e we
made at Cranford, and who are very civil and amiable in their
demonstrations of good-will towards us. A son of the Duke of Leinster
was at this dinner, and invited ---- to go with him this morning and
see Prince Albert review the Guards; which he has accordingly done.

To-night we go to Sydney Smith's, which I always enjoy exceedingly; and
for next week, I am happy to say, we have at present no engagements but
a dinner at the Francis Egertons', and another evening at Sydney
Smith's....

I believe I have now told you pretty much all I have to tell. I am
working at a translation of a French piece called "Mademoiselle de Belle
Isle," by which I hope to make a little money, with which I should be
very glad to pay Mademoiselle Devy's bill for my spring finery.

I went to Covent Garden the other day, to see if I could find anything
in the theatre wardrobe that I could make use of for "The Hunchback,"
and did find something; and, moreover, I think Adelaide will be able to
get her dress for Helen from there, though it seemed rather a doleful
daylight collection of frippery. My first dress I can make one of my own
white muslin ones serve for, my last I shall get beautifully out of my
Court costume; so that the three will only cost me the price of altering
them for the private theatrical occasion.

We met at Oatlands Mrs. G----, the mother of the Member for Dublin, who
has been preparing herself, by a twelve years' residence on the
Continent, for a plunge into savagedom, by a return to her home in
Connemara; and it was both comical and sad to hear her first launch out
upon the merits of the dear "wild Irish," and her desire to be among and
serviceable to "her people," and then, all in the same breath, declare
that the mere atmosphere of England and English society was enough to
kill any one with "the blue devils" who had ever been abroad; and this,
mind you, is the impression British existence makes upon her in the full
height of the gay London season. Fancy what she will find Connemara! She
knows you and your people, and gave me a most ardent invitation to the
savage Ireland where she lives. Poor woman! I pity her; her case is not
absolutely unknown to me, or quite without parallel in my own
experience.

Good-bye. God bless you.

Your affectionate
F. A. B.

HARLEY ST