s out. I have three men in constant
attendance on me; besides Dolby, who is an agreeable companion, an
excellent manager, and a good fellow."

On the 4th of March he wrote from Newcastle: "The readings have made an
immense effect in this place, and it is remarkable that although the
people are individually rough, collectively they are an unusually tender
and sympathetic audience; while their comic perception is quite up to
the high London standard. The atmosphere is so very heavy that yesterday
we escaped to Tynemouth for a two hours' sea walk. There was a high
north wind blowing, and a magnificent sea running. Large vessels were
being towed in and out over the stormy bar, with prodigious waves
breaking on it; and, spanning the restless uproar of the waters, was a
quiet rainbow of transcendent beauty. The scene was quite wonderful. We
were in the full enjoyment of it when a heavy sea caught us, knocked us
over, and in a moment drenched us and filled even our pockets. We had
nothing for it but to shake ourselves together (like Dr. Marigold), and
dry ourselves as well as we could by hard walking in the wind and
sunshine. But we were wet through for all that, when we came back here
to dinner after half-an-hour's railway drive. I am wonderfully well, and
quite fresh and strong." Three days later he was at Leeds; from which he
was to work himself round through the most important neighbouring places
to another reading in London, before again visiting Ireland.

This was the time of the Fenian excitements; it was with great
reluctance he consented to go;[259] and he told us all at his first
arrival that he should have a complete breakdown. More than 300 stalls
were gone at Belfast two days before the reading, but on the afternoon
of the reading in Dublin not 50 were taken. Strange to say however a
great crowd pressed in at night, he had a tumultuous greeting, and on
the 22nd of March I had this announcement from him: "You will be
surprised to be told that we have done WONDERS! Enthusiastic crowds have
filled the halls to the roof each night, and hundreds have been turned
away. At Belfast the night before last we had L246 5_s._ In Dublin
to-night everything is sold out, and people are besieging Dolby to put
chairs anywhere, in doorways, on my platform, in any sort of hole or
corner. In short the Readings are a perfect rage at a time when
everything else is beaten down." He took the Eastern Counties at his
return, and this broug