s and I went over
the ground yesterday to measure the miles. We went at a tremendous pace.
The condition of the ground is something indescribable, from half-melted
snow, running water, and sheets and blocks of ice. The two performers
have not the faintest notion of the weight of the task they have
undertaken. I give a dinner afterwards, and have just now been settling
the bill of fare and selecting the wines.

In the first excitement of the presidential impeachment, our houses
instantly went down. After carefully considering the subject, I decided
to take advantage of the fact that next week's four readings here have
not yet been announced, and to abolish them altogether. Nothing in this
country lasts long, and I think the public may be heartily tired of the
President's name by the 9th of March, when I read at a considerable
distance from here. So behold me with a whole week's holiday in view!
The Boston audiences have come to regard the readings and the reader as
their peculiar property; and you would be at once amused and pleased if
you could see the curious way in which they seem to plume themselves on
both. They have taken to applauding too whenever they laugh or cry, and
the result is very inspiriting. I shall remain here until Saturday, the
7th, but shall not read here, after to-morrow night, until the 1st of
April, when I begin my Boston farewells, six in number.

_Friday, 28th._

It has been snowing all night, and the city is in a miserable condition.
We had a fine house last night for "Carol" and "Trial," and such an
enthusiastic one that they persisted in a call after the "Carol," and,
while I was out, covered the little table with flowers. The "True
American" has taken a fresh start, as if it were quite a novelty, and is
on the whole rather worse than ever to-day. The Cunard packet, the
_Australasian_ (a poor ship), is some days overdue, and Dolby is
anxiously looking out for her. There is a lull in the excitement about
the President, but the articles of impeachment are to be produced this
afternoon, and then it may set in again. Osgood came into camp last
night from selling in remote places, and reports that at Rochester and
Buffalo (both places near the frontier), Canada people bought tickets,
who had struggled across the frozen river and clambered over all sorts
of obstructions to get them. Some of those halls turn out to be smaller
than represente