n
the subject of her own business, that we have only been able to select
two notes of any public interest.

In explanation of _the last letter_, we give an extract from a letter
addressed to _The Daily News_ by Mr. J. M. Makeham, soon after the death
of Charles Dickens, as follows: "That the public may exactly understand
the circumstances under which Charles Dickens's letter to me was
written, I am bound to explain that it is in reply to a letter which I
addressed to him in reference to a passage in the tenth chapter of
"Edwin Drood," respecting which I ventured to suggest that he had,
perhaps, forgotten that the figure of speech alluded to by him, in a way
which, to my certain knowledge, was distasteful to some of his admirers,
was drawn from a passage of Holy Writ which is greatly reverenced by a
large number of his countrymen as a prophetic description of the
sufferings of our Saviour."

The MS. of the little "History of the New Testament" is now in the
possession of his eldest daughter. She has (together with her aunt)
received many earnest entreaties, both from friends and strangers, that
this history might be allowed to be published, for the benefit of other
children.

These many petitions have his daughter's fullest sympathy. But she knows
that her father wrote this history ONLY for his own children, that it
was his particular wish that it never should be published, and she
therefore holds this wish as sacred and irrevocable.

[Sidenote: Mr. W. H. Wills.]

5, HYDE PARK PLACE, LONDON, W., _Sunday, Jan. 23rd, 1870._

MY DEAR WILLS,

In the note I had from you about Nancy and Sikes, you seem to refer to
some other note you had written me. Therefore I think it well merely to
mention that I have received no other note.

I do not wonder at your not being up to the undertaking (even if you had
had no cough) under the wearing circumstances. It was a very curious
scene. The actors and actresses (most of the latter looking very pretty)
mustered in extraordinary force, and were a fine audience. I set myself
to carrying out of themselves and their observation, those who were bent
on watching how the effects were got; and I believe I succeeded. Coming
back to it again, however, I feel it was madness ever to do it so
continuously. My ordinary pulse is seventy-two, and it runs up under
this effort to one hundred and twelve. Besides which, it takes me ten or
twelve minutes to get my wind back at all; I be