"Poor Augustus! He was a fine creature, full of affection and generosity. "Mr. Southey is, I hear, in town. I should like much to have made his acquaintance, for I admire his genius and esteem his character. What are you doing? I hope a great deal. I wish you would write a History.

"M. BLESSINGTON."

"April 19th, 1837.

"I have been, indeed, very unwell of late, but am now, thank God, considerably better. The truth is, the numerous family of father, mother, sister, brother, and his six children, that I have to provide for, compels me to write, when my health would demand a total repose from literary exertion; and this throws me back.

"Mais quoi faire? A thousand thanks for your most kind offer of literary assistance, and for the charming scene from Orestes, which is full of power. How glad I shall be to see you again at Gore House.

"Do pray pay me a visit, whenever you can make up your mind to move, for be assured no one can more truly enjoy or value your society than I do. I ordered my publishers to send you one of the first copies of my new novel, which I hope has reached you.

"The story is only a vehicle to convey a severe censure on the ultra-fashionables of London, and the book has been very indulgently received. I saw your friend Mr. Cholmondeley a few days ago, and he inquired for you most kindly. He is a very sensible and amiable young man. Mrs. Fairlie and her family are still with me, and Bella improves daily in intelligence and beauty. We often speak of you, and wish you were with us. M. BLESSINGTON."

"Gore House, Nov. 20th, 1837. Book of Beauty,' which has If all its contents resemble

"I send you by the coach your copy of the just come out, and which I trust you will like. your contribution, I should have no doubt of the success of the book; but though they are far, far removed from such excellence, I nevertheless hope that a book containing such a gem must leave behind it every other annual. Since I wrote to you I have been extremely ill. I tried change of air, and spent some days on the sea-coast, from which I derived but little benefit. I am now, thank God, considerably better, which I attribute to the skillful treatment of my medical adviser. M. BLESSINGTON."

"Gore House, Dec. 20th, 1837.

"There is no person in whose erudition I place so much confidence as in yours, and no one in whose disposition to communicate it I have such faith. Will you inform me if you know any thing about an ancient monument at Frejus, erected to or by a Julia Alpina, or some similar sounding name, remarkable for her strong devotion to her father? I have read a most interesting note relative to her, but can not remember where.

"I shall long for the spring more than ever, now that you have promised to come to me in April. M. BLESSINGTON."

"Gore House, Jan. 17th, 1838.

"I will not let you continue in the error of believing that Mr. Forster is in a minority in thinking most highly of your works. Be assured that every person possessed of taste, feeling, or erudition, admires them as much as he does; but they, unfortunately, are not the great mass of readers. I never heard a difference of opinion relative to your books; all who have intellects capable of comprehending them were unanimous in appreciating them as they deserve; and among the number, no one spoke more highly than Mr. Fonblanque. His health has lately been very bad, and, though better, he is still an invalid. Your friend Alfred D'Orsay has discovered the passage about which I wrote to you, for his reading is so desultory that he constantly reproaches my memory. The Julia, whose name I could not remember, was Julia Alpinula, the daughter of Julius Alpinus, who was condemned to death by Albanus Cecina. His daughter could not survive him, and his friends erected a monument, with an inscription, of which the following are the two first lines: 'Julia Alpinula Hic Jacet, Infelicis Patris Infelix Proles.

Vixit Annos xxiii.'

"The fate of this young creature would furnish a subject worthy your pen. "M. BLESSINGTON."

"Gore House, Oct. 23d, 1838.

"I lament as much as you do Lord Durham's throwing up his appointment; but I have little hope that any representation of mine could influence him to change his determination. He has been shamefully used by ministers, whatever their advocates may say to the contrary; and though I regret, I can not wonder at his resolution of returning. I am very sorry to hear of your accident, but hope you will soon get over its effect. I was moved to tears the other day, on reading in 'The Examiner' your lines to A. If he read therm, how can he resist flying to you? Alas! half our pains through life arise from being misunderstood, and men of genius, above all others, are the most subject to this misfortune, for a misfortune, and a serious one, I call it, when those near and dear to us mistake us, and erect between their hearts and ours barriers that even love can not break down, though pride humbles itself to assist the endeavor. M. BLESSINGTON."

"Gore House, April 16th, 1839.

"Saturday's post brought me yours of Friday, written perhaps when, with Mr. Forster, we were reading your Giovanna' and 'Andrea.' Your friend (and you have not a more sincere one) Count D'Orsay and I had the doors closed against all visitors, that we might enjoy the luxury of these two pieces uninterrupted.

"Never were high anticipations more perfectly realized. They breathe the very soul of poesy and tenderness-nature and truth combine to render them matchless. There was but one drawback to the pleasure we felt, and that proceeded from a knowledge (the ground for which we found in your dedication) that we, who love poetry almost as well as we love you, who are one of its chosen high-priests, were not deemed worthy to hear a single scene from yourself, although some portions of it were written in Gore House!!!

"As a woman, I thank you for having redeemed the character of Giovanna from the imputation cast upon it-an imputation that has always pained me; for, after the description given of her by Petrarch, I never could believe that she was guilty of even a knowledge of the death of Andrea.

"How interesting you have rendered the character of Andrea too! You are, in truth, a very wizard, at the touch of whose wand the prejudices of centuries fall away, and the real character stands revealed.

"M. BLESSINGTON."

"Gore House, Nov. 14th, 1839. few would wish to do aught sent me, which shall certainly

"If all could see or write visions like you, else. I am charmed with the one you have find a place in the Book of Beauty for 1841. Pray tell me, have you read my rish dream? I had a letter from Mr. Trelawney, who has taken to lead the life of a recluse in a villa near Putney, never going to see a single acquaintance or friend, and scarcely ever visiting London. He charged me with his kindest regards to you.

"Did I ever tell you that Count Alfred de Vigny, author of Cinque Mars, and some other admirable works, told me that he had rarely in his life enjoyed so high a treat as the perusal of your works afforded him? He knew several passages by heart, and entered into their beauty with a zest that confirmed my good opinion of his taste. What are you doing-providing feasts for posterity? M. BLESSINGTON."

"Gore House, Sept. 28th, 1840.

"It gave me great pleasure to see your writing again, and to be assured you were well, of which pleasing fact I had the most satisfactory proof, in a poem so full of fancy and grace, that it could only have emanated from a healthy mind and body. The tuneful bird inspired of old by the Persian rose warbled not more harmoniously its praise than do you that of the English rose, which posterity will know through your beautiful verses.

66

Happy are they who can thus inspire great bards, and happy ought the bards to be who can thus confer immortality on beauty. So Mrs. D——— (for I like that name better than Jones) has again married!

"What a compliment to your sex, to enter the state of wedlock twice! I am just returned from Cheveley Park, and am happy to tell you that Mrs. Fairlie has got another little one, a boy, who with his mother, is doing well. My

sweet Isabella grows rapidly, and her mind keeps pace with her stature. She reads and comprehends perfectly. Mr. and Mrs. Fairlie inquired most kindly for you, and said how glad they would be to see you at Cheveley. It is a fine old place, in a large park, with umbrageous old trees, and a beautiful terrace.

"Mr. Wordsworth has been printing, but not publishing, eight very noble sonnets for the year 1840, originating in the state of the political world.

"What are you doing besides writing beautiful verses? Something grave, and worthy of you I hope, in no way inferior to your two last great works. I wish that not a single drop of the bright wine of your mind should be wasted, for, like the best, it will run pure to the last. M. BLESSINGTON."

"Gore House, Dec. 14th, 1840.

"I sit down to thank you for a few of the most delightful hours imaginable, passed in the perusal of Fra Rupert.' This production abounds in beauties of the highest order; and genius and tenderness, that ought never to be separated, breathe forth in all its pages. How fine is the contrast between the strength of mind and deep feeling of Giovanna, and the weakness and good nature of Marguerite!

"When you visit the region of the blessed (and long may it be before that hour arrives), how many shades will hail with grateful affection that noble author, who has rescued their names from unjust obloquy, and taught posterity to pity and weep for those it would otherwise have blamed! I can well imagine your feelings in the church on reading the names of those once dear to you on the cold tomb. Yes, there is true religion in the heart at such moments, for is not love and sorrow the basis of true religion? I quite agree in your opinion of Colonel Napier. There is a grandeur in his History that charms me, and assures me that those can best chronicle great deeds who are the most capable of performing them. Our sympathies reveal the secrets of our natures, and I am never so satisfied with mine as when I feel a decided preference for what is good and great.

"Count D'Orsay is hunting, and Miss Power is rejoicing in the society of her parents, and sisters, and brothers, a family of seven, who arrived from New Brunswick six weeks ago, en route for Van Diemen's Land. You ought to come and spend the Christmas with me, after so long an absence.

recover.

"M. BLESSINGTON."

"Gore House, Feb. 6th, 1843. "Your letter found me in deep affliction, from which it will be long ere I We have lost our darling Isabella, the dear and gifted child, who, though deaf and dumb, possessed more intelligence than thousands who can hear and speak. Attacked about three months ago with a complaint in her chest, I nursed her here, and had hoped for her final recovery, when, on the 4th of January, her poor mother's impatience to have her with her again in

duced me to take her down to Cheveley. A few days after, a relapse ensued, and on the 31st she resigned her pure soul to God. On Saturday last I saw her mortal remains consigned to the tomb, and left that dearly loved form, which I would scarcely let a rude breeze visit, in the cold, dismal, and dark vault. Alas! how soon may it open to receive her poor mother, whose state continues to be most alarming. How fond my darling Isabella was of you. Do you remember her endearing ways, and all her attractions? This blow has fallen heavily on us all, and you, I know, will feel it. My heart is too full to write more, but I could no longer leave your letter unanswered. All here unite in kindest regards to you. M. BLESSINGTON."

"Gore House, March 27th, 1843.

"I find by your letter, received this morning, that we were writing to each other at the same time. I am pleased at this proof of our sympathy, and charmed with the Imaginary Conversation, which shall certainly grace and honor the pages of the Book of Beauty.' No man ever could define the feelings and thoughts of woman—that is, the most pure and unsophisticated portion of the sex-as you can. You enter even beyond the vail of that temple (in woman's heart) so seldom penetrated, and her naïveté and tenderness acquire new charms by your translation of them. I always feel this when you make our sex speak, and wonder not that you are so general a favorite with those whose sentiments you so beautifully delineate.

"I must also thank you for the verses, received in a season of so much sorrow that I had no heart to thank you sooner. Yes, I did remember having read them long years ago at Florence, in happier times, and remember all my dear lost husband's admiration of them. My poor niece* lingers on the threshold of eternity, and, like the setting sun, reveals a new brightness as she draws nearer to her departure. Ah! why should those dear to us become still more so when we are about to lose them? We like Colonel Stopford exceedingly, and regret that the affliction which has befallen us has prevented our showing him that attention which any friend of yours will be always sure of finding, and which he so well merits on his own account. M. BLESSINGTON."

"Gore House, April 11th, 1843. "I feel well assured of your sympathy in the heavy affliction that has fallen on me. You knew the admirable creature we have lost, but you saw her not when bowed down by that most fatal of all maladies; her resignation and sweetness triumphed over its pains. For me, the scene of the last week of her life can never be effaced from my mind. That lovely face, which grew still more fair and heavenly in its expression as her death approached, is ever present to me, and the sweet tones of her voice, uttering words of consolation to those around her dying bed, still ring in my ear. Her strength of mind and heavenly gentleness increased to the last, and rendered her dearer than ever Mrs. Fairlie.