emed to grow. Nor can I ask you to try to present it free from
that objection, because I already perceive the difficulty, and pain, of
such an effort.

To the best of my knowledge, you are wrong about the Lady at last, and
to the best of my observation, you do not express what you explain
yourself to mean in the case of the Italian attendant. I have met with
such talk in the romances of Maturin's time--certainly never in Italian
life.

These, however, are slight points easily to be compromised in an hour.
The great obstacle I must leave wholly to your own judgment, in looking
over the tale again.

Believe me always, very faithfully yours.

[Sidenote: Mr. W. M. Thackeray.]

TAVISTOCK HOUSE, _Friday Evening, 23rd March, 1855._

MY DEAR THACKERAY,[57]

I have read in _The Times_ to-day an account of your last night's
lecture, and cannot refrain from assuring you in all truth and
earnestness that I am profoundly touched by your generous reference to
me. I do not know how to tell you what a glow it spread over my heart.
Out of its fulness I do entreat you to believe that I shall never forget
your words of commendation. If you could wholly know at once how you
have moved me, and how you have animated me, you would be the happier I
am very certain.

Faithfully yours ever.

[Sidenote: Mr. Forster.]

TAVISTOCK HOUSE, _Friday, 29th March, 1855._

MY DEAR FORSTER,

I have hope of Mr. Morley,[58] whom one cannot see without knowing to be
a straightforward, earnest man. _I_ also think Higgins[59] will
materially help them.[60] Generally, I quite agree with you that they
hardly know what to be at; but it is an immensely difficult subject to
start, and they must have every allowance. At any rate, it is not by
leaving them alone and giving them no help, that they can be urged on to
success. (Travers, too, I think, a man of the Anti-Corn-Law-League
order.)

Higgins told me, after the meeting on Monday night, that on the previous
evening he had been closeted with ----, whose letter in that day's paper
he had put right for _The Times_. He had never spoken to ---- before, he
said, and found him a rather muddle-headed Scotchman as to his powers of
conveying his ideas. He (Higgins) had gone over his documents
judicially, and with the greatest attention; and not only was ---- wrong
in every particular (