if I thought _Joe had seen the Dute of Wellyton_. He has a
medal of the Duke of Wellington, which put the name into his head.
By-the-bye, Robert yesterday, in a burst of national vanity, informed
the child that this was the man who beat Napoleon. 'Then I sint he a
velly naughty man. What! he beat Napoleon _wiz a stit_?' (with a stick).
Imagine how I laughed, and how Robert himself couldn't help laughing.
So, the seraphs judge our glories!

If you have seen Sir David Brewster lately I should like to know whether
he has had more experience concerning the tables, and has modified his
conclusions in any respect. I myself am convinced as I can be of any
fact, that there is an _external intelligence_; the little I have seen
is conclusive to me. And this makes me more anxious that the subject
should be examined with common fairness by learned persons. Only the
learned won't learn--that's the worst of them. Their hands are too full
to gather simples. It seems to me a new development of law in the human
constitution, which has worked before in exceptional cases, but now
works in general.

Dearest friend, I do not speak of your own anxious watch and tender
grief, but think of them deeply. Believe that I love you always and in
all truth.

Your
E.B.B.

* * * * *

_To Miss E.F. Haworth_

[Rome:] 43 Bocca di Leone: December 27, [1853].

My dearest Fanny,--I can't judge of your 'obstacles,' of course, but as
to your being snowed up on the road or otherwise impeded between Rome
and Civita (Castellana or Vecchia), there's certainly not room for even
a dream of it. There has been beautiful weather here ever since we came,
except for exacting invalids. I, for instance, have been kept in the
house for a fortnight or more (till Christmas Day, when I was able to
get to St. Peter's) by tramontana; but there has been sun on _most_ days
of cold, and nothing has been _severe_ as cold. The hard weather came in
November, before we arrived. I was out yesterday, and may be to-day,
perhaps. 'Judge ye!'...

You bid me write. But to what end, if you are here on New Year's Day?
There's not time for a letter.

And at first I intended not to write, till beginning to consider how, as
you are not actually of the race of Medes and Persians, you might
possibly so modify your plans as to be able to receive these lines. Oh,
a provoking person or persons you are, since you and Ellen Heaton are
plural henceforth! No,