when, putting aside all idle musical
compliments, I tried to cheer her by the thought,--how nobly and
generously for many good purposes she was using the melodious gift of
God to her, poor Jenny only looked up devoutly, and shook her head, and
sighed, and seemed unhappy. However, it was time to go, so with another
hearty shake-hands, and 'my love to _dear_ England,' Jenny Lind and I
took leave. This testimony as to my book's good use for comfort,--she
will 'read more now she sees me,'--is very pleasing,--it is much to do
poor Jenny good, who does good to so many others. I think I've forgotten
to say that great old Webster, the Secretary of State, avows that he
'always after hard work refreshes his mind' with that book: and--I might
fill volumes with the same sort of thing. God has blessed my writings to
millions of the human race! And from prince to peasant good has been
done through this hand, incalculable.--God alone be praised."

CHAPTER XXXIII.

SECOND AMERICAN VISIT.

After the long interval of five-and-twenty years, filled up with many
more such volumes and fly-leaves, I called again by pressing invitation
on my American constituency, and found them as warm and generous and
hospitable as before. This time I was six months a guest among
them,--literally so, for I found myself passed on from home to home, and
almost never took my bed at an hotel. The chief feature of this visit
was that I posed everywhere as a public "reader from my own works," and
met with generally good success, in spite of the terrific winter weather
manfully encountered half the time. Everybody knows what extremities of
cold are endured both in the North-Eastern States and in Canada. At
Baltimore I have seen the snow piled almost man-high on each side of the
middle lane dug for the tramway,--in New York men skated to their
offices; at Ottawa the thermometer was 25 deg. below zero, and at Montreal
it was everywhere deep snow (glorious for sleighing), icicles yard long
outside the windows,--and of course smaller audiences to a frozen-up
lecturer. Yet many came nevertheless, and I am pleased to remember among
them good Bishop Oxenden and his family. In spite, then, of positively
Arctic influences, as I had to do it, I did it bravely; and sent home
needful dollars, and came back with a pocket full too. All this is
surely part of an author's lifework; so I am writing appositely.

Among notabilia of this second visit, which was crowded like