ng that I can claim as my own. I
suppose that I think on these points as very many educated men do think;
I mean as to Principles of Art. I am not sure I understand your word
'Imagination' as opposed to realistic (d---d word) detail at p. 26, but I
suppose I suppose I know what is meant, nevertheless, and agree with
that. Is the Prophet of p. 24 _Gurlyle_? {139c} I think so. The fine
head of him which figures as Frontispiece to the People's Edition of
Sartor made me think of a sad Old Prophet; so that I bought the Book for
the Portrait only.

The 'Brown Umbrella' pleased me greatly.

Well; and I thought there were other Papers in Fraser which made me think
that, on the whole, I would take in Fraser rather than the Cornhill which
you advised. Perhaps I am just now out of tune for Novels; whether that
be so or not, I don't get an Appetite for Annie Thackeray's {140} from
the two Numbers I have had.

And here is Spedding's vol. vi. which leaves me much where it found me
about Bacon: but though I scarce care for him, I can read old Spedding's
pleading for him for ever; that is, old Spedding's simple statement of
the case, as he sees it. The Ralegh Business is quite delightful, better
than Old Kensington.

Then I have bought 3 vols of the '_Ladies Magazine_' for 1750-3 by
'Jasper Goodwill' who died at Vol. iv. It contains the Trials and
Executions (16 men at a time) of the time; _Miss Blandy_ above all; and
such delightful Essays, Poems, and Enigmas, for _Ladies_! The Allegories
are in the Rasselas style, all Oriental. The Essays 'of all the Virtues
which adorn, etc.' Then Anecdotes of the Day: as of a Country woman in
St. James' Park taking on because she cannot go home till she has kissed
the King's hand: one of the Park keepers tells one of the Pages, who
tells the King, who has the Woman in to kiss his hand, and take some
money beside. One wonders there weren't heaps of such loyal Subjects.

Mowbray Donne wrote me that he sent you the Fragments I had saved and
transcribed of Morton's Letters; the best part having been lost by
Blackwood's People thirty years ago, as I believe I told you. But don't
you think what remains capital? I wish you would get them put into some
Magazine, just for the sake of some of our Day getting them in Print. You
might just put a word of Preface as to the Author: an Irish Gentleman, of
Estate and Fortune (which of course went the Irish way), who was Scholar,
Artist, Newspape