lines to Mr. Lydiard, in
reply to his request that she should furnish the latest particulars of
Nevil Beauchamp, for the satisfaction of the Countess of Romfrey:

'There is everything to reassure Lady Romfrey in the state of Captain
Beauchamp's health, and I have never seen him so placidly happy as he has
been since the arrival, yesterday morning, of a lady from France, Madame
la Marquise de Rouaillout, with her brother, M. le Comte de Croisnel. Her
husband, I hear from M. de Croisnel, dreads our climate and coffee too
much to attempt the voyage. I understand that she writes to Lady Romfrey
to-day. Lady Romfrey's letter to her, informing her of Captain
Beauchamp's alarming illness, went the round from Normandy to Touraine
and Dauphiny, otherwise she would have come over earlier.

'Her first inquiry of me was, "Il est mort?" You would have supposed her
disappointed by my answer. A light went out in her eyes, like that of a
veilleuse in the dawn. She looked at me without speaking, while her
beautiful eyes regained their natural expression. She shut them and
sighed. "Tell him that M. de Croisnel and his sister are here."

'This morning her wish to see Miss Halkett was gratified. You know my
taste was formed in France; I agree with Captain Beauchamp in his more
than admiration of Frenchwomen; ours, though more accomplished, are
colder and less plastic. But Miss Halkett is surpassingly beautiful, very
amiable, very generous, a perfect friend. She is our country at its best.
Probably she is shy of speaking French; she frequently puts the Italian
accent. Madame de Rouaillout begged to speak with her alone: I do not
know what passed. Miss Halkett did not return to us.

'Dr. Shrapnel and Captain Beauchamp have recently been speculating on our
becoming a nation of artists, and authorities in science and philosophy,
by the time our coalfields and material wealth are exhausted. That, and
the cataclysm, are their themes.

'They say, will things end utterly?--all our gains be lost? The question
seems to me to come of that love of earth which is recognition of God:
for if they cannot reconcile themselves to believe in extinction, to what
must they be looking? It is a confirmation of your saying, that love
leads to God, through art or in acts.

'You will regret to hear that the project of Captain Beauchamp's voyage
is in danger of being abandoned. A committee of a vacant Radical borough
has offered to nominate him. My influence is