d him I could not bear the thought of his coming all this way
for such a purpose. I think you can witness that I do not wish even old
English Friends to take me except on their way elsewhere: and for an
American Gentleman! It is not affectation to say that any such proposal
worried me. So what must I do but ask him to be sure to see Messrs.
Wright and Cowell when he got to Cambridge: and spend part of one of his
days there in going to Bury, and (even if he cared not for the Abbey with
its Abbot Samson and Jocelyn) to sit with a Bottle of light wine at the
Angel window, face to face with that lovely Abbey gate. Perhaps Cowell,
I said, might go over with him--knowing and loving Gothic--that was a
liberty for me to take with Cowell, but he need not go--I did not hint at
you. I suppose I muddled it all. But do show the American Gentleman
some civilities, to make amends for the disrespect which you and Cowell
told me of in April.'

{193} The defeat of General Burrows by Ayoub Khan, announced in the
House of Commons, July 28, 1880. On July 29 further telegrams reported
that General Burrows and other officers had arrived at Candahar after the
defeat.

{194} The date should be September 19, which was a Sunday in 1880. Full
moon was on September 18.

{197} In her 'Further Records,' i. 295, Mrs. Kemble says, 'Russia
leather, you know, is almost an element of the atmosphere of my rooms, as
all the shades of violet and purple are of their colouring, so that my
familiar friends associate the two with their notions of my habitat.'

{198} See 'Life of Crabbe,' p. 262.

{200} See 'Letters,' ii. 295.

{201a} On 'The Story of the Merchant of Venice' in the _Cornhill
Magazine_ for March 1880.

{201b} 'Ballads and other Poems,' 1880.

{202} _Kelter_, condition, order. Forby's 'Vocabulary of East Anglia.'

{203a} See 'Letters,' ii. 110

{203b} 'Medusa and other Tales' (1868), republished in 1880 with a
preface by her daughter, Mrs. Gordon.

{205} Full moon February 14th.

{206a} Acted at the Lyceum, January 3rd, 1881.

{206b} For February 1881.

{210} See letters of April 23rd, 1880, and December 1881.

{211a} See 'Letters,' ii. 180, 320.

{211b} Printed in 'Letters,' ii. 298-301.

{214} Partly printed in 'Letters,' ii. 305-7.

{216a} Printed in 'Letters,' ii. 310-312.

{216b} April 17th was Easter Day in 1881.

{217} Madame de Sevigne writes from Chaulnes, April 17th, 1689, 'A peine
le