nd his wife much better than he
expected, and the children (wonderful to relate!) perfect. The little
girl winds up her prayers every night with a special commendation to
Heaven of me and the pony--as if I must mount him to get there! I dine
with Dolby (I was going to write "him," but found it would look as if I
were going to dine with the pony) at Greenwich this very day, and if
your ears do not burn from six to nine this evening, then the Atlantic
is a non-conductor. We are already settling--think of this!--the details
of my farewell course of readings. I am brown beyond belief, and cause
the greatest disappointment in all quarters by looking so well. It is
really wonderful what those fine days at sea did for me! My doctor was
quite broken down in spirits when he saw me, for the first time since my
return, last Saturday. "Good Lord!" he said, recoiling, "seven years
younger!"

It is time I should explain the otherwise inexplicable enclosure. Will
you tell Fields, with my love (I suppose he hasn't used _all_ the pens
yet?), that I think there is in Tremont Street a set of my books, sent
out by Chapman, not arrived when I departed. Such set of the immortal
works of our illustrious, etc., is designed for the gentleman to whom
the enclosure is addressed. If T., F. and Co., will kindly forward the
set (carriage paid) with the enclosure to ----'s address, I will invoke
new blessings on their heads, and will get Dolby's little daughter to
mention them nightly.

"No Thoroughfare" is very shortly coming out in Paris, where it is now
in active rehearsal. It is still playing here, but without Fechter, who
has been very ill. The doctor's dismissal of him to Paris, however, and
his getting better there, enables him to get up the play there. He and
Wilkie missed so many pieces of stage-effect here, that, unless I am
quite satisfied with his report, I shall go over and try my
stage-managerial hand at the Vaudeville Theatre. I particularly want the
drugging and attempted robbing in the bedroom scene at the Swiss inn to
be done to the sound of a waterfall rising and falling with the wind.
Although in the very opening of that scene they speak of the waterfall
and listen to it, nobody thought of its mysterious music. I could make
it, with a good stage-carpenter, in an hour.

My dear love to Fields once again. Same to you and him from Mamie and
Georgy. I cannot tell you both how I miss you, or how overjoyed I should
be to see you here