ry much prefer--by the
two which I return: I am very much obliged to you indeed for taking all
the Trouble; and the Photo I have retained is very satisfactory to me in
every respect: as I believe you will find it to be to such other Friends
as you would give a Copy to. I can fancy that this Photo is a fair one;
I mean, a fair Likeness: one of the full Faces was nearly as good to me,
but for the darkness of the Lips--that common default in these things--but
the other dark Fullface is very unfair indeed. You must give Copies to
dear old Donne, and to one or two others, and I should like to hear from
you [before you] leave England which they prefer.

It was indeed so unlike your obstinate habit of Reply--this last
exception--that I thought you must be ill; and I was really thinking of
writing to Mr. Leigh to ask about you--I have been ailing myself with
some form of Rheumatism--whether Lumbago, Sciatica, or what not--which
has made my rising up and sitting down especially uncomfortable; Country
Doctor quite incompetent, etc. But the Heavenly Doctor, Phoebus, seems
more efficient--especially now he has brought the Wind out of N.E.

I had meant to send you the Air of the Bon Pasteur when I sent the words:
I never heard it but that once, but I find that the version you send me
is almost identical with my Recollection of it. There is little merit in
the Tune, except the pleasant resort to the Major at the two last Verses.
I can now hear the Organist's _burr_ at the closing 'Benira.'

I happened the other day on some poor little Verses {34a} which poor
Haydon found of his poor Wife's writing in the midst of the Distress from
which he extricated himself so suddenly. And I felt how these poor
Verses touched me far more than any of Beranger's--though scarcely more
than many of Burns'. I know that the Story which they involve appeals
more to one's heart than the Frenchman does; but I am also sure that his
perfect _Art_ injures, and not assists, the utterance of Nature. I
transcribe these poor Verses for you, as you may not have the Book at
hand, and yet I think you will thank me for recalling them to you. I
find them in a MS. Book I have which I call 'Half Hours with the Worst
Authors,' {34b} and if People would believe that I know what is good for
them in these matters, the Book would make a very good one for the
Public. But if People don't see as I do by themselves, they wouldn't any
the more for my telling them, not ha