted in a problem, especially in

the years 2014–2015, the Steering Committee members meetings. The problem
concerned the MUT Rector, Dean of the Faculty of Cybernetics at MUT and
MUT Chancellor, which means 3 out of 5 of its members. As a result the problem
of composing the Steering Committee appeared, and there were no key persons
to talk in order to solve the problems. The Project Manager was left alone with
the problems. In 2015 the Rector practically did not participate in the Steering
Committee meetings but only signed notes of its meetings. Fortunately, a great
help in terms of organization of Steering Committees was provided by MUT
Vice-rector for Education.
Despite various problems and pressures, the project was carried out suc-
cessively. The efficiency of carrying out the project stemmed from decisions
undertaken in appropriate time and implementing them in force immediately.
Competence of the Project Manager in performing the tasks caused among the
superiors desire to entrust any works, they had problems with to the Project
Manager. The assertiveness of the Project Manager met with a huge disgruntle-
ment. However, in one case of provided aid it could not be effective as manager
did not take decisions in accordance with prompts and in appropriate time.

4 Best Practices of the Project Management

In the view of the presented scope and problems the question arises as how to
proceed to achieve the success of the project.
First of all, preparation of the project is crucial at the stage of writing the
application for funding. The scope of the project must have been described in
form of Annex 18 Statement of Works and Qualitative Factors to the funding
agreement. Moreover, components of the project should be identified and people
responsible for them must be appointed. The schedule should encompass the
entire scope of the project.
Preparation is still essential, during the project, where the key issue is to
efficiently and precisely prepare tenders and conduct tenders’ procedures. As far
as tender’s preparation is concerned, the interdisciplinary of the project required
openness to new knowledge and analytical skills. The experience of the Project
Manager within the requirements specification for complex IT systems appeared
really advantageous. For example, the biggest tender in the project of the server
room construction for more than 20 000 000 PLN, was being prepared for more
than a year. The prepared tender documents positively passed ex-ante control
of Intermediary Institution without comments. The unlimited tender procedure
was announced and resolved for the first time without protests. In addition,
after resolving, the tender procedure positively passed another ex-post control
of Intermediary Institution, once again without comments. This particular ten-
der was more broadly described later in the paper. Moreover, the selection of
the project specialists with appropriate knowledge, vision and engagement, who
have clear ideas for particular project elements, was truly fundamental. Further-
more, in order to start CASE, its particular components were distributed for
8 T. Górski and M. Stryga

launching and action to the people who had contributed the specific idea into
the project. As a result, decentralized management of elements of the established
infrastructure was obtained. In consequence, an agility of operation was achieved
by granting responsibility to team members for a smaller range of equipment and
works related.
The fundamental issue for the Project Manager is to build confidence in the
project management team. The key issue is to select appropriate people for the
project management team. The project management team consisted of 23 people:
Steering Committee—4 people, the Project Manager—1 person, Project office—
2 people, Public procurement group—2 people, Financial and accounting service
group—3 people, Construction supervision group—3 people, Substantive team—
6 people, Promotion group—2 people. The harmonized team project was set up
successfully which conducted the project with energy and enthusiasm (originally:
negative attitudes). However, the team members changed during the project.
Some people were replaced and others changed their attitude and became very
valuable members of the team. There were also completely new people, mostly
young, for whom it was a chance to gain knowledge and experience. For example,
Public procurement group finally consisted of 2 people. These individuals were
selected from Section of Public Procurement of MUT by the Project manager.
Initially, the person from administration of the Faculty of Cybernetics had no
experience in the implementation of complex tender procedures and avoided
participation in tenders.
The Project Manager developed a sense of trust within the team also in the
field of invariability of the adopted findings. In the management team it was
important to apply the same rules for all team members without exception.
Applying the agreed rules with no exceptions is the key issue. For example,
this rule was adopted while the implementation of the purchases in Annex 18.
Only included items in Annex 18 to the funding Agreement Statement of Works
and Qualitative Factors were bought.
The use of selected elements of the proven methodology of the project man-
agement is also significant. Among the most known and applied in projects
with fixed budget it can be enumerated the following methods: PMBOK and
PRINCE2 [9,10]. In the project POIS.13.01.00-00-007/12 elements of PRINCE2
methodology were used [2]. One of the fundamental tasks of project manager
is a risk management. A risk management practices can influence the success
of IT project [14]. Moreover, Van Os et al. [17] emphasize how important is
risk management in cooperation between stakeholders. So, sustained risk assess-
ment and mitigation is crucial in project management [12]. During the project
the Project Manager regularly assessed the situation and maintained the list of
project risks. The list was always presented and verified on the Steering Com-
mittee. For example, in Table 1 the list of project risks was presented (state on
the date 07.05.2015).
Furthermore, the Project Manager led and updated at least once a quarter,
the list of project issues to resolve. For example, in Table 2 the list of project
issues was provided (state on the date 07.05.2015).
 Center for Advanced Studies in Systems Engineering 9

Table 1. List of the project risks. State on the date 07.05.2015.

Risk Risk description Strategy of risk mitigation

number
R1 Lack of team members for Bringing the Faculty of Cybernet-
finance management on the level ics Administrative Manager into the
of Faculty of Cybernetics and project team and to supervise the
financial supervision on behalf of project finance of MUT Quaestor (quar-
MUT terly financial reports to the Steering
Committee)
R2 Lack of maintaining the finan- Maintenance of the amounts of the
cial liquidity of the project for received refinancing on the project
implementing tenders account until the fulfillment of all
Agreements in the project
R3 Protests and delaying tenders The large tenders implementation and
potential separation of smaller tenders
with potentially problematic elements
R4 Verification and possible Preparation of Annex to MUT Rector’s
changes of the project team regulation of the appointment of the
members due to overloading project team for implementation of the
by other tasks and the degree project
of involvement in the project
works
R5 Taking the money got in The MUT Quaestor commitment, by
advance out of the project the MUT Rector, not to take money
accounts by the MUT Quaestor received in advance from the project
accounts and not to burden them with
any additional costs

It is also best practice to organize the project Steering Committee regularly

every 3 months. The author took care to do not allow deadlines of Steering Com-
mittee meetings to be moved (e.g. P17 in Table 2). Such behavior is compatible
with the rule Demonstrate value iteratively [8] and agile project management
[16]. The clearly defined and respected course of such a meeting is essential.
After each Steering Committee meeting a note should be drawn up, which must
be signed by all the members of the Steering Committee.
It was helpful to apply the rules imposed by the EU regulations of conducting
the project. A very good practice required by the Intermediary Institution (II)
is a continuous monitoring of the full range of project with monthly reporting
to Intermediary Institution in the form of monitoring cards. A monitoring card
contains three main elements:
• information about contracts: fulfilled agreements, agreements in realization,
tenders during the tender procedures, planned tenders procedures,
• the actual incurred cost in the quarters and anticipated cost in future quarters
of the project’s schedule,
• project and product indicators.
10 T. Górski and M. Stryga

Table 2. List of the project issues. State on the date 07.05.2015.

Issue Description of project issue Way of solving the problem

number
PI1 Lack of funding for tenders, that MUT Rector’s decision and
have not received money in advance Quaestor commitment to imme-
diate repayment of money on the
project account in the amount of 4
241 055 PLN
PI2 Quaestor has not applied to MUT MUT Rector’s decision and
Rector decision Quaestor commitment to com-
ply the Project Steering Committee
decisions
PI3 Difficulties in obtaining additives in Taking/decision making by the
a agreed amount for the very good MUT Rector of the limit and the
working team members. As a result, duration of additives for individuals
people reliably working and engag- in the project
ing in activities in the project are
punished for their good work
PI4 Overloading the Project Manager The decision of MUT Rector to
with the tasks on the basic position reduce the Project Manager’s oblig-
in MUT atory teaching hours about half the
number of hours in academic year
2014/2015
PI5 Far too long a time of tasks imple- Appropriate motivating workers
mentations by certain people ’sup- related to the project
porting’ the project management
team and, in some cases, refusing
execution of the Steering Commit-
tee decisions
PI6 The lack of arrangements for the Equipment and system software
Room no. 04 for the needs of the shall go to new material unit at the
Server room and Laboratory of IT Faculty of Cybernetics. Room no.
Systems engineering—Dean did not 04, in the building no. 65 will be
make the decision for 3 months to at the Faculty level. The special-
transfer the room to IT Systems ized software goes to the new unit
Institute, in the tender documents of Laboratory of IT Systems Engi-
signed by the Dean software and neering of materials management to
equipment from the tender were the IT Systems Institute
supposed to go to the Institute
PI7 Dean extends deadlines of the Steer- Request for not extending previ-
ing Committees: current one by ously set deadlines of Steering Com-
3 weeks, the previous one by two mittee meetings
weeks
 Center for Advanced Studies in Systems Engineering 11

Monitoring of the developed value should also be used. The Project Manager
used indicators: percentage of project financial implementation (amounts spent),
the percentage of financial implementation of tender procedures (fulfilled and
executed tenders procedures). Another best practice imposed by II was updating
the project schedule at least twice a year. It helps in clearing and approving the
closed quarters as well as monitoring savings and spending it efficiently. The
constant cooperation with Intermediary Institution is required. Furthermore, it
was required by II to maintain separate accounting for the project, the plan
of revenue and cost accounts. Moreover, It was recommended by II to use an
unlimited public tender procedure, [1], to implement purchases of software and
equipment. Another proven practice is participating in conferences and training
courses organized by the Intermediary Institution.
As a result of settlement of tender procedures the savings occurred in the
project. It was very important to successively apply to II for transferring the
savings to improve the quality of purchased next equipment or increasing the
quantities of items in Annex 18.
It is crucial for the Project Manager not to be influenced by anything, stay
calm as well as solve problems coolly and meaningfully. Patience and consistency
were crucial during the implementation of the particular tasks. For example, the
previous negative experience of Intermediary Institution concerning cooperation
with the university resulted in not granting resources for financing project man-
agement. The Project Manager have been convincing the Intermediary Institu-
tion for 2 years to grant funding under the eligible expenditure for remuneration
for management team. The Project Manager ultimately convinced the Interme-
diary Institution and received funding for the project management team. From
now on, the Project Manager set flat remuneration system for the Specialist and
Senior Specialist in the project. In addition, the allowances for work in the team
doubled virtually for all.

5 Description of the Tender’s Scope

One of the main project challenges was to prepare the biggest tender procedure
for construction, delivery and deployment of hardware and software as well as
providing specialized training. The aim of the tender was to select the contractor
who was to build the complete IT environment with the indicated room adapta-
tion (room 04 in building no. 65), with the IT infrastructure necessary to build
the Academic Cloud. The estimated value of the contract exceeded 20 000 000
PLN.
The Academic cloud (Fig. 2) was intended to provide the following function-
ality: the Project Cloud, the High Performance Computing Cloud, the Virtual
Desktops Infrastructure. The Project Cloud, which aims to provide infrastruc-
ture and software for a platform serving development environments both for
teaching and scientific research. The Project Cloud should allow the creation of
at least the following environments: relational database (RDB), Java applica-
tion platform (JAP), integration platform (IP), modeling of business processes
12 T. Górski and M. Stryga

(MBP), software development life-cycle management (SDL). The High Perfor-

mance Computing Cloud, aims to provide computing environment for education
and scientific research. Due to the diversity of tasks that should be performed by
highly specialized HPC equipment, it was necessary to ensure software manag-
ing the HPC environment itself and tasks realized in this environment. Virtual
desktops enabling access to both clouds from computers located in labs and
computers working in a campus network.
In order to ensure proper conditions for hardware and software operation the
server room (Fig. 4) required adaptation.

Fig. 4. Server room—power maintenance system, cooling and extinguishing system.

The adaptation should be done in terms of: cooling, power, the technical floor
and extinguishing. The solution must have consisted of the following components
of hardware infrastructure network: SAN Network (Storage Area Network), LAN
Network (Local Area Network), System backups, Storage, Server hardware.
Furthermore, server room administrators and academic staff had to be
trained in delivered specialized software. In total there were more than 40 train-
ing courses of various kinds.

6 Requirements Specification of the Tender

Public Procurement Law must have been respected in the implementation of
the solution [1]. In accordance with the law the purchase of this kind must be
implemented in the form of a public tender. Due to EU guidelines the only
acceptable procedure for the eligibility of expenditure was unlimited public ten-
der procedure. Preparation and conducting the tender procedure takes time.
The requirements specification for the solution was preceded by the project and
 Center for Advanced Studies in Systems Engineering 13

market analysis. It was crucial to launch the tender not too early because the
purchased equipment is aging rapidly. The attention should be given to the tim-
ing of launching the new versions of the hardware key elements, e.g. processors.
But, the tender should be put out early enough to be implemented and the
Agreement shall be fulfilled in the expenditure eligibility period. The period of
publication of this size tender is 40 days. In order to achieve a positive imple-
mentation of the solution it was crucial to identify all the necessary elements
and works which should be done.
Specifying requirements is of importance for both procurer, and potential
supplier because requirements are central contractual element between the two.
Way of representing functional and non-functional requirements in call for bids
for the procurement of IT can be found in the literature of the subject [7].
Correctness of requirements is crucial, especially non-functional requirements.
There are methods for verification of non-functional requirements specification
[4,11]. We can also reuse proven requirement specifications but is should be done
with care. Irshad et al. [6] conducted a systematic literature review of software
requirements reuse approaches.
The tender documentation consisted of the following elements:
• Request for the initiation of a public procurement procedure for the amount
bigger than 207 000 Euro.
• Annex no. 1, A detailed description of the contract subject. A description of
the contract subject, as defined in accordance with Article 29, 30 and 31 of
the Public Procurement Law.
• Annex no. 2, The technical requirements on the infrastructure systems and
server room.
• Annex no. 3, Draft of an agreement.
• Planned Costs of Works (PCW), including estimation of contract value of
preparing project documentation.
• Data from market analysis—cost estimation of equipment and works.
A subject description of the tender “Hardware and software delivery and
server room implementation” was divided into the following elements:
• Implementation of infrastructure systems in server room according to param-
eters contained in Annex no. 2 to the Request “Technical requirements for
infrastructure systems and server room” in section no. 3.
• Delivery and initial launching of hardware and software for the Academic
Cloud according to parameters contained in Annex no. 2 to the Request in
section no. 2.
• Implementing operational functioning of the Academic Cloud according to
parameters contained in Annex no. 2 to the Request in section no. 4.
A complete list of the equipment was set out in Annex 18 to the financing
Agreement “Statement of works and qualitative factors”. As far as the project is
concerned the list contained 311 positions specifying type of fixed asset: perma-
nently installed within the project (T), the portable fixed asset (P), intangible
assets (N). The described tender covered about 50 positions from Annex no. 18.
14 T. Górski and M. Stryga

Performing the preliminary feasibility studies of the solution in the shape of

general project of IT solution was helpful to estimate server room parameters and
its value. Therefore the necessary hardware resources were calculated. The sim-
ilar approach was applied to determine the initial functional scope of academic
cloud in the form of basic use cases of the project cloud (Fig. 5): Preparation of
cloud computing for new project, Launching new service, Stopping virtual server,
Launching virtual server, Deleting new service, Creation of a new pattern. The
last one involves the selection of image of operating system and packages of
scripts corresponding to the application, which are found in the pattern as well
as the size of the virtual machine and the publication of the pattern in catalog
of services.

Fig. 5. The basic use cases of the Project Cloud.

Thanks to savings from previously implemented agreements it was possible

to transfer additional amounts to improve quality of purchased equipment in the
Academic Cloud. The amount of originally provided budget on the described ten-
der increased by about 25%. Owing to this, the latest memory IBM Flash System
900 could be purchased and storage as a service solution could be implemented
with better parameters: capacity—32 TB, recording time—90 µs, throughput—
10 GB/s, energy consumption—625 W.
One of the key elements are the deadlines for the implementation of the
agreement. Contract executing date was divided into two stages:
• to 90 days from the date of signing the agreement performing the infrastruc-
ture systems of server room equipment as well as delivery and launching of
the hardware and software for the Academic Cloud,
 Center for Advanced Studies in Systems Engineering 15

• to 180 days from the date of signing the agreement—the functional imple-
mentation (launching) of the Academic Cloud.
In the request there were specific conditions for contractors, under which they
might participate in the tender and list of required documents confirming their
fulfillment.
In the terms of owning knowledge and experience the university required from
the potential contractor to have completed properly, in the last three years, at
least 2 deliveries covering the scope of server room hardware and software, with
a value not less than 13 000 000 PLN gross each and to have delivered properly
at least 1 service covering the scope of functional launching of the server room,
with a value of not less than 2 000 000 PLN gross and completed properly at
least 1 construction work covering the scope of implementation of the server
room infrastructure systems, with a value of not less than 1 000 000 PLN gross.
By one delivery, service and construction work it was meant implementation of
one separate agreement.
In terms of disposal of relevant technical capacities and people capable of
performing the contract, a list of participants in the performance of the con-
tract was required, in particular those responsible for the proper execution of
work, together with information on their professional qualifications and experi-
ence. The following qualifications were required: manager of telecommunication
works, construction and building manager (who is also a construction manager),
sanitary works manager, manager of electricity works, designer with architec-
tural specialty, designer with sanitary specialty, designer with electricity spe-
cialty, designer with telecommunication specialty, expert of internal fire fighting
system, two people with a certificate entitling to implementation and main-
tenance of the offered backup system, two people with a certificate entitling to
implementation and maintenance of the offered disk array, two people with a cer-
tificate entitling to implementation and maintenance of the offered tape library,
one person in charge of contract implementation on the Contractors side, with
PRINCE2 certificate.
In terms of economic and financial situation the potential contractor was
obliged to have the financial resources or has credit capacity amounted to min.
20 000 000 PLN gross and valid insurance policy against civil liability in respect
of conducted activity related to the subject of the contract with the amount of
min. 10 000 000 PLN gross.
In the terms of other required documents the potential contractor was obliged
to have: ISO 9001 certificate or its equivalent and ISO 27001 certificate or its
equivalent. On the potential contractor was also imposed duty of unambiguous
determination of the offered products.
For the sake of quality of delivered equipment, the project manager decided to
define broader criteria of offer selection than single price. The following criteria
has been defined, by the project manager, and adopted for the evaluation of
offers with the assigned weights:
• Price—40%,
• Total volume of RAM—20%,
16 T. Górski and M. Stryga

• Total size of storage—20%,

• Maximum length of UPS holding time—20%.
Indications were introduced in order to calculate the evaluation of offers and the
necessary conditions were defined for validity of the offer, allowing it to offer
evaluation.
Indications:
i—number of offer,
i = 1, Z, where Z—amount of submitted offers,
j—number of submitted valid offer,
j = 1, W , where W —amount of submitted valid offers, The necessary conditions
for the offer validity and allowing to evaluate offers:

hi ≥ hmin (1)

where:
hi —storage size of ith offer,
hmin —minimal storage size defined in “Specification of essential conditions of
contract”.
ri ≥ rmin (2)
where:
ri —volume of RAM of ith offer,
rmin —minimal volume of RAM defined in “Specification of essential conditions
of contract”.
ui ≥ umin (3)
where:
ui —length of UPS holding time of ith offer,
umin —minimal length of UPS holding time defined in “Specification of essential
conditions of contract”.
The offer, in order to be considered valid, must fulfill simultaneously all condi-
tions defined with inequalities (1)–(3).
The calculation of points pj , pj = 0, 100 of jth offer specifies the equation
(4).
pj = 40 × kjc + 20 × kjh + 20 × kjr + 20 × kju (4)
where:
kjc —price factor of jth offer expressed by a formula (5)

cj − min cj
j
kjc = 1 − (5)
max cj − min cj
j j

kjh —storage size factor of jth offer expressed by a formula (6)

hj − min hj
j
kjh = (6)
max hj − min hj
j j
 Center for Advanced Studies in Systems Engineering 17

kjr —volume of RAM factor jth offer expressed by a formula (7)

rj − min rj
j
kjr = (7)
max rj − min rj
j j

kju —length of UPS holding time factor jth offer expressed by a formula (8)

uj − min uj
j
kju = (8)
max uj − min uj
j j

7 The Academic Cloud

The complete computing environment of the Academic Cloud was built with
the adaptation of the designated area (room 04, building No. 65). The data
center was equipped in: air-condition system, separate power supply, technical
floor and fire extinguishing system. In addition, the solution was provided with
the backup system. This section presents three main elements of the Academic
Cloud: Project Cloud, Virtual Desktops Infrastructure and High Performance
Computing Cloud. The following subsections reveal architecture and implemen-
tation details of each component of the Academic Cloud.

7.1 The Project Cloud

The Project Cloud provides wide range of services starting from basic virtual
machines with bare operating systems images as well as reach software catalog
including database engines, business processes modeling software and applica-
tion development tools. The cloud offers single instance provisioning or orchestra-
tion patterns allowing to deploy complex, multi-node system landscapes. Project
Cloud is based on IBM Cloud Computing Reference Architecture which includes
Cloud Enabled Data Center with OpenStack and IBM Cloud Orchestrator for
cloud process management and orchestration supported by monitoring, patch
management, backup, and restore and billing services (Fig. 6).
Key component of the Project Cloud is IBM Cloud Orchestrator Enterprise
Edition (ICO) which combines OpenStack controller for instance provisioning
and management, business process management module for extended process
automation, patch management, monitoring, metering and billing tools (Fig. 7).
Main the Project Cloud components:
• Cloud Management services: IBM Cloud Orchestrator with embedded BPM
and OpenStack software.
• Usage metering and accounting with IBM SmartCloud Cost Management.
• Services and capacity monitoring with IBM Monitoring.
• Patch management with IBM Endpoint Manager.
• Virtualization Layer based on VMware vSphere.
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
 GRASMERE.
The wandering minstrel and his sister—that great-hearted, most beautiful,
and devoted sister, whom we cannot help loving so devoutly,—went in the
spring of 1799 to visit their friends, the Hutchinsons, at Stockton-on-Tees,
and remained there, with occasional exceptions, until the close of the year.
Here dwelt Miss Mary Hutchinson, for whom the poet had begun to
conceive such passion as he was capable of from the time of her visit to him
and his sister, at Alfoxden. For although Dr. Wordsworth is silent also
respecting this visit, De Quincy tells us that it actually took place.—And
now the lovers—in their saturnine way—had leisure to cement their
attachment, and what is more, they took advantage of it, as their subsequent
marriage, about the commencement of the present century, sufficiently
proves.—Many other things, however, occupied the poet’s attention beside
this, and we find him, September 20, planning another tour, and this time
through the lake district, with his friends Cottle and Coleridge. It was the
first time that the latter had seen the lake country, and he, in writing to Miss
Wordsworth, thus speaks of it:—
“At Temple Sowerby we met your brother John, who accompanied us to
Hawes-water, Ambleside, and the divine sisters, Rydal and Grasmere. Here
we stayed two days. We accompanied John over the fork of Helvellyn, on a
day when light and darkness co-existed in contiguous masses, and the earth
and sky were but one. Nature lived for us in all her grandest accidents. We
quitted him by a wild turn, just as we caught a sight of the gloomy
Ullswater.
“Your brother John is one of you; a man who hath solitary usings of his
own intellect, deep in feelings, with a subtle tact, a swift instinct of truth
and beauty; he interests me much.
“You can feel what I cannot express for myself, how deeply I have been
impressed by a world of scenery, absolutely new to me. At Rydal and
Grasmere I received, I think, the deepest delight; yet Hawes-water, through
many a varying view, kept my eyes dim with tears; and the evening
approaching, Derwent-water, in diversity of harmonious features, in the
majesty of its beauties, and in the beauty of its majesty ... and the black
crags close under the snowy mountains, whose snows were pinkish with the
setting sun, and the reflections from the rich clouds that floated over some,
and rested over others!—it was to me a vision of a fair country: why were
you not with us?”
It was in this tour that Wordsworth resolved to settle at Grasmere. First
he thought of building a house by the lake side, and to enable him to do
this, his brother John offered to give him £40 to buy the land. There was a
small house to let, however, at Grasmere, which, after much deliberation
with his sister, he finally hired, and the two inseparables entered upon it on
St. Thomas’s Day, 1799.
One of the very finest of all Wordsworth’s letters—written to Coleridge
four days after the settlement at Grasmere—details, with a graphic and truly
poetic power, the wanderings of the sister and brother from Sockburn to
their new home. It is too long, however, to quote here, and for a perusal of it
the reader is referred to the Memoirs.[H]
The poet lived at Grasmere with his sister for eight years.[I] “The
cottage,” says Dr. Wordsworth, in which Wordsworth and his sister took up
their abode, and which still retains the form it wore then, stands on the right
hand, by the side of what was then the coach road, from Ambleside to
Keswick, as it enters Grasmere, or, as that part of the village is called,
“Town End.” The front of it faces the lake; behind is a small plot of orchard
and garden-ground, in which there is a spring, and rocks; the enclosure
shelves upward towards the woody sides of the mountain above it.—Many
of his poems, as the reader will remember, are associated with this fair spot:

“This spot of orchard ground is ours;

My trees they are, my sister’s flowers.”

In the first book of the “Recluse,” still unpublished, he thus expresses his
feelings in settling in this house at Grasmere, and in looking down from the
hills which embosom the lake.

“On Nature’s invitation do I come,

By reason sanctioned. Can the choice mislead,
That made the calmest, fairest spot on earth,
With all its unappropriated good,
My own, and not mine only, for with me
Entrenched—say rather peacefully embowered—
 Under yon orchard, in yon humble cot,
A younger orphan of a home extinct
The only daughter of my parents, dwells;
Aye, think on that, my heart, and cease to stir;
Pause upon that, and let the breathing frame
No longer breathe, but all be satisfied.
O, if such silence be not thanks to God
For what hath been bestowed, then where, where then,
Shall gratitude find rest? Mine eyes did ne’er
Fix on a lovely object, nor my mind
Take pleasure in the midst of happy thoughts,
But either she, whom now I have, who now
Divides with me that loved abode was there,
Or not far off. Where’er my footsteps turned,
Her voice was like a hidden bird that sung;
The thought of her was like a flash of light
Or an unseen companionship, a breath
Or fragrance independent of the wind.
In all my goings, in the new and old
Of all my meditations, and in this
Favourite of all, in this the most of all....
Embrace me then, ye hills, and close me in.
Now in the clear and open day I feel
Your guardianship; I take it to my heart;
’Tis like the solemn shelter of the night,
But I would call thee beautiful; for mild,
And soft, and gay, and beautiful thou art,
Dear valley, having in thy face a smile,
Though peaceful, full of gladness. Thou art pleased,
Pleased with thy crags, and woody steeps, thy lake
Its one green island, and its winding shores,
The multitude of little rocky hills,
Thy church, and cottages of mountain stone
Clustered like stars, some few, but single most,
And lurking dimly in their shy retreats,
Or glancing at each other cheerful looks,
Like separated stars with clouds between.”

All this is a burst of quiet, yet beautiful, and almost ecstatic, enthusiasm
—the like of which is not to be met with elsewhere, I think, in poetry.
Surely, Wordsworth was worthy of his sweet cottage, and sweeter and
dearer sister, and his glorious lake, with its one green island,—his
mountains, and woods, and dales,—his church, and the cottages, “clustered
like stars,” around it; for he had the great heart, and large brain, which
Nature makes the condition for all those who would share her communion.
And, then, his tastes were so simple, natural, and unaffected; he lived so
close to Nature, and knew so many of her secrets, and loved her too, with
the passion of a first and only love. Yes, surely, he was worthy of all he
enjoyed.
During the three years which elapsed, between the poet’s entering upon
the cottage at Grasmere, and his marriage, he was very industriously, and
even laboriously, employed in cultivating his art; for he had resolved that
poetry should be the business and not the pastime of his life. We find
Coleridge urging him to continue the “Recluse,”—by which he meant, as
Dr. Wordsworth informs us, the “Prelude;”—in the summer of 1799, and
again in October of the same year, he says he will hear of nothing else but
the “Recluse;” for in the mood he was in at that time, he was wholly against
the publication of any small poems. He desired that his friend should build,
what my friend J. H. Stirling calls an “Opus;” but Wordsworth, though still
at work upon the foundations of his opus, cannot rest without making little
oratories—holy cells—in the pauses of his labour. Hence a new volume of
poems was soon ready for publication; and as the 12mo. edition of the
“Lyrical Ballads,” was by this time exhausted, Wordsworth determined to
reprint them, and add this new volume to the work, calling the two
conjointly “Lyrical Ballads, in two Volumes.” The pieces now presented to
the public, included some of his finest lyrical effusions. Amongst others,
“Lucy Gray,” “Nutting,” “The Brothers,” “Ruth,” “Poor Susan,” “The
Waterfall, and the Eglantine.” This new edition was published, in 1800, by
Messrs. Longmans, who offered the poet £100 for two editions of the two
volumes.
In 1801, Wordsworth presented a copy of the “Lyrical Ballads” to the
Right Hon. C. J. Fox, accompanied by a characteristic letter; in reply to
which, Mr. Fox expresses his high admiration of many of the poems,
particularly of “Harry Gill,” “We are Seven,” “The Mad Mother,” and “The
Idiot Boy.” Mr. Fox, however, takes exception to blank verse, as a vehicle
for subjects which are to be treated with simplicity.
Other poems of deep interest succeeded these new lyrics; and I will
name “The Leech Gatherer,” and the “Ode to Immortality,” because these
poems have always been great favourites with me; and, further, because I
wish to add here the notes which the poet has furnished respecting them.
And first of all “The Leech Gatherer:”—speaking of this poem to his
friends he says,—
“I will explain to you in prose, my feelings in writing that poem. I
describe myself as having been exalted to the highest pitch of delight by the
joyousness and beauty of Nature; and then as depressed, even in the midst
of these beautiful objects, to the lowest dejection and despair. A young poet
in the midst of the happiness of Nature is described as overwhelmed by the
thoughts of the miserable reverses which have befallen the happiest of all
men—viz., poets. I think of this till I am so deeply impressed with it, that I
consider the manner in which I was rescued from my dejection and despair
almost as an interposition of Providence. A person reading the poem with
feelings like mine, will have been awed and controlled, expecting
something spiritual or supernatural. What is brought forward? A lonely
place, ‘a pond by which an old man was, far from all house and home;’ not
stood, nor sat, but was. The figure presented in the most naked simplicity
possible. This feeling of spirituality or supernaturalness is again referred to
as being strong in my mind in this passage. How came he here? thought I,
or what can he be doing? I then describe him, whether ill or well is not for
me to judge with perfect confidence; but this I can confidently affirm, that
though I believe God has given me a strong imagination, I cannot conceive
a figure more impressive than that of an old man like this, the survivor of a
wife and children, travelling alone among the mountains, and all lonely
places, carrying with him his own fortitude in the necessities which an
unjust state of society has laid upon him. You speak of his speech as
tedious. Everything is tedious when one does not read with the feelings of
the author. The ‘Thorn’ is tedious to hundreds; and so is the ‘Idiot Boy.’ It
is in the character of the old man to tell his story, which an impatient reader
must feel tedious. But, good heavens! should he ever meet such a figure in
such a place; a pious, self-respecting, miserably infirm old man telling such
a tale!”
Having thus shown the feelings of the poet in writing “The Thorn,” I
will quote, secondly and lastly, the note to the celebrated “Ode.” “This,” he
says, “was composed during my residence at Town End, Grasmere. Two
years at least passed between the writing of the first four stanzas and the
remaining part. To the attentive and competent reader the whole sufficiently
explains itself; but there may be no harm in adverting here to particular
feelings or experiences of my own mind on which the structure of the poem
partly rests. Nothing was more difficult for me in childhood than to admit
the notion of death as a state applicable to my own being. I have said
elsewhere—

“A simple child
That lightly draws its breath,
And feels its life in every limb,
What should it know of death?”

But it was not so much from the source of animal vivacity that my
difficulties came, as from a source of the indomitableness of the spirit
within me. I used to brood over the stories of Enoch and Elijah, and almost
to persuade myself that, whatever might become of others, I should be
translated in something of the same way to heaven. With a feeling congenial
to this, I was often unable to think of external things as having externally
existence, and I communed with all that I saw as something not apart from,
but inherent in my own immaterial nature. Many times, when going to
school, have I grasped at a wall or tree to recall myself from this abyss of
idealism to the reality. At that time I was afraid of such processes. In later
periods of life I have deplored, as we have all reason to do, a subjugation of
an opposite character, and have rejoiced over the remembrances, as is
expressed in the lines “Obstinate Questionings,” &c. To that dream-like
vividness of splendour which invests objects of sight in childhood, every
one, I believe, if he would look back, could bear testimony, and I need not
dwell upon it here; but having in the poem regarded it as presumptive
evidence of a prior state of existence, I think it right to protest against such
a conclusion which has given pain to some good and pious persons, that I
meant to inculcate such a belief. It is far too shadowy a notion to be
recommended to faith as more than an element in our instincts of
immortality. But let us bear in mind that, though the idea is not advanced in
revelation, there is nothing there to contradict it, and the fall of man
presents an analogy in its favour. Accordingly, a pre-existent state has
entered into the popular creeds of many nations, and among all persons
acquainted with classic literature is known as an ingredient in Platonic
philosophy. Archimedes said that he could move the world if he had a point
whereon to rest his machine. Who has not felt the same aspirations as
regards the world of his own mind? Having to wield some of its elements
when I was impelled to write this poem on the ‘Immortality of the Soul,’ I
took hold of the notion of pre-existence, as having sufficient foundation in
humanity for authorising me to make for my purpose the best use of it I
could as a poet.”
Now, in this note, and in the “Ode” which it illustrates, will be found the
key to all Wordsworth’s philosophy, and to the secret of his mind as a poet.
The mystic spiritualism which imbues all his writings, is the great
distinguishing feature which marks and separates him from merely didactic
and descriptive poets; and, were this element wanting in him, we should
have a fine reporter of Nature’s doings—a fine painter of objective effects
—but no creator—no idealist, and therefore, properly speaking, no poet, in
the high signification of that term. Luckily, however, for Wordsworth and
for the world, he possessed the spiritual faculty, and kept it always active;
so that his eye, even in the presence of the meanest objects, was open to the
ideal things of which the symbols they were. The infinite was ever present
to his mind, and he saw all objects through that medium of light and
relationship. But the great band of critics outside the fine region in which
Wordsworth dwelt, could not of course understand this “Ode,” or the
general tone of Wordsworth’s poetry, and therefore they denounced it, as
incomprehensible, mystic, and absurd. But because they had no faculty with
which to appreciate spiritual representation, or even to believe in spirituality
as a fact belonging to the nature of man, that was no reason in the
estimation of our poet, that he should cease to sing his wonted strains in his
wonted manner. In alluding to this depreciation of his poems, he very
sorrowfully says, somewhere in his letters or notes, that it is a fact that
“nineteen out of every twenty persons are unable to appreciate poetry;” and
we are bound to confess that this hard judgment is truth. Even the better sort
of “Reviews,” in which we should have expected at least a recognition of
the genius and noble aims of the poet, stood out dead against him; and
Jeffrey’s “This will never do,” in speaking of “The Excursion,” shows how
blindly bigotted and intolerant were such critics in those days. As a sample
of the abuse, and utter want of judgment which characterised Wordsworth’s
critics, take the following anecdotes, which are recorded by the writer on
“Wordsworth,” (Chamber’s Tracts) as a good joke, or I will hope, as a
picture of the folly of the time.
“A writer in Blackwood for November, 1829, gives an amusing sketch of
a party where the ‘Intimations of Immortality,’ revered by the initiated as
the ‘Revelation,’ was read aloud by a true disciple, in a kind of
unimaginable chant then peculiar to the sect. There were one or two
believers present, with a few neophytes, and one or two absolute and
wicked sceptics! No sooner had the recitation fairly commenced, than one
of the sceptics, of laughing propensities, crammed his handkerchief half-
way down his throat; the others looked keen and composed: the disciples
groaned, and the neophytes shook their heads in deep conviction.’ The
reciter proceeded with deeper unction, till on being asked by a neophyte to
give an explanation, which he was unable to give, he got angry, and
‘roundly declared, that things so out of the common way, so sublime, and so
abstruse, could be conveyed in no language but their own. When the reciter
came to the words, ‘Callings from us,’ the neophyte again timidly requested
an explanation, and was informed by one of the sceptics, that they meant
the child’s transitory gleams of a glorious pre-existence, that fall away and
vanish almost as soon as they appear. The obstinate neophyte only replied,
in a tone of melancholy, ‘When I think of my childhood, I have only visions
of traps and balls, and whippings. I never remember being “haunted by the
eternal mind.” To be sure I did ask a great many questions, and was
tolerably obstinate, but I fear these are not the “obstinate questionings” of
which Mr. Wordsworth speaks.’ This is but a small sample of the
Wordsworthian scenes and disputations then of every-day occurrence. In
1816 a kind of shadow of Horace Smith again took the field. It seems that
Hogg intended to publish an anthology of the living British bards, and had
written to some of them for specimens. A wag, who had heard of the
project, immediately issued an anthology, purporting to be this, but
containing merely the coinage of his own brain. As may be imagined,
Wordsworth occupied a prominent corner; and indeed some of the
imitations—for most were imitations rather than parodies—did him no
discredit. ‘The Flying Tailor,’ however, was not an infelicitous burlesque of
the poet’s blank verse:—
 “Ere he was put
By his mother into breeches, Nature strung
The muscular part of his anatomy
To an unusual strength; and he could leap,
All unimpeded by his petticoats,
Over the stool on which his mother sat,
More than six inches—o’er the astonished stool!”

Enough, however, has been said about these critics, for the present, at
least. Wordsworth’s was a struggle to get for poetry, once more, a true
utterance; to annihilate the old dead, mechanical form which it had for the
most part assumed, from the time of Pope downwards to him; for although
Burns and Cowper had sounded the first trumpet in this morning of the
resurrection, it was reserved for Wordsworth to awake the dead, and infuse
into them a new and living soul.
During the residence of the poet at Grasmere, his sister kept a diary of
the proceedings of their little household, which, with Wordsworth’s letters,
are the chief biographical records of this period, respecting the poet himself.
The following extracts will give some idea of the calm and beautiful life
which they led together:—
“As we were going along, we were stopped at once, at the distance,
perhaps of fifty yards from our favourite birch-tree; it was yielding to the
gust of wind, with all its tender twigs; the sun shone upon it, and it glanced
in the wind like a flying sunshiny shower; it was a tree in shape, with a stem
and branches, but it was like a spirit of water....
When we were in the woods before Gowbarrow Park, we saw a few
daffodils close to the water-side.... As we went along there were more, and
yet more; and at last, under the boughs of the trees, we saw there was a long
belt of them along the shore. I never saw daffodils so beautiful. They grew
among the mossy stones about them; some rested their heads on these
stones, as on a pillow; the rest tossed, and reeled, and danced, and seemed
as if they verily laughed with the wind, they looked so gay and glancing.”
The poet was frequently indebted to this beautiful sister for the material
of his poems; and many of the minor pieces are a musical transformation of
her descriptions of natural scenery, and the feelings with which she beheld
it. The poem of “The Beggars” is an instance of this; and if the reader will
peruse “The Daffodils,” and compare it with Miss Wordsworth’s description
of these fair flowers, as quoted above, he will perhaps discover how much
the poet is indebted to her, in this instance also. Here is the poem.

“I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o’er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils,
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine

And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretch’d in never ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they

Outdid the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but feel gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought.

For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant, or in passive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.”

In writing to his friends the Wranghams, November 4, 1802,

Wordsworth, after thanking them for their good opinion of this poem,
alludes to “Butler, Montague’s friend,” as having said of it (the poem,)
“Aye, a fine morsel this for the reviewers,”—and adds, “When this was told
me (for I was not present) I observed that there were two lines in that little
poem, which, if thoroughly felt, would annihilate nine-tenths of the reviews
of the kingdom, as they would find no readers. The lines I alluded to were
these—
 ‘They flash upon that inward eye,
Which is the bliss of solitude.’ ”

And, now, I will make a few quotations from Miss Wordsworth’s

journal:—
“1802. Wednesday, April 28.—Copied the ‘Prioress’ Tale.’ W. in the
orchard tired. I happened to say, that when a child, I would not have pulled
a strawberry blossom; left him, and wrote out the ‘Manciples’ Tale.’ At
dinner he came in with the poem on children gathering flowers [the poem
entitled ‘Foresight’].
“April 20.—We went into the orchard after breakfast, and sat there. The
lake calm; sky cloudy. W. began poem on the “Celandine.”
“May 1.—Sowed flower seeds; W. helped me. We sat in the orchard. W.
wrote the ‘Celandine.’ Planned an arbour,—the sun too hot for us.
“May 7.—W. wrote ‘The Leech Gatherer.’
“May 21.—W. wrote two sonnets, ‘On Buonaparte,’ after I had read
Milton’s sonnets to him.
“May 29.—W. wrote his poem “On going to M. H.” I wrote it out.
“June 8.—W. wrote the poem ‘The sun has long been set.’
“June 17.—W. added to the ‘Ode’ he is writing [‘On the Immortality of
the Soul’].
“June 19.—Read Churchill’s ‘Rosciad.’
“July 9.—W. and I set forth to Keswick, on our road to Gallow Hill (to
the Hutchinsons’, near Malton, York). On Monday, the 11th, went to
Eusemere (the Clarksons’). 13th, walked to Emont Bridge, thence by Greta
Bridge. The sun shone cheerfully, and a glorious ride we had over the
moors; every building bathed in golden light; we saw round us miles
beyond miles, Darlington spire, &c. Thence to Thirsk; on foot to the
Hamilton Hills—Rivaux. I went down to look at the ruins; thrushes singing,
cattle feeding amongst the ruins of the abbey; green hillocks about the ruins
—these hillocks scattered over with grovelets of wild roses, and covered
with wild flowers: could have staid in this green quiet spot till evening,
without a thought of moving, but W. was waiting for me....
July 30.—Left London between five and six o’clock of the morning,
outside the Dover coach. A beautiful morning. The city, St. Paul’s, with the
river—a multitude of little boats—made a beautiful sight, as we crossed
Westminster Bridge [Wordsworth’s sonnet “On Westminster Bridge” was
written on the roof of the Dover coach]; the houses, not overhung by their
clouds of smoke, were spread out endlessly; yet the sun shone so brightly,
with such a pure light, that there was something like the purity of one of
Nature’s own grand spectacles.... Arrived at Calais at four in the morning of
July 31st.
Delightful walks in the evening; seeing far off in the west the coast of
England, like a cloud, crested with Dover Castle, the evening star, and the
glory of the sky: the reflections in the water were more beautiful than the
sky itself; purple waves, brighter than precious stones, for ever melting
away on the sands.
August 29.—Left Calais, at twelve o’clock in the morning, for Dover ...
bathed, and sat on the Dover Cliffs, and looked upon France; we could see
the shores almost as plain as if it were but an English lake. Mounted the
coach at half-past four; arrived in London at six, August 30. Stayed in
London till 22nd September: arrived at Gallow Hill on Friday, September
24th.
On Monday, October 4th, 1802, W. was married, at Brompton church, to
Mary Hutchinson.... We arrived at Grasmere, at six in the evening, on
October 6th, 1802.”
And that the reader may hereafter have a clear perception of the persons
of the poetic household at Grasmere, I will now go to De Quincy, who has
drawn portraits of them, which, in the absence of any similar literary
venture, are invaluable. Speaking of Mrs. Wordsworth, he says,—she was a
tall young woman, with the most winning expression of benignity upon her
features that he had ever beheld; her manner frank, and unembarrassed.
“She was neither handsome or comely, according to the rigour of criticism,
and was generally pronounced plain-looking, but the absence of the
practical power and fascination which lie in beauty, were compensated by
sweetness all but angelic, simplicity the most entire, womanly self-respect,
and purity of heart, speaking through all her looks, acts, and movements.
She rarely spoke; so that Mr. Slave-trade Clarkson used to say of her, that
she could only say God bless you. Certainly her intellect was not of an
active order; but in a quiescent, reposing, meditative way, she appeared
always to have a social enjoyment from her own thoughts; and it would
have been strange indeed, if she, who enjoyed such eminent advantages of
training, from the daily society of her husband and his sister; not only
hearing the best parts of English literature daily read, or quoted by short
fragments, but also hearing them very often critically discussed in a style of
great originality and truth, and by the light of strong poetic feeling,—
strange would it have been had any person, dull as the weeds of Lethe in the
native constitution of mind, failed to acquire the power of judging for
herself, and putting forth some functions of activity. But undoubtedly that
was not her element: to feel and to enjoy a luxurious repose of mind—there
was her forte and her peculiar privilege; and how much better this was
adapted to her husband’s taste, how much more suited to uphold the
comfort of his daily life, than a blue-stocking loquacity, or even a legitimate
talent for discussion and analytic skill may be inferred from his celebrated
verses, beginning:

‘She was a phantom of delight

When first she gleamed upon my sight;’

and ending with this matchless winding up of

‘A perfect woman, nobly planned

To warn, to comfort, to command;
And yet——’

going back to a previous thought, and resuming a leading impression of the

whole character—

‘And yet a spirit too, and bright

With something of an angel light.’ ”

“From these verses,” continues De Quincy, “it may be inferred what

were the qualities which won Wordsworth’s admiration in a wife; for these
verses were written upon Mary Hutchinson, his own cousin, and his wife;
and not written as Coleridge’s memorable verses upon “Sara,” for some
forgotten original Sara, and consequently transferred to every other Sara
who came across his path. Once for all, these exquisite lines were dedicated
to Mrs. Wordsworth; were understood to describe her—to have been
prompted by the feminine graces of her character; hers they are and will
remain for ever.” To these, therefore, De Quincy refers the reader for an
idea infinitely more powerful and vivid, he says, than any he could give, of
what was most important in the partner and second self of the poet. And to
this abstract of her moral portrait he adds the following remarks upon her
physical appearance. “She was tall, as already stated; her figure was good—
except that for my taste it was rather too slender, and so it always
continued. In complexion she was fair; and there was something peculiarly
pleasing even in this accident of the skin, for it was accompanied by an
animated expression of health, a blessing which in fact she possessed
uninterruptedly, very pleasing in itself, and also a powerful auxiliary of that
smiling benignity which constituted the greatest attraction of her person.
Her eyes—the reader may already know—her eyes

‘Like stars of twilight fair;

Like twilight, too, her dark brown hair;
But all things else about her drawn
From May time and the cheerful dawn.’

But strange it is to tell, that in these eyes of vesper gentleness, there was
a considerable obliquity of vision; and much beyond that slight obliquity
which is often supposed to be an attractive foible of the countenance; and
yet though it ought to have been displeasing or repulsive, in fact it was not.
Indeed, all faults, had they been ten times and greater, would have been
swallowed up or neutralised by that supreme expression of her features, to
the intense unity of which every lineament in the fixed parts, and every
undulation in the moving parts or play of her countenance, concurred, viz.,
a sunny benignity—a radiant perception—such as in this world De Quincy
says he never saw equalled or approached.”
Such, then, is the portrait of Mrs. Wordsworth; and now for that of
sweet, musical, romantic, true and generous Dorothy. She was much
shorter, much slighter, and perhaps in other respects as different from Mrs.
Wordsworth in personal characteristics as could have been wished for the
most effective contrast. “Her face was of Egyptian brown: rarely in a
woman of English birth had a more determined gipsy tan been seen. Her
eyes were not soft, as Mrs. Wordsworth’s, nor were they fierce or bold; but
they were wild and startling, and hurried in their motion. Her manner was
warm, and even ardent; her sensibility seemed constitutionally deep; and
some subtle fire of impassioned intellect apparently burned within her,
which, being alternately pushed forward into a conspicuous expression by
the irrepressible instinct of her temperament, and then immediately checked
in obedience to the decorum of her sex and age, and her maidenly condition
(for she had rejected all offers of marriage, out of pure sisterly regard to her
brother, and subsequently to her sister’s children) gave to her whole
demeanour and to her conversation, an air of embarrassment and even of
self conflict, that was sometimes distressing to witness. Even her very
utterance, and enunciation often, or rather generally, suffered in point of
clearness and steadiness, from the agitation of her excessive organic
sensibility, and perhaps from some morbid irritability of the nerves. At
times the self-contracting and self-baffling of her feelings, caused her even
to stammer, and so determinedly to stammer, that a stranger who should
have seen her, and quitted her in that state of feeling, would have certainly
set her down for one plagued with that infirmity of speech, as distressingly
as Charles Lamb himself.... The greatest deductions from Miss
Wordsworth’s attractions, and from the exceeding interest which
surrounded her in right of her character, her history, and the relation which
she fulfilled towards her brother, was the glancing quickness of her
motions, and other circumstances in her deportment—such as her stooping
attitude when walking, which gave an ungraceful, and even an unsexual
character to her appearance when out of doors. She did not cultivate the
graces which preside over the person and its carriage. But on the other hand
she was a person of very remarkable endowments intellectually; and in
addition to the other great services which she rendered to her brother, this
may be mentioned as greater than all the rest, and it was one which equally
operated to the benefit of every casual companion in a walk—viz., the
extending sympathy, always ready, and always profound, by which she
made all that one could tell her, all that one could describe, all that one
could quote from a foreign author, reverberate as it were a plusieurs
reprises to one’s own feelings, by the manifest pleasure it made upon her....
Her knowledge of literature was irregular, and not systematically built up.
She was content to be ignorant of many things; but what she knew and had
really mastered, lay where it could not be disturbed—in the temple of her
own most fervid heart.”... At the time this sketch was written, both the
ladies were about twenty-eight years old. “Miss Wordsworth,” continues De
Quincy, “had seen most of life, and even of good company; for she had
lived, when quite a girl, under the protection of a near relation at Windsor,
who was a personal favourite of the royal family, and consequently of
George the Third.” Nevertheless, De Quincy thinks that “Mrs. Wordsworth
was the more ladylike person of the two.”
The last figure, and the greatest, in this little group of portraits, is
Wordsworth’s, and it is certainly hit off, like the others, with a free and
discriminating hand.
“Wordsworth was, upon the whole, not a well-made man. His legs were
positively condemned by all the female connoisseurs in legs that De Quincy
ever heard lecture on that topic; not that they were bad in any way that
would force itself upon your notice—there was no absolute deformity about
them; and undoubtedly they had been serviceable legs, beyond the average
standard of human requisition; for with these identical legs Wordsworth
must have travelled a distance of one hundred and seventy-five to one
hundred and eighty thousand English miles,—a mode of exertion which to
him stood in the stead of wine, spirits, and all other stimulants whatever to
the animal spirits; to which he has been indebted for a life of unclouded
happiness, and even for much of what is most excellent in his writings. But
useful as they have proved themselves, the Wordsworthian legs were
certainly not ornamental; it was really a pity that he had not another pair for
evening dress parties, when no boots lend their friendly aid to mask our
imperfections from the eyes of female rigourists—the elegantes formarum
spectatrices.... But the worst part of Wordsworth’s person was the bust;
there was a narrowness and a stoop about the shoulders, which became
striking, and had an effect of meanness, when brought into close
juxtaposition with a figure of a most statuesque “order.” ... Further on, De
Quincy relates how he was walking out with Miss Wordsworth, the poet
being before them, deeply engaged in conversation with a person of fine
proportions, and towering figure,—when the contrast was so marked, and
even painful to the poet’s sister, that she could not help exclaiming: “Is it
possible? Can that be William? How very mean he looks!” “And yet,”
continues De Quincy, “Wordsworth was of a good height, just five feet ten,
and not a slender man; on the contrary, by the side of Southey, his limbs
looked thick, almost in a disproportionate degree. But the total effect of
Wordsworth’s person was always worst in a state of motion; for, according
to the remark I have heard from the county people, ‘he walked like a cade;’
a cade being a kind of insect which advances by an oblique motion. This
was not always perceptible, and in part depended (I believe) upon the
position of his arms; when either of these happened (as was very
customary) to be inserted into the unbuttoned waistcoat, his walk had a wry
or twisted appearance; and not appearance only,—for I have known it by
slow degrees gradually to edge off his companion, from the middle to the
side of the high road.’ Meantime his face—that was one which would have
made amends for greater defects of figure; it was certainly the noblest for
intellectual effect, that, De Quincy says, he ever saw. Haydon, the eminent
painter, in his great picture of Christ’s Entry into Jerusalem, has introduced
Wordsworth in the character of a disciple attending his Divine Master....
“Wordsworth’s face was of the long order, often classed as oval, ... and if
not absolutely the indigenous face of the lake district, at any rate a variety
of that face,—a modification of the original type. The head was well filled
out.... The forehead was not remarkably lofty ... but it was, perhaps,
remarkable for its breadth and expansive development. Neither were the
eyes large, ... on the contrary, they were rather small; but that did not
interfere with their effect, which at times was fine, and suitable to his
intellectual character.... The mouth and the region of the mouth—the whole
circumference of the mouth, were about the strongest feature in
Wordsworth’s face. There was nothing especially to be noticed in the mere
outline of the lips, but the swell and protrusion of the parts above and
around the mouth are noticeable.” And then De Quincy tells us why. He had
read that Milton’s surviving daughter, when she saw the crayon drawing
representing the likeness of her father, in Richardson the painter’s thick
octavo volume of Milton, burst out in a rapture of passionate admiration,
exclaiming—“This is my father! this is my dear father!” And when De
Quincy had procured this book, he saw in this likeness of Milton a perfect
portrait of Wordsworth. All the peculiarities, he says, were retained—“A
drooping appearance about the eyelids—that remarkable swell that I have
noticed about the mouth,—the way in which the hair lay upon the forehead.
In two points only there was a deviation from the rigorous truth of
Wordsworth’s features—the face was a little too short and too broad, and
the eyes were too large.—There was also a wreath of laurel about the head,
which, (as Wordsworth remarked,) disturbed the natural expression of the
whole picture; else, and with these few allowances, he also admitted that
the resemblance was, for that period of his life (but let not that restriction be
forgotten;) perfect, or, as nearly so as art could accomplish. This period was
about the year 1807.
 Here, then, thanks to De Quincy, who, for these “Lake Reminiscences”
alone, is well worthy of a pension, which, had I been Prime Minister, he
should have had long ago; for no living man is more deserving of this
distinction for the service he has rendered to our literature:—here, I say, we
have portraits of the inmates of the white cottage at Grasmere; and beautiful
portraits they are. One could have wished that Dr. Wordsworth had given a
little more vitality to his biography of these inmates—that he had used his
pallet and brushes a little more freely (for he can paint, if he likes, as the
description of Rydal Mount shows); but instead of vitality, we have dry
facts—which are the mere bones of biography—and these are often strung
together with very indifferent tendons. We have no picture, for example, of
the poet’s wedded life at this time—we cannot get behind the scenes; all we
know is, that a wedding had taken place, and the good doctor tells us, that
the twain were afterwards very happy all the days of their life, just as fairy
tales wind up. There seems to be a good deal of needless reserve about this
matter; and I, for one, do not thank the greedy poet when he says, touching
his private life, that “a stranger intermeddleth not with his joy.” No one
wishes to meddle with it; but to sympathise with it, and to know how this
joy manifested itself in the little household, appear to be legitimate
demands of the curious lovers of Wordsworth, and, indeed of all curious
men, whether lovers of Wordsworth or not. But the doctor has nothing to
say on these points; and all we can gather respecting them is to be found in
the “Prelude,” and one or two other poems. Here is the extract from the
“Prelude,” expressing the poet’s feelings as he left the cottage with his sister
before his marriage:—

“Fareweil! thou little nook of mountain-ground,

Farewell! we leave thee to Heaven’s peaceful care,
Thee, and the cottage, which thou dost surround.
We go for one to whom ye will be dear;
And she will prize this bower, this Indian shed,
Our own contrivance—building without peer;
A gentle maid....
Will come to you, to you herself will wed,
And love the blessed life that we lead here.”

And in this place it will be well to give De Quincy’s sketch of the cottage
itself, where this blessed life was lived, and to share which the poet went to
fetch his bride from her father’s house:—“A little semi-vestibule between
two doors, prefaced the entrance into what might be considered the
principal room of the cottage. It was an oblong square, not above eight and
a half feet high, sixteen feet long, and twelve broad; very prettily
wainscotted, from the floor to the ceiling, with dark polished oak, slightly
embellished with carving. One window there was—a perfect and
unpretending cottage window—with little diamond panes, embowered, at
almost every season of the year, with roses; and in the summer and autumn,
with jessamine and other fragrant shrubs. From the exuberant luxuriance of
the vegetation around it, and from the dark hue of the wainscotting, this
window, though tolerably large, did not furnish a very powerful light to one
who entered from the open air.... I was ushered up a little flight of stairs—
fourteen in all—to a little dingy room, or whatever the reader chooses to
call it. Wordsworth himself has described the fire-place of this, his—

‘Half kitchen and half parlour fire.’

It was not fully seven feet six inches high, and in other respects of pretty
nearly the same dimensions as the rustic hall below. There was however, in
a small recess, a library of perhaps three hundred volumes, which seemed to
consecrate the nook as the poet’s study, and composing room; and so
occasionally it was.”
So far then, De Quincy; and the following poem, already alluded to, will
give an idea of the poet’s feelings respecting the bride he brought with him
to share the cottage blessedness of Grasmere.
 “She was a phantom of delight,
When first she gleamed upon my sight;
A lovely apparition, sent
To be a moment’s ornament.
Her eyes as stars of twilight fair;
Like twilight too her dusky hair;
But all things else about her drawn
From May time and the cheerful dawn;
A dancing shape, an image gay,
To haunt, to startle, and waylay.

I saw her upon nearer view,

A spirit, yet a woman too!
Her household motions light and free,
And steps of virgin liberty;
A countenance in which did meet
Sweet records, promises as sweet;
A creature not too bright or good
For human nature’s daily food;
For transient sorrows, simple wiles,
Praise, blame, love, kisses, tears, and smiles.

And now I see with eye serene

The very pulse of the machine;
A being breathing thoughtful breath,
A traveller between life and death;
The reason firm, the temperate will,
Endurance, foresight, strength and skill;
A perfect woman, nobly planned,
To warn, to comfort, to command;
And yet a spirit still, and bright,
With something of angelic light.”

This beautiful poem, so full of calm affection, and intellectual homage,

is a fair sample of Wordsworth’s love poems, as well as a charming tribute
to his wife’s loveliness and virtue. In early life, it is thought by De Quincy
and others, that the poet had experienced a tragical termination to an early
love, and that the poems of which “Lucy” is the theme, were addressed to
the object of this love; but Wordsworth always maintained a mysterious
silence about the whole affair, and would never resolve the riddle of this
attachment. The “Lucy” poems, however, beautiful as they are, are chiefly