o you to read. They are not to be got now: and I have
entreated Spedding to republish them with Macmillan, with such a preface
of his own--congenial Critic and Poet--as would discover these Violets
now modestly hidden under the rank Vegetation of Browning, Swinburne, and
Co. Some of these Sonnets have a Shakespeare fancy in them:--some rather
puerile--but the greater part of them, pure, delicate, beautiful, and
quite original. {151b} I told Mr. Norton (America) to get them published
over the water if no one will do so here.

Little did I think that I should ever come to relish--old Sam Rogers! But
on taking him up the other day (with Stothard's Designs, to be sure!) I
found a sort of Repose from the hatchet-work School, of which I read in
the Athenaeum.

I like, you know, a good Murder; but in its place--

'The charge is prepared; the Lawyers are met--
The Judges all ranged, a terrible Show' {152}--

only the other night I could not help reverting to that sublime--yes!--of
Thurtell, sending for his accomplice Hunt, who had saved himself by
denouncing Thurtell--sending for him to pass the night before Execution
with perfect Forgiveness--Handshaking--and 'God bless you--God bless
you--you couldn't help it--I hope you'll live to be a good man.'

You accept--and answer--my Letters very kindly: but this--pray do
think--is an answer--verily by return of Post--to yours.

Here is Summer! The leaves suddenly shaken out like flags. I am
preparing for Nieces, and perhaps for my Sister Andalusia--who used to
visit my Brother yearly.

Your sincere Ancient
E. F.G.

LVIII.

WOODBRIDGE: _August_ 4, [1879].

MY DEAR MRS. KEMBLE:

Two or three days, I think, after receiving your last letter, I posted an
answer addrest to the Poste Restante of--Lucerne, was it?--anyhow, the
town whose name you gave me, and no more. Now, I will venture through
Coutts, unwilling as I am to trouble their Highnesses--with whom my
Family have banked for three--if not four--Generations. Otherwise, I do
not think they would be troubled with my Accounts, which they attend to
as punctually as if I were 'my Lord;' and I am now their last Customer of
my family, I believe, though I doubt not they have several Dozens of my
Name in their Books--for Better or Worse.

What now spurs me to write is--an Article {153} I have seen in a Number
of Macmillan for February, with very honourable mention of your Brother
John in an Introductory