t, on account of the heat--and I am better as you say,
without any doubt at all, and stronger--only my looks are a little
deceitful; and people are apt to be heated and flushed in this
weather, one hour, to look a little more ghastly an hour or two after.
Not that it _is_ not true of me that I am better, mind! Because I am.

The 'flower in the letter' was from one of my sisters--from Arabel
(though many of these poems are _ideal_ ... will you understand?) and
your rose came quite alive and fresh, though in act of dropping its
beautiful leaves, because of having to come to me instead of living on
in your garden, as it intended. But I thank you--for this, and all, my
dear friend.

E.B.B.

_R.B. to E.B.B._

Thursday Morning.
[Post-mark, June 19, 1845.]

When I next see you, do not let me go on and on to my confusion about
matters I am more or less ignorant of, but always ignorant. I tell
you plainly I only trench on them, and intrench in them, from
gaucherie, pure and respectable ... I should certainly grow
instructive on the prospects of hay-crops and pasture-land, if
deprived of this resource. And now here is a week to wait before I
shall have any occasion to relapse into Greek literature when I am
thinking all the while, 'now I will just ask simply, what flattery
there was,' &c. &c., which, as I had not courage to say then, I keep
to myself for shame now. This I will say, then--wait and know me
better, as you will one long day at the end.

Why I write now, is because you did not promise, as before, to let me
know how you are--this morning is miserably cold again--Will you tell
me, at your own time?

God bless you, my dear friend.

R.B.

_E.B.B. to R.B._

Thursday Evening.
[Post-mark, June 20, 1845.]

If on Greek literature or anything else it is your pleasure to
cultivate a reputation for ignorance, I will respect your desire--and
indeed the point of the deficiency in question being far above my
sight I am not qualified either to deny or assert the existence of it;
so you are free to have it all your own way.

About the 'flattery' however, there is a difference; and I must deny a
little having ever used such a word ... as far as I can recollect, and
I have be