f that little
colony of sternly simple and fervently devout Christian souls. But
I should have been a furious fanatic; I should have "seen visions
and dreamed dreams," and fancied myself a prophetess to a
certainty.

That luckless concern, in which you are a luckless shareholder
(Covent Garden), is going to the dogs faster and faster every day;
and, in spite of the Garrick Club and all its noble regenerators of
the drama, I think the end of it, and that no distant one, will be
utter ruin. They have been bringing out a new grand opera, called
"Robert the Devil," which they hope to derive much profit from, as
it is beyond all precedent absurd and horrible (and, as I think,
disgusting); but I am almost afraid that it has none of these good
qualities in a sufficient degree to make it pay its own enormous
cost. I have seen it once, and came home with such a pain in my
side and confused chaos in my head that I do not think I shall ever
wish to see it again. Write me a line to say when I may look for
you.

Ever affectionately yours,
F. A. K.

_Saturday, 25th._-- ... Finished Fenimore Cooper's interesting and
pathetic novel, "The Borderers." ... I came down into the
drawing-room with a headache, a sideache, a heartache, and swollen
red eyes, and my mother greeted me with the news that the theater
was finally ruined, that at Easter it must close, that we must all
go different ways, and I probably to America. I was sobered from my
imaginary sorrow directly; for it is astonishing what a different
effect real and fictitious distress has upon one. I could not
answer my mother, but I went to the window and looked up and down
the streets that were getting empty and dark and silent, and my
heart sank as I thought of leaving my home, my England.... After
dinner Madame le Beau came to try on my Louisa of Savoy's dress; it
is as ugly and unbecoming, but as correct, as possible....

_Wednesday, 23d._--At eleven went to the theater to rehearse
"Francis I." The actors had most of them been civil enough to learn
their parts, and were tolerably perfect. Mr. Bennett will play his
very well indeed, if he does not increase in energy when he comes
to act. Miss Tree, too, I think, will do