sfaction to us to believe that we shall still be
successful in Manchester. There is great and urgent need why we should
be so, I assure you.

If you can help to bring the matter speedily into a practical and plain
shape, you will render Hunt the greatest service.

I fear, in respect to your kind invitation, that neither Jerrold nor I
will feel at liberty to accept it. There was a pathetic proposal among
us that we should "keep together;" and, as president of the society, I
am bound, I fear, to stand by the brotherhood with particular constancy.
Nor do I think that we shall have more than one very short evening in
Manchester.

I write in great haste. The sooner I can know (at Broadstairs, in Kent)
the Manchester and Liverpool nights, and what the managers say, the
better (I hope) will be the entertainments.

My dear Sir, very faithfully yours.

P.S.--I enclose a copy of our London circular, issued before the
granting of the pension.

[Sidenote: The same.]

BROADSTAIRS, KENT, _July 11th, 1847._

MY DEAR SIR,

I am much indebted to you for the present of your notice of Hunt's
books. I cannot praise it better or more appropriately than by saying it
is in Hunt's own spirit, and most charmingly expressed. I had the most
sincere and hearty pleasure in reading it.[34]

Your announcement of "The Working Man's Life" had attracted my attention
by reason of the title, which had a great interest for me.[35] I hardly
know if there is something wanting to my fancy in a certain genuine
simple air I had looked for in the first part. But there is great
promise in it, and I shall be earnest to know how it proceeds.

Now, to leave these pleasant matters, and resume my managerial
character, which I shall be heartily glad (between ourselves) to lay
down again, though I have none but pleasant correspondents, and the most
easily governable company of actors on earth.

I have written to Mr. Robinson by this post that I wish these words,
from our original London circular, to stand at top of the bills, after
"For the Benefit of Mr. Leigh Hunt":

"It is proposed to devote a portion of the proceeds of this benefit to
the assistance of another celebrated writer, whose literary career is at
an end, and who has no provision for the decline of his life."

I have also told him that there is no objection to its being known that
this is Mr. Poole, the author of "Paul Pr