' who burned the Cromwell Diary. I was the intelligent Friend
who interviewed Squire; as unlike as might be in Age, Person, and
Character, to the Man Carlyle had prefigured from his Letters. One day I
will send you the little Correspondence between T. C. and his intelligent
Friend, as rather a Curiosity in Historical Acumen.

I, Dryasdust, want to know if the Moon, the 'Harvest' Moon, too, really
'waded through the Clouds' on the night before Dunbar Battle. She makes
so good a Figure in the Scene that I wish the Almanack to authorize her
Presence. Carlyle is, I believe, generally accurate in these as in
sublunary matters, but I had just found him writing of Orion looking down
on Paris on August 9, when Orion is hardly up before Sunrise. . . .

And you have been so near where once I lived as Wherstead! in which
Parish my Family resided from about 1822 to 1835, at a large Square House
on the hill opposite to the Vicarage. I know no more of Mr. Zincke than
his Books, which are very good, I think: there is a bit concerning Hodge
the English Labourer's inward thoughts as he works in a ditch through a
Winter's Day, that is--a piece of Shakespeare. It is one of my few
recital pieces: and I was quoting it the other day to two People, who
wondered they had never observed it in the Book it came from, which is
'Egypt under the Pharaohs,' {231} I think.

WOODBRIDGE. _February_ 14/78.

MY DEAR SIR,

It is so long since I have heard from you that, in spite of knowing how
inopportunely an idle Letter may reach any one amid any sorrows, or much
business, I venture one, you see: but whether it be a trouble to lead or
not, do not feel bound to answer it except in the fewest words, in case
you are any way indisposed. You have--a family: you had an aged Mother,
when last I heard from you: room enough for anxieties and sorrows!

I had your printed Report on Olympia, which I do not pretend to be a
Judge [of]. I lent it to one who thinks he returned it, but certainly
did not: and I wanted to lend it to another much more competent Judge,
very much interested in the Subject, Edward Cowell, a Brother Professor
of yours at our Cambridge: the most learned man there, I believe, and the
most amiable and delightful, I believe, also. He came here to see me a
month ago: and I had one more search for the Pamphlet which I knew was no
longer 'penes me,' which he much wished to see. Will you send me another
Copy for him: if not to 'Professo