e that although the people are individually rough, collectively
they are an unusually tender and sympathetic audience; while their comic
perception is quite up to the high London standard. The atmosphere is so
very heavy that yesterday we escaped to Tynemouth for a two hours' sea
walk. There was a high north wind blowing and a magnificent sea running.
Large vessels were being towed in and out over the stormy bar, with
prodigious waves breaking on it; and spanning the restless uproar of the
waters was a quiet rainbow of transcendent beauty. The scene was quite
wonderful. We were in the full enjoyment of it when a heavy sea caught
us, knocked us over, and in a moment drenched us, and filled even our
pockets. We had nothing for it but to shake ourselves together (like
Doctor Marigold) and dry ourselves as well as we could by hard walking
in the wind and sunshine! But we were wet through for all that when we
came back here to dinner after half an hour's railway ride.

I am wonderfully well, and quite fresh and strong. Have had to doctor
Dolby for a bad cold; have not caught it (yet), and have set him on his
legs again.

Scott is striking the tents and loading the baggages, so I must deliver
up my writing-desk. We meet, please God, on Tuesday.

[Sidenote: Miss Hogarth.]

SHELBOURNE HOTEL, DUBLIN, _Friday, March 15th, 1867._

We made our journey through an incessant snowstorm on Wednesday night;
at last got snowed up among the Welsh mountains in a tremendous storm of
wind, came to a stop, and had to dig the engine out. We went to bed at
Holyhead at six in the morning of Thursday, and got aboard the packet at
two yesterday afternoon. It blew hard, but as the wind was right astern,
we only rolled and did not pitch much. As I walked about on the bridge
all the four hours, and had cold salt beef and biscuit there and
brandy-and-water, you will infer that my Channel training has not worn
out.

Our "business" here is _very bad_, though at Belfast it is enormous.
There is no doubt that great alarm prevails here. This hotel is
constantly filling and emptying as families leave the country, and set
in a current to the steamers. There is apprehension of some disturbance
between to-morrow night and Monday night (both inclusive), and I learn
this morning that all the drinking-shops are to be closed from to-night
until Tuesday. It is rumoured here that the Liverpool people are very
uneasy about some apprehended dis