are very good. I don't want money. All my possessions are free and in the best order. Still, at fifty-five or fifty-six, the likelihood of making a very great addition to one's capital in half a year is an immense consideration. I repeat the phrase, because there should be something large to set against the objections.

...

I dine with Forster to-day, to talk it over. I have no doubt he will urge most of your objections and particularly the last, though American friends and correspondents he has have undoubtedly staggered him more than I ever knew him to be staggered on the money question. Be assured that no one can present any argument to me which will weigh more heartily with me than your kind words, and that whatever comes of my present state of abeyance, I shall never forget your letter or cease to be grateful for it.

Ever, my dear Wills, faithfully yours.

DLXII. HENRY F. CHORLEY

GAD'S HILL PLACE, HIGHAM By Rochester, Kent,
Sunday, June 2, 1867.

MY DEAR CHORLEY, Thank God I have come triumphantly through the heavy work of the fifty-one readings, and am wonderfully fresh. I grieve to hear of your sad occupation. You know where to find rest and quiet and sympathy when you can change the dreary scene.

I saw poor dear Stanfield (on a hint from his eldest son) in a day's interval between two expeditions. It was clear that the shadow of the end had fallen on him.

It happened well that I had seen, on a wild day at Tynemouth, a remarkable sea effect, of which I wrote a description to him, and he had kept it under his pillow. This place is looking very pretty. The freshness and repose of it, after all those thousands of gas-lighted faces, sink into the soul.

DLXIII. W. H. WILLS

GAD'S HILL PLACE, HIGHAM BY ROCHESTER, Kent,
Sunday, June 23, 1867.

MY DEAR WILLS, I have read the first three numbers of Wilkie's story this morning, and have gone minutely through

narra

the plot of the rest to the last line. It gives a series of tives," but it is a very curious story, wild, and yet domestic, with excellent character in it, and great mystery. It is prepared with extraordinary care, and has every chance of being a hit. It is in many respects much better than anything he has done. The question is, how shall we fill up the blank between Mabel's Progress and Wilkie ? What do you think of proposing to Fitzgerald to do a story three months long? I dare say he has some unfinished or projected something by him.

I have an impression that it was not Silvester who tried Eliza Fenning, but Knowles. One can hardly suppose Thornbury to make such a mistake, but I wish you would look into the Annual Register. I have added a final paragraph about the unfairness of the judge, whoever he was. I distinctly recollect to have read of his "putting down" of Eliza Fenning's father when the old man made some miserable suggestion in his daughter's behalf (this is not noticed by Thornbury), and he also stopped some suggestion that a knife thrust into a loaf adulterated with alum would present the appearance that these knives presented. But I may have got both these points from looking up some pamphlets in Upcott's collection which I once had.

Your account of your journey reminds me of one of the latest American stories, how a traveller by stage-coach said to the driver: "Did you ever see a snail, sir?" "Yes, sir." "Where did you meet him, sir?" "I did n't meet him, sir! “Wa'al, sir, I think you did, if you'll excuse me, for I'm damned if you ever overtook him." Ever faithfully.

DLXIV. MRS. HENDERSON

GAD'S HILL, Thursday, July 4, 1867.

MY DEAR MRS. HENDERSON, - I was more shocked than surprised by the receipt of your mother's announcement of our poor dear Marguerite's 1 death. When I heard of the consultation, and recalled what had preceded it and what I have seen here, my hopes were very slight.

Your letter did not reach me until last night, and thus I could not avoid remaining here to-day, to keep an American appointment of unusual importance. You and your mother

1 Formerly Miss Marguerite Power.

both know, I think, that I had a great affection for Marguerite, that we had many dear remembrances together, and that her self-reliance and composed perseverance had awakened my highest admiration in later times. No one could have stood by her grave to-day with a better knowledge of all that was great and good in her than I have, or with a more loving remembrance of her through all her phases since she first came to London a pretty, timid girl.

I do not trouble your mother by writing to her separately. It is a sad, sad task to write at all. God help us!

Faithfully yours.

DLXV. PERCY FITZGERALD

GAD'S HILL, July 21, 1867.

MY DEAR FITZGERALD, — I am heartily glad to get your letter, and shall be thoroughly well pleased to study you again in the pages of "A. Y. R."

I have settled nothing yet about America, but am going to send Dolby out on the 3d of next month to survey the land, and come back with a report on some heads whereon I require accurate information. Proposals (both from American and English speculators) of a very tempting nature have been repeatedly made to me; but I cannot endure the thought of binding myself to give so many readings there whether I like it or no, and, if I go at all, am bent on going with Dolby single-handed.

I have been doing two things for America; one, the little story to which you refer; the other, four little papers for a child's magazine. I like them both, and think the latter a queer combination of a child's mind with a grown-up joke. I have had them printed to assure correct printing in the United States. You shall have the proofs to read, with the greatest pleasure. On second thoughts, why should n't I send you the children's proof by this same post? I will, as I have it here, send it under another cover. When you return it, you shall have the short story. Believe me, always heartily yours.

July 28, 1867.

I am glad you like the children, and particularly glad you like the pirate. I remember very well when I had a general idea of occupying that place in history at the same age. loved more desperately than Boldheart.

But I

DLXVI. MISS HOGARTH

ADELPHI HOTEL, LIVERPOOL, Friday Night, August 2, 1867. MY DEAREST GEORGY, I cannot get a boot on wear a slipper on my left foot, and consequently am here under difficulties. My foot is occasionally painful, but not very. I don't think it worth while consulting anybody about it as yet. I make out so many reasons against supposing it to be gouty, that I really do not think it is.

Dolby begs me to send all manner of apologetic messages for his going to America. He is very cheerful and hopeful, but evidently feels the separation from his wife and child very much. His sister 1 was at Euston Square this morning, looking very well. Sainton, too, very light and jovial.

With the view of keeping myself and my foot quiet, I think I will not come to Gad's Hill until Monday. If I don't appear before, send basket to Gravesend to meet me, leaving town by the 12.10 on Monday. This is important, as I could n't walk a quarter of a mile to-night for five hundred pounds.

Love to all at Gad's.

MY DEAR WILLS,

DLXVII. W. H. WILLS

GAD'S HILL, Monday, September 2, 1867. Like you, I was shocked when this new

discovery burst upon me on Friday, though, unlike you, I never could believe in solely (I think) because, often as I have tried him, I never found him standing by my desk when I was writing a letter without trying to read it.

I fear there is no doubt that since -'s discharge, he ((-) has stolen money at the readings. A case of an abstracted shilling seems to have been clearly brought home to him by Chappell's people, and they know very well what that means. I supposed a very clear keeping off from Anne's husband (whom I recommended for employment to Chappell) to have been referable only to; but now I see how hopeless and unjust it would be to expect belief from him with two such cases within his knowledge.

But don't let the thing spoil your holiday. If we try to do 1 Madame Sainton Dolby.

our duty by people we employ, by exacting their proper service from them on the one hand, and treating them with all possible consistency, gentleness, and consideration on the other, we know that we do right. Their doing wrong cannot change our doing right, and that should be enough for us.

So I have given my feathers a shake, and am all right again. Give your feathers a shake, and take a cheery flutter into the air of Hertfordshire.

Great reports from Dolby and also from Fields! But I keep myself quite calm, and hold my decision in abeyance until I shall have book, chapter, and verse before me. Dolby hoped he could leave Uncle Sam on the 11th of this month.

Sydney has passed as a lieutenant, and appeared at home yesterday, all of a sudden, with the consequent golden garniture on his sleeve, which I, God forgive me, stared at without the least idea that it meant promotion.

I am glad you see a certain unlikeness to anything in the American story. Upon myself it has made the strangest impression of reality and originality!! And I feel as if I had read something (by somebody else), which I should never get out of my mind!!! The main idea of the narrator's position towards the other people was the idea that I had for my next novel in "A. Y. R." But it is very curious that I did not in the least see how to begin his state of mind until I walked into Hoghton Towers one bright April day with Dolby.

Faithfully ever.

DLXVIII. F. D. FINLAY

GAD'S HILL PLACE, HIGHAM BY ROCHESTER, KENT,

Tuesday, September 3, 1867.

This is to certify that the undersigned victim of a periodical paragraph-disease, which usually breaks out once in every seven years (proceeding to England by the overland route to India and per Cunard line to America, where it strikes the base of the Rocky Mountains, and, rebounding to Europe, perishes on the steppes of Russia), is not in a "critical state of health," and has not consulted "eminent surgeons," and never was better in his life, and is not recommended to proceed to the United States for "cessation from literary labour," and has not had so much as a headache for twenty years. CHARLES DICKENS.