in a Rail carriage; but my old Girl is scarce
half herself in it. And there are many inaccuracies, I think. Mais
enfin, voila, etc.

Athenaeum and Academy advertise your Sequel to Records. {227b} I need
not tell you that I look forward to it. I wish you would insert that
capital Paper on Dramatic and Theatrical from the Cornhill. {227c} It
might indeed very properly, as I thought, have found a place in the
Records.

Mowbray Donne wrote me a month ago that his Father was very feeble: one
cannot expect but that he will continue to become more and more so. I
should run up to London to see him, if I thought my doing so would be any
real comfort to him: but _that_ only his Family can be to him: and I
think he may as little wish to exhibit his Decay to an old Friend, who so
long knew him in a far other condition, as his friend might wish to see
him so altered. This is what I judge from my own feelings.

I have only just got my Garden laid up for the winter, and planted some
trees in lieu of those which that last gale blew down. I hear that
Kensington Gardens suffered greatly: how was it with your Green Park, on
which you now look down from such a height, and, I suppose, through a
London Fog?

Ever yours
LITTLE G.

XCVII.

[_Dec._ 1881.]

MY DEAR MRS. KEMBLE:

I _will_ write to you before 1881 is gone, carrying Christmas along with
him. A dismal Festivity it always seems to me--I dare say not much
merrier to you. I think you will tell me where, and with whom, you pass
it. My own company are to be, Aldis Wright, with whom Shakespeare, etc.,
a London Clerk, may be--that is, if he can get sufficient Holyday--and
one or two Guests for the Day.

I forget if I wrote to you since I had a letter from Hallam Tennyson,
telling me of a Visit that he and his Father had been making to
Warwickshire and Sherwood. The best news was that A. T. was 'walking and
working as usual.'

Why, what is become of your Sequel? I see no more advertisement of it in
Athenaeum and Academy--unless it appears in the last, which I have not
conned over. Somehow I think it not impossible--or even unlikely--that
you--may--have--withdrawn--for some reason of your own. You see that I
speak with hesitation--meaning no offence--and only hoping for my own,
and other sakes that I am all astray.

We are reading Nigel, which I had not expected to care for: but so far as
I got--four first Chapters--makes me long for Night to hear more