_Tuesday, Jan. 17th, 1865._

MY DEAR KENT,

I meant to have written instantly on the appearance of your paper in its
beautiful freshness, to congratulate you on its handsome appearance, and
to send you my heartiest good wishes for its thriving and prosperous
career. Through a mistake of the postman's, that remarkable letter has
been tesselated into the Infernal Pavement instead of being delivered in
the Strand.

We have been looking and waiting for your being well enough to propose
yourself for a mouthful of fresh air. Are you well enough to come on
Sunday? We shall be coming down from Charing Cross on Sunday morning,
and I shall be going up again at nine on Monday morning.

It amuses me to find that you don't see your way with a certain "Mutual
Friend" of ours. I have a horrible suspicion that you may begin to be
fearfully knowing at somewhere about No. 12 or 13. But you shan't if I
can help it.

Your note delighted me because it dwelt upon the places in the number
that _I_ dwell on. Not that that is anything new in your case, but it is
always new to me in the pleasure I derive from it, which is truly
inexpressible.

Ever cordially yours.

[Sidenote: Mrs. Procter.]

GAD'S HILL PLACE, HIGHAM BY ROCHESTER, KENT,
_Wednesday, Feb. 15th, 1865._

MY DEAR MRS. PROCTER,

Of course I will do it, and of course I will do it for the love of you
and Procter. You can give me my brief, and we can speak about its
details. Once again, of course I will do it, and with all my heart.

I have registered a vow (in which there is not the least merit, for I
couldn't help it) that when I am, as I am now, very hard at work upon a
book, I never will dine out more than one day in a week. Why didn't you
ask me for the Wednesday, before I stood engaged to Lady Molesworth for
the Tuesday?

It is so delightful to me to sit by your side anywhere and be brightened
up, that I lay a handsome sacrifice upon the altar of "Our Mutual
Friend" in writing this note, very much against my will. But for as many
years as can be made consistent with my present juvenility, I always
have given my work the first place in my life, and what can I do now at
35!--or at least at the two figures, never mind their order.

I send my love to Procter, hoping you may appropriate a little of it by
the way.