hould like to know whether this point has received
consideration from the projectors of the design?

Faithfully yours always.

[Sidenote: Mr. Henry F. Chorley.]

GAD'S HILL PLACE, HIGHAM BY ROCHESTER, KENT,
_Sunday, June 2nd, 1867._

MY DEAR CHORLEY,

Thank God I have come triumphantly through the heavy work of the
fifty-one readings, and am wonderfully fresh. I grieve to hear of your
sad occupation. You know where to find rest, and quiet, and sympathy,
when you can change the dreary scene.

I saw poor dear Stanfield (on a hint from his eldest son) in a day's
interval between two expeditions. It was clear that the shadow of the
end had fallen on him.

It happened well that I had seen, on a wild day at Tynemouth, a
remarkable sea-effect, of which I wrote a description to him, and he had
kept it under his pillow. This place is looking very pretty. The
freshness and repose of it, after all those thousands of gas-lighted
faces, sink into the soul.[84]

[Sidenote: Mr. James T. Fields.]

_September 3rd, 1867._

MY DEAR FIELDS,[85]

Your cheering letter of the 21st of August arrived here this morning. A
thousand thanks for it. I begin to think (nautically) that I "head
west'ard." You shall hear from me fully and finally as soon as Dolby
shall have reported personally.

The other day I received a letter from Mr. ----, of New York (who came
over in the winning yacht, and described the voyage in _The Times_),
saying he would much like to see me. I made an appointment in London,
and observed that when he _did_ see me he was obviously astonished.
While I was sensible that the magnificence of my appearance would fully
account for his being overcome, I nevertheless angled for the cause of
his surprise. He then told me that there was a paragraph going round the
papers to the effect that I was "in a critical state of health." I asked
him if he was sure it wasn't "cricketing" state of health. To which he
replied, Quite. I then asked him down here to dinner, and he was again
staggered by finding me in sporting training; also much amused.

Yesterday's and to-day's post bring me this unaccountable paragraph from
hosts of uneasy friends, with the enormous and wonderful addition that
"eminent surgeons" are sending me to America for "cessation from
literary labour"!!! So I