art would be too ungracious.

The density and darkness of this atmosphere are fearful. I shall be
heartily glad to start for Edinburgh again on Friday morning.

[Sidenote: The same.]

KENNEDY'S HOTEL, EDINBURGH, _Friday, Dec. 18th, 1868._

I am heartily glad to get back here this afternoon. The day is bright
and cheerful, and the relief from Glasgow inexpressible. The
affectionate regard of the people exceeds all bounds, and is shown in
every way. The manager of the railway being at the reading the other
night, wrote to me next morning, saying that a large saloon should be
prepared for my journey up, if I would let him know when I purposed
making the journey. On my accepting the offer he wrote again, saying
that he had inspected "our Northern saloons," and not finding them so
convenient for sleeping in as the best English, had sent up to King's
Cross for the best of the latter; which I would please consider my own
carriage as long as I wanted it. The audiences do everything but
embrace me, and take as much pains with the readings as I do.

I find your Christmas present (just arrived) to be a haggis and
shortbread!

[Sidenote: Mr. J. C. Parkinson.]

GAD'S HILL PLACE, HIGHAM BY ROCHESTER, KENT,
_Christmas Day, 1868._

MY DEAR PARKINSON,

When your letter was delivered at "All the Year Round" Office yesterday,
I was attending a funeral. It comes to hand here consequently to-day.

I am diffident of addressing Mr. Gladstone on the subject of your desire
to be appointed to the vacant Commissionership of Inland Revenue,
because, although my respect for him and confidence in him are second to
those of no man in England (a bold word at this time, but a truthful
one), my personal acquaintance with him is very slight. But you may
make, through any of your friends, any use you please of this letter,
towards the end of bringing its contents under Mr. Gladstone's notice.

In expressing my conviction that you deserve the place, and are in every
way qualified for it, I found my testimony upon as accurate a knowledge
of your character and abilities as anyone can possibly have acquired. In
my editorship both of "Household Words" and "All the Year Round," you
know very well that I have invariably offered you those subjects of
political and social interest to write upon, in which integrity,
exactness, a remarkable power of generalising evide