very tempting. Much do I honor him for it. I am in
an exquisitely lazy state, bathing, walking, reading, lying in the sun,
doing everything but working. This frame of mind is superinduced by the
prospect of rest, and the promising arrangements which I owe to you. I
am still haunted by visions of America night and day. To miss this
opportunity would be a sad thing. Kate cries dismally if I mention the
subject. But, God willing, I think it _must_ be managed somehow!"

FOOTNOTES:

[41] "M. was quite aghast last night (9th of September) at the
brilliancy of the C. & H. arrangement: which is worth noting perhaps."

CHAPTER XVIII.

EVE OF THE VISIT TO AMERICA.

1841.

Greetings from America--Reply to Washington
Irving--Difficulties in the Way--Resolve to
go--Wish to revisit Scenes of Boyhood--Proposed
Book of Travel--Arrangements for the
Journey--Impatience of Suspense--Resolve to
leave the Children--Mrs. Dickens reconciled--A
Grave Illness--Domestic Griefs--The Old
Sorrow--At Windsor--Son Walter's
Christening--At Liverpool with the Travelers.

THE notion of America was in his mind, as we have seen, when he first
projected the _Clock_; and a very hearty letter from Washington Irving
about Little Nell and the _Curiosity Shop_, expressing the delight with
his writings and the yearnings to himself which had indeed been pouring
in upon him for some time from every part of the States, had very
strongly revived it. He answered Irving with more than his own warmth:
unable to thank him enough for his cordial and generous praise, or to
tell him what lasting gratification it had given. "I wish I could find
in your welcome letter," he added, "some hint of an intention to visit
England. I should love to go with you, as I have gone, God knows how
often, into Little Britain, and Eastcheap, and Green Arbor Court, and
Westminster Abbey. . . . It would gladden my heart to compare notes with
you about all those delightful places and people that I used to walk
about and dream of in the daytime, when a very small and
not-over-particularly-taken-care-of boy." After interchange of these
letters the subject was frequently revived; upon his return from
Scotland it began to take shape as a thing that somehow or other, at no
very distant date, _must be_; and at last, near the end of a letter
filled with many unimportant things, the announcement, doubly
underline