was obliged at last, in order not to waste half
my day in the contemplation of this bewitching element, to renounce a
practice I long indulged in of lighting my own fire; but to this moment
I envy the servant who does that office, or should envy her but that she
never remains on her knees worshiping the beautiful, subtle spirit she
has evoked, as I could still find it in my heart to do.

I think I remember that Shelley had this passion for fire-gazing; it's a
comfort to think that whatever he could _say_, he could never _see_ more
enchanting things in his grate than I have in mine; but indeed, even for
Shelley, the motions and the colors of flames are unspeakable.

GREAT RUSSELL STREET, January 9, 1831.
DEAR H----,

I promised you a letter to-day, and if I can do so now, at least I
will begin to keep my promise, though I think it possible my
courage may fail me after the first side of my sheet of paper. We
arrived in town from Brighton on this afternoon at four o'clock,
and though it is not yet ten I am so weary, and have so much to do
to-morrow (rehearsing "Fazio" and acting Juliet), that I think I
shall not sit up much longer to-night, even to write to you.

We found my mother tolerably well, and Henry, who had been out
skating all day, in great beauty and high spirits. I must now tell
you what I had not room for when I wrote you those few lines in
A----'s letter.

Mr. Barton, a friend of John's who traveled with him in Germany,
and whose sister has lately married John Sterling (of whom you have
often heard us speak), called here the other day, and during the
course of a long visit told us a great deal of the very beginning
of this Spanish expedition, and of the share Mr. Sterling and
Richard Trench [the present venerable archbishop of Dublin] had in
its launching.

It seems (though he would not say whence they derived them) that
they were plentifully supplied with funds, with which they
purchased and manned a vessel destined to carry arms and ammunition
to Spain for the purposes of the revolutionists. This ship they put
under command of an experienced _smuggler_, and it was actually
leaving the mouth of the Thames with Sterling and Mr. Trench on
board it, bound for Spain, when by order of Lord Aberdeen it was
stopped. Our two young gentlemen jump