ss and his freshness. The let for the next
reading at St. James's is "going," they report, "admirably." Lady
Russell asked me to dinner to-morrow, and I have written her a note
to-day. The rest has certainly done me good. I slept thoroughly well
last night, and feel fresh. What to-night's work, and every night's
work this week, may do contrariwise, remains to be seen.

I hope Harry's knee may be in the way of mending, from what you relate
of it.

[Sidenote: Miss Dickens.]

WATERLOO HOTEL, EDINBURGH, _Wednesday, April 18th, 1866._

We had a tremendous house again last night at Glasgow; and turned away
great numbers. Not only that, but they were a most brilliant and
delicate audience, and took "Marigold" with a fine sense and quickness
not to be surpassed. The shillings pitched into Dolby again, and one man
writes a sensible letter in one of the papers this morning, showing to
_my_ satisfaction (?) that they really had, through the local agent,
some cause of complaint. Nevertheless, the shilling tickets are sold for
to-morrow, and it seems to be out of the question to take any money at
the doors, the call for all parts is so enormous. The thundering of
applause last night was quite staggering, and my people checked off my
reception by the minute hand of a watch, and stared at one another,
thinking I should never begin. I keep quite well, have happily taken to
sleeping these last three nights; and feel, all things considered, very
little conscious of fatigue. I cannot reconcile my town medicine with
the hours and journeys of reading life, and have therefore given it up
for the time. But for the moment, I think I am better without it. What
we are doing here I have not yet heard. I write at half-past one, and we
have been little more than an hour in the house. But I am quite prepared
for the inevitable this first Edinburgh night. Endeavours have been
made (from Glasgow yesterday) to telegraph the exact facts out of our
local agent; but hydraulic pressure wouldn't have squeezed a straight
answer out of him. "Friday and Saturday doing very well, Wednesday not
so good." This was all electricity could discover.

I am going to write a line this post to Katie, from whom I have a note.
I hope Harry's leg will now step out in the manner of the famous cork
leg in the song.

[Sidenote: Miss Hogarth.]

EDINBURGH, _Thursday, April 19th, 1866._

The house was more than twice better