y influence my impressions of the people
I met amongst them. Still, I humbly trust I do not like any of my
friends, fine or coarse, only for their belongings, though my
intercourse with the first gratifies my love of luxury and excites
what my Edinburgh friends call my ideality. I don't think, however.
I ever could like anybody, of any kind whatever, that I could not
heartily respect, let their intellectual gifts, elegance, or
refinement of manners be what they might. Good-by, dearest H----.

Ever your affectionate
F. A. K.

GREAT RUSSELL STREET, October 3, 1831.
MY DEAREST H----,

I received your last letter on Thursday morning, and as I read it
exclaimed, "We shall be able to go to her!" and passed it to Dall,
who seemed to think there was no reason why we should not, when my
father said he was afraid it could not be managed, as the theater,
upon second arrangements, would require me before this month was
over. It seems to me that, instead of one disappointment, I have
had twenty about coming to you, dear H----, and the last has fairly
broken the poor camel's back. My father promised to see what could
be done for me, and to get me spared as long as possible; but the
final arrangement is, that on the 24th I shall have to act Queen
Katharine, for which, certainly, a week of daily rehearsals will be
barely sufficient preparation. This, you see, will leave me hardly
time enough to stay at Ardgillan to warrant the fatigue and expense
of the journey. I am afraid it would be neither reasonable nor
right to spend nearly a week in traveling and the money it must
cost, to pass a fortnight with you.... Give my love to your sister,
and tell her how willingly I would have accepted her hospitality
had circumstances permitted it; but "circumstances," of which we
are so apt to complain, may, perhaps, at some future time, allow me
to be once more her guest. The course of events is, after all, far
more impartial than, in moments of disappointment, we are apt to
admit, and quite as often procures us unexpected and unthought-of
pleasures as defeats those we had proposed for ourselves. Pazienza!
Dear Dall, who, I see, has produced her invariable impression upon