h is never verified), and he always tells me he is dying (which he
never is).

Adieu, my dear Regnier, accept a thousand thanks from me, and believe
me, now and always,

Your affectionate and faithful Friend.

[Sidenote: Mr. W. C. Macready.]

TAVISTOCK HOUSE, _March 15th, 1858._

MY DEAREST MACREADY,

I have safely received your cheque this morning, and will hand it over
forthwith to the honorary secretary of the hospital. I hope you have
read the little speech in the hospital's publication of it. They had it
taken by their own shorthand-writer, and it is done verbatim.

You may be sure that it is a good and kind charity. It is amazing to me
that it is not at this day ten times as large and rich as it is. But I
hope and trust that I have happily been able to give it a good thrust
onward into a great course. We all send our most affectionate love to
all the house. I am devising all sorts of things in my mind, and am in a
state of energetic restlessness incomprehensible to the calm
philosophers of Dorsetshire. What a dream it is, this work and strife,
and how little we do in the dream after all! Only last night, in my
sleep, I was bent upon getting over a perspective of barriers, with my
hands and feet bound. Pretty much what we are all about, waking, I
think?

But, Lord! (as I said before) you smile pityingly, not bitterly, at this
hubbub, and moralise upon it, in the calm evenings when there is no
school at Sherborne.

Ever affectionately and truly.

[Sidenote: Mrs Hogge.[3]]

TAVISTOCK HOUSE, TAVISTOCK SQUARE, LONDON, W.C.,
_Wednesday, April 14th, 1858._

MY DEAR MRS. HOGGE,

After the profoundest cogitation, I come reluctantly to the conclusion
that I do not know that orphan. If you were the lady in want of him, I
should certainly offer _myself_. But as you are not, I will not hear of
the situation.

It is wonderful to think how many charming little people there must be,
to whom this proposal would be like a revelation from Heaven. Why don't
I know one, and come to Kensington, boy in hand, as if I had walked (I
wish to God I had) out of a fairy tale! But no, I do _not_ know that
orphan. He is crying somewhere, by himself, at this moment. I can't dry
his eyes. He is being neglected by some ogress of a nurse. I can't
rescue him.

I will ma