]

148, KING'S ROAD, BRIGHTON,
_Tuesday Night, March 12th, 1850._

MY DEAR WILLS,

I have made a correction or two in my part of the post-office article. I
still observe the top-heavy "Household Words" in the title. The title of
"The Amusements of the People" has to be altered as I have marked it. I
would as soon have my hair cut off as an intolerable Scotch shortness
put into my titles by the elision of little words. "The Seasons" wants a
little punctuation. Will the "Incident in the Life of Mademoiselle
Clairon" go into those two pages? I fear not, but one article would be
infinitely better, I am quite certain, than two or three short ones. If
it will go in, in with it.

I shall be back, please God, by dinner-time to-morrow week. I will be
ready for Smithfield either on the following Monday morning at four, or
any other morning you may arrange for.

Would it do to make up No. 2 on Wednesday, the 20th, instead of
Saturday? If so, it would be an immense convenience to me. But if it be
distinctly necessary to make it up on Saturday, say by return, and I am
to be relied upon. Don't fail in this.

I really _can't_ promise to be comic. Indeed, your note put me out a
little, for I had just sat down to begin, "It will last my time." I will
shake my head a little, and see if I can shake a more comic substitute
out of it.

As to _two_ comic articles, or two any sort of articles, out of me,
that's the intensest extreme of no-goism.

Ever faithfully.

[Sidenote: Rev. James White.]

DEVONSHIRE TERRACE, _July 13th, 1850._

MY DEAR WHITE,

Being obliged (sorely against my will) to leave my work this morning and
go out, and having a few spare minutes before I go, I write a hasty
note, to hint how glad I am to have received yours, and how happy and
tranquil we feel it to be for you all, that the end of that long illness
has come.[8] Kate and Georgy send best loves to Mrs. White, and we hope
she will take all needful rest and relief after those arduous, sad, and
weary weeks. I have taken a house at Broadstairs, from early in August
until the end of October, as I don't want to come back to London until I
shall have finished "Copperfield." I am rejoiced at the idea of your
going there. You will find it the healthiest and freshest of places; and
there are Canterbury, and all varietie