journey; and the people would seem to be coming up to the scratch gallantly. It was a dull Sunday, though; oh, it was a dull Sunday, without a book! For I had forgotten to buy one at Newcastle, until it was too late. So after dark I made a jug of whiskey punch, and drowned the unlucky Headland's remembrance of his failures. I shall hope to hear very soon that the workmen have "broken through," and that you have been in the state apartments, and that upholstery measurements have come off. There has been a horrible accident in Edinburgh. One of the seven-story old houses in the High Street fell when it was full of people. Berry was at the bill-poster's house, a few doors off, waiting for him to come home, when he heard what seemed like thunder, and then the air was darkened with dust, an immense quantity of steam had been blown off," and then all that dismal quarter set up shrieks, which he says were most dreadful. 66 as if CCCCXLII. MISS DICKENS WATERLOO HOTEL, Edinburgh, Mrs. Bouncer must decidedly come with you to Carlisle. She shall be received with open arms. Apropos of Carlisle, let me know when you purpose coming there. We shall be there, please God, on the Saturday in good time, as I finish at Glasgow on the Friday night. I have very little notion of the state of affairs here, as Headland brought no more decisive information from the agents yesterday (he never can get decisive information from any agents), than "the teeckets air joost moving reecht and left." I hope this may be taken as satisfactory. Jenny Lind carried off a world of money from here. Miss Glyn, or Mrs. Dallas, is playing Lady Macbeth at the theatre, and Mr. Shirley Brooks is giving two lectures at the Philosophical Society on the House of Commons and Horace Walpole. Grisi's farewell benefits are (I think) on my last two nights here. He was Gordon dined with me yesterday. He is, if anything, rather better, I think, than when we last saw him in town. immensely pleased to be with me. I went with him (as his office goes anywhere) right into and among the ruins of the fallen building yesterday. They were still at work trying to find two men (brothers), a young girl, and an old woman, known to be all lying there. On the walls two or three common clocks are still hanging; one of them, judging from the time at which it stopped, would seem to have gone for an hour or so after the fall. Great interest had been taken in a poor linnet in a cage, hanging in the wind and rain high up against the broken wall. A fireman got it down alive, and great exultation had been raised over it. One woman, who was dug out unhurt, staggered into the street, stared all round her, instantly ran away, and has never been heard of since. It is a most extraordinary sight, and of course makes a great sensation. CCCCXLIII. MISS DICKENS WATERLOO HOTEL, EDINBURGH, Friday, November 29, 1861. I think it is my turn to write to you, and I therefore send a brief despatch, like a telegram, to let you know that in a gale of wind and a fierce rain, last night, we turned away a thousand people. There was no getting into the hall, no getting near the hall, no stirring among the people, no getting out, no possibility of getting rid of them. And yet, in spite of all that, and of their being steaming wet, they never flagged for an instant, never made a complaint, and took up the trial upon their very shoulders, to the last word, in a triumphant roar. morn The talk about "Copperfield” rings through the whole place. It is done again to-morrow night. To-morrow morning I read "Dombey." To-morrow morning is Grisi's "farewell ing concert, and last night was her "farewell" evening concert. Neither she, nor Jenny Lind, nor anything, nor anybody seems to make the least effect on the draw of the readings. I lunch with Blackwood to-day. He was at the reading last night; a capital audience. Young Blackwood has also called here. A very good young fellow, I think. CCCCXLIV. MISS HOGARTH CARRICK'S ROYAL HOTEL, GLASGOW, I send you by this post another "Scotsman." From a para graph in it, a letter, and an advertisement, you may be able to form some dim guess of the scene at Edinburgh last night. Such a pouring of hundreds into a place already full to the throat, such indescribable confusion, such a rending and tearing of dresses, and yet such a scene of good humour on the whole. I never saw the faintest approach to it. While I addressed the crowd in the room, Gordon addressed the crowd in the street. Fifty frantic men got up in all parts of the hall and addressed me all at once. Other frantic men made speeches to the walls. The whole Blackwood family were borne in on the top of a wave, and landed with their faces against the front of the platform. I read with the platform crammed with people. I got them to lie down upon it, and it was like some impossible tableau or gigantic picnic; one pretty girl in full dress lying on her side all night, holding on to one of the legs of my table. It was the most extraordinary sight. And yet from the moment I began to the moment of my leaving off, they never missed a point, and they ended with a burst of cheers. The confusion was decidedly owing to the local agents. But I think it may have been a little heightened by Headland's way of sending them the tickets to sell in the first instance. Now, as I must read again in Edinburgh on Saturday night, your travelling arrangements are affected. So observe carefully (you and Mamie) all that I am going to say. It appears to me that the best course will be for you to come to Edinburgh on Saturday; taking the fast train from the Great Northern station at nine in the morning. This would bring you to the Waterloo at Edinburgh, at about nine or so at night, and I should be home at ten. We could then have a quiet Sunday in Edinburgh, and go over to Carlisle on the Monday morning. The expenditure of lungs and spirits was (as you may suppose) rather great last night, and to sleep well was out of the question; I am therefore rather fagged to-day. And as the hall in which I read to-night is a large one, I must make my letter a short one. My people were torn to ribbons last night. a hat among them, and scarcely a coat. They have not Give my love to Mamie. To her question, "Will there be war with America?" I answer, "Yes;" I fear the North to be utterly mad, and war to be unavoidable. CCCCXLV. W. H. WILLS VICTORIA HOTEL, PRESTON, Friday, December 13, 1861. MY DEAR WILLS, The news of the Christmas number is indeed glorious, and nothing can look brighter or better than the prospects of the illustrious publication. Both Carlisle and Lancaster have come out admirably, though I doubted both, as you did. But, unlike you, I always doubted this place. I do so still. It is a poor place at the best (you remember?), and the mills are working half time, and trade is very bad. The expenses, however, will be a mere nothing. The accounts from Manchester for to-morrow, from Liverpool for the readings generally, are very cheering indeed. and The young lady who sells the papers at the station is just the same as ever. Has orders for to-night, and is coming "with a person." "The person?" said I. "Never you mind," said she. I was so charmed with Robert Chambers's "Traditions of Edinburgh" (which I read in Edinburgh), that I was obliged to write to him and say so. Glasgow finished nobly, and the last night in Edinburgh was signally successful and positively splendid. Will you give my small Admiral, on his personal application, one sovereign? I have told him to come to you for that recognition of his meritorious services. Ever faithfully. CCCCXLVI. THE SAME ADELPHI HOTEL, LIVERPOOL, Sunday, December 15, 1861. MY DEAR WILLS, I sent you a telegram to-day, and I write before the answer has come to hand. I have been very doubtful what to do here. We have a great let for to-morrow night. The mayor recommends closing to-morrow, and going on on Tuesday and Wednesday, so does the town clerk, so do the agents. But I have a misgiving that they hardly understand what the public general sympathy with the Queen will be. Further, I feel personally that the Queen has always been very considerate and gracious to me, and I would on no account do anything that might seem unfeeling or disrespectful. I shall attach great weight, in this state of indecision, to your telegram. A capital audience at Preston. Not a capacious room, but Great appreciation. full. The scene at Manchester last night was really magnificent. I had had the platform carried forward to our "Frozen Deep " point, and my table and screen built in with a proscenium and room scenery. When I went in (there was a very fine hall), they applauded in the most tremendous manner; and the extent to which they were taken aback and taken by storm by "Copperfield" was really a thing to see. The post closes early here on a Sunday, and I shall close this also without further reference to 66 W. H. W. being probably on the road. a message from the " Radley is ill, and supposed to be fast declining, poor fellow. The house is crammed, the assizes on, and troops perpetually embarking for Canada, and their officers passing through the hotel. Kindest regards, ever faithfully. CCCCXLVII. W. H. WILLS AT THE BIRMINGHAM STATION, Thursday, January 2, 1862. MY DEAR WILLS, Being stationed here for an hour, on my way from Leamington to Cheltenham, I write to you. Firstly, to reciprocate all your cordial and affectionate wishes for the New Year, and to express my earnest hope that we may go on through many years to come, as we have gone on through many years that are gone. And I think we can say that we doubt whether any two men can have gone on more happily and smoothly, or with greater trust and confidence in one another. A little packet will come to you from Hunt and Roskell's, almost at the same time, I think, as this note. The packet will contain a claret-jug. I hope it is a pretty thing in itself for your table, and I know that you and Mrs. Wills will like it none the worse because it comes from me. It is not made of a perishable material, and is so far expressive of our friendship. I have had your name and mine set upon it, in token of our many years of mutual reliance and |