turbance there at the same time. Very
likely you will know more about this than I do, and very likely it may
be nothing. There is no doubt whatever that alarm prevails, and the
manager of this hotel, an intelligent German, is very gloomy on the
subject. On the other hand, there is feasting going on, and I have been
asked to dinner-parties by divers civil and military authorities.

Don't _you_ be uneasy, I say once again. You may be absolutely certain
that there is no cause for it. We are splendidly housed here, and in
great comfort.

Love to Charley and Katey.

[Sidenote: Miss Dickens.]

SHELBOURNE HOTEL, DUBLIN, _Saturday, March 16th, 1867._

I daresay you know already that I held many councils in London about
coming to Ireland at all, and was much against it. Everything looked as
bad here as need be, but we did very well last night after all.

There is considerable alarm here beyond all question, and great
depression in all kinds of trade and commerce. To-morrow being St.
Patrick's Day, there are apprehensions of some disturbance, and croakers
predict that it will come off between to-night and Monday night. Of
course there are preparations on all sides, and large musters of
soldiers and police, though they are kept carefully out of sight. One
would not suppose, walking about the streets, that any disturbance was
impending; and yet there is no doubt that the materials of one lie
smouldering up and down the city and all over the country. [I have a
letter from Mrs. Bernal Osborne this morning, describing the fortified
way in which she is living in her own house in the County Tipperary.]

You may be quite sure that your venerable parent will take good care of
himself. If any riot were to break out, I should immediately stop the
readings here. Should all remain quiet, I begin to think they will be
satisfactorily remunerative after all. At Belfast, we shall have an
enormous house. I read "Copperfield" and "Bob" here on Monday;
"Marigold" and "Trial" at Belfast, on Wednesday; and "Carol" and "Trial"
here, on Friday. This is all my news, except that I am in perfect force.

[Sidenote: Miss Hogarth.]

SHELBOURNE HOTEL, DUBLIN, _Sunday, March 17th, 1867._

Everything remains in appearance perfectly quiet here. The streets are
gay all day, now that the weather is improved, and singularly quiet and
deserted at night. But the whole place is secretly girt in with a
military force. To-mo