together in short time, and sent them out to
justify the character I gave him. It is not agreeable to me to be
supposed to have sat at this amiable person's feasts.

Faithfully yours.

FOOTNOTE:

[43] Mr. Joseph Charles King, the friend of many artists and literary
men, conducted a private school, at which the sons of Mr. Macready and
of Charles Dickens were being educated at this time.

1850.

[Sidenote: Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton.]

BROADSTAIRS, KENT, _Tuesday, 3rd September, 1850._

MY DEAR SIR EDWARD,

I have had the long-contemplated talk with Forster about the play, and
write to assure you that I shall be delighted to come down to Knebworth
and do Bobadil, or anything else, provided it would suit your
convenience to hold the great dramatic festival in the last week of
October. The concluding number of "Copperfield" will prevent me from
leaving here until Saturday, the 26th of that month. If I were at my own
disposal, I hope I need not say I should be at yours.

Forster will tell you with what men we must do the play, and what
laurels we would propose to leave for the gathering of new aspirants; of
whom I hope you have a reasonable stock in your part of the country.

Do you know Mary Boyle--daughter of the old Admiral? because she is the
very best actress I ever saw off the stage, and immeasurably better than
a great many I have seen on it. I have acted with her in a country house
in Northamptonshire, and am going to do so again next November. If you
know her, I think she would be more than pleased to play, and by giving
her something good in a farce we could get her to do Mrs. Kitely. In
that case my little sister-in-law would "go on" for the second lady,
and you could do without actresses, besides giving the thing a
particular grace and interest.

If we could get Mary Boyle, we would do "Used Up," which is a delightful
piece, as the farce. But maybe you know nothing about the said Mary, and
in that case I should like to know what you would think of doing.

You gratify me more than I can tell you by what you say about
"Copperfield," the more so as I hope myself that some heretofore-deficient
qualities are there. You are not likely to misunderstand me when I say
that I like it very much, and am deeply interested in it, and that I
have kept and am keeping my mind very steadily upon it.

Believe