to find, from the letter you have addressed to
me, that you had just cause of complaint in being excluded from my
reading here last night. It will now and then unfortunately happen when
the place of reading is small (as in this case), that some confusion
and inconvenience arise from the local agents over-estimating, in
perfect good faith and sincerity, the capacity of the room. Such a
mistake, I am assured, was made last night; and thus all the available
space was filled before the people in charge were at all prepared for
that circumstance.

You may readily suppose that I can have no personal knowledge of the
proceedings of the people in my employment at such a time. But I wish to
assure you very earnestly, that they are all old servants, well
acquainted with my principles and wishes, and that they are under the
strongest injunction to avoid any approach to mercenary dealing; and to
behave to all comers equally with as much consideration and politeness
as they know I should myself display. The recent death of a
much-regretted friend of mine, who managed this business for me, and on
whom these men were accustomed to rely in any little difficulty, caused
them (I have no doubt) to feel rather at a loss in your case. Do me the
favour to understand that under any other circumstances you would, as a
matter of course, have been provided with any places whatever that could
be found, without the smallest reference to what you had originally
paid. This is scanty satisfaction to you, but it is so strictly the
truth, that yours is the first complaint of the kind I have ever
received.

I hope to read in Dover again, but it is quite impossible that I can
make any present arrangement for that purpose. Whenever I may return
here, you may be sure I shall not fail to remember that I owe you a
recompense for a disappointment. In the meanwhile I very sincerely
regret it.

Faithfully yours.

[Sidenote: Miss Hogarth.]

BEDFORD HOTEL, BRIGHTON, _Thursday, Nov. 7th, 1861._

MY DEAR GEORGY,

* * * * *

The Duchess of Cambridge comes to-night to "Copperfield." The bad
weather has not in the least touched us, and beyond all doubt a great
deal of money has been left untaken at each place.

The storm was most magnificent at Dover. All the great side of The Lord
Warden next the sea had to be emptied, the break of the sea was so
prodig