d with you, get
proportionately valiant and voluble with a mere cupful of Diderot's
rinsings, and a man into the bargain.

If you were prevented from leaving the house yesterday, assuredly
to-day you will never attempt such a thing--the wind, rain--all is
against it: I trust you will not make the first experiment except
under really favourable auspices ... for by its success you will
naturally be induced to go on or leave off--Still you are _better_! I
fully believe, dare to believe, _that_ will continue. As for me, since
you ask--find me but something _to do_, and see if I shall not be
well!--Though I _am_ well now almost.

How good you are to my roses--they are not of my making, to be sure.
Never, by the way, did Miss Martineau work such a miracle as I now
witness in the garden--I gathered at Rome, close to the fountain of
Egeria, a handful of _fennel_-seeds from the most indisputable plant
of fennel I ever chanced upon--and, lo, they are come up ... hemlock,
or something akin! In two places, moreover. Wherein does hemlock
resemble fennel? How could I mistake? No wonder that a stone's cast
off from that Egeria's fountain is the Temple of the God Ridiculus.

Well, on Saturday then--at three: and I will certainly bring the
verses you mention--and trust to find you still better.

Vivi felice--my dear friend, God bless you!

R.B.

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

Wednesday-Thursday Evening
[Post-mark, July 4, 1845.]

Yes--I know the first part of the 'Duchess' and have it here--and for
the rest of the poem, don't mind about being very legible, or even
legible in the usual sense; and remember how it is my boast to be able
to read all such manuscript writing as never is read by people who
don't like caviare. Now you won't mind? really I rather like blots
than otherwise--being a sort of patron-saint of all manner of
untidyness ... if Mr. Kenyon's reproaches (of which there's a
stereotyped edition) are justified by the fact--and he has a great
organ of order, and knows 'disorderly persons' at a glance, I suppose.
But you won't be particular with _me_ in the matter of transcription?
_that_ is what I want to make sure of. And even if you are not
particular, I am afraid you are not well enough to be troubled by
writing, and writing and the thinking that comes with it--it would be
wiser to wait till you are q