an hardly, even if I were so inclined, remain here till
they are settled. I think it will end in my staying till the next mail
comes in from the North.

_Sunday, December 16th.--Eight A.M._--The mornings are lovely here
now; a bright sun, rising about half-past six; and not exactly frost,
but a mere hint of its presence in the air. I take walks, and have
just returned from one; generally the tour of the race ground, which
is the only walk here. While I humbly pace along, the clerks of the
_Hongs_--such of them at least as are careful of their healths, and
moderate in their supper arrangements--flaunt past me on their
chargers. I march on, thinking whether it would not in a new existence
be advisable to begin life as a tea-taster.

_December 21st._--The wind has changed to the north, and my walk this
morning was a colder one. Yesterday I made a tour of the town of
Shanghae, and find that the French, by way of protecting it, burnt
down about one-half of the suburbs during the summer. They have
destroyed it to a greater extent than we destroyed Canton in 1857 by
our bombardment. 'Save me from my friends,' the poor Chinaman may well
say. The French have some method in their madness, for they want the
ground of the burnt district, and they insist on having it now at the
cost of the land, 'as there are no houses upon it.' At Canton, in the
same way, they have seized land in the most unjustifiable way, to
build churches on.

_Shanghae.--December 31st._--Yesterday was a torrent of rain, and I
never left the house. As I have a comfortable room, and no great
interruptions, I get through a good deal of my reading. ... There was
a fortnight of the 'Times' to begin with. The Reviews. ... Trollope's
novel of 'Dr. Thorne;' 'Aurora Leigh' (which I admire greatly); then
Sir Robert Wilson's 'Russian Campaign,' which contains some curious
revelations; Darwin's 'Origin of Species,' which is audacious; &c. &c.
In short, you will allow that I have not been quite idle during the
fortnight.

_January 1st,_ 1861.-This is the first time I sign the new year. May
it bring much happiness to you!... It was introduced here by
dancing. But I was not in a lively humour, and retired as soon as I
could.... No mail yet, and I would start without it, were it not that
I expect three mails by it.

[Sidenote: Hon