dy derived from a visit to
this far world beyond the sea. The first and greatest of these is
the wonderful improvement in my dear father's health. He looks full
ten years younger than when last you saw him, and besides enjoying
better spirits from the absence of the many cares and anxieties and
vexations that weighed upon him daily in England, he says that he
is conscious since he came away of a great increase of absolute
muscular strength and vigor; and when he said this, I felt that my
share of the unpleasant duty of coming hither was already amply
repaid.... We have finished our first engagement at New York, which
was for twelve nights, and have every reason to be satisfied with
our financial, as well as professional, success. Living here is not
as cheap as we had been led to expect, but our earnings are very
considerable, and as we labor for these, it is matter of rejoicing
that we labor so satisfactorily.

Dall is very well, except the nuisance of a bad cold. I am very
well, without exception. The only unpleasant effect I feel from
this climate is a constant tendency to slight relaxation of the
throat, but this is nothing more than a trifling inconvenience,
very endurable, and which probably a little more seasoning will
remove.... I tell you of our health first, for at our distance from
each other that is the matter of greatest moment and anxiety....

I must tell you of our future arrangements; and, to begin like an
Irishwoman, we arrived here on Monday. My father acts to-night for
the first time, Hamlet; and I make my first appearance to-morrow in
"Fazio." We shall act here for three weeks, and then return to New
York for a month; after which we shall proceed to Boston, whence
look to receive volumes from me about Webster, and Channing, and
our friends and fellow-passengers, the H----s, who reside there.

I like this place better than New York; it has an air of greater
age. It has altogether a rather dull, sober, mellow hue, which is
more agreeable than the glaring newness of New York. There are one
or two fine public buildings, and the quantity of clean,
cool-looking white marble which they use both for their public
edifices and for the doorsteps of the private houses has a simple
and sumptuous appearance, which is pleasant. It is electione