position in connection with dramatic literature has always
suggested to me that there would be a great fitness and grace in your
appearing in this post. I am convinced that the public would regard it
in that light, and I particularly ask you to reflect that we never can
do battle with the Lords, if we will not bestow ourselves to go into
places which they have long monopolised. Now pray discuss this matter
with yourself once more. If you can come to a favourable conclusion I
shall be really delighted, and will of course come from Paris to be by
you; if you cannot come to a favourable conclusion I shall be really
sorry, though I of course most readily defer to your right to regard
such a matter from your own point of view.

Ever faithfully yours.

[Sidenote: Miss Hogarth.]

"HOUSEHOLD WORDS" OFFICE, _Tuesday, March 11th, 1856_.[24]

MY DEAR GEORGY,

I have been in bed half the day with my cold, which is excessively
violent, consequently have to write in a great hurry to save the post.

Tell Catherine that I have the most prodigious, overwhelming, crushing,
astounding, blinding, deafening, pulverising, scarifying secret, of
which Forster is the hero, imaginable by the whole efforts of the whole
British population. It is a thing of that kind that, after I knew it,
(from himself) this morning, I lay down flat as if an engine and tender
had fallen upon me.

Love to Catherine (not a word of Forster before anyone else), and to
Mamey, Katey, Harry, and the noble Plorn. Tell Collins with my kind
regards that Forster has just pronounced to me that "Collins is a
decidedly clever fellow." I hope he is a better fellow in health, too.

Ever affectionately.

[Sidenote: Miss Hogarth.]

"HOUSEHOLD WORDS," _Friday, March 14th, 1856._

MY DEAR GEORGY,

I am amazed to hear of the snow (I don't know why, but it excited John
this morning beyond measure); though we have had the same east wind
here, and _the_ cold and _my_ cold have both been intense.

Yesterday evening Webster, Mark, Stanny, and I went to the Olympic,
where the Wigans ranged us in a row in a gorgeous and immense private
box, and where we saw "Still Waters Run Deep." I laughed (in a
conspicuous manner) to that extent at Emery, when he received the
dinner-company, that the people were more amused by me than by the
piece. I d