n." It haunts
me as only a beautiful and profound thing can. The lines are always
running in my head, as the river runs with me.

Ever affectionately.

[Sidenote: Mr. Henry F. Chorley.]

OFFICE OF "ALL THE YEAR ROUND,"
NO. 26, WELLINGTON STREET, STRAND, W.C.,
_Saturday, 28th of October, 1865._

MY DEAR CHORLEY,

I find your letter here only to-day. I shall be delighted to dine with
you on Tuesday, the 7th, but I cannot answer for Mary, as she is staying
with the Lehmanns. To the best of my belief, she is coming to Gad's
this evening to dine with a neighbour. In that case, she will
immediately answer for herself. I have seen the _Athenaeum_, and most
heartily and earnestly thank you. Trust me, there is nothing I could
have wished away, and all that I read there affects and delights me. I
feel so generous an appreciation and sympathy so very strongly, that if
I were to try to write more, I should blur the words by seeing them
dimly.

Ever affectionately yours.

[Sidenote: Mrs. Procter.]

GAD'S HILL, _Sunday, 29th October, 1865._

MY DEAR MRS. PROCTER,

The beautiful table-cover was a most cheering surprise to me when I came
home last night, and I lost not a moment in finding a table for it,
where it stands in a beautiful light and a perfect situation. Accept my
heartiest thanks for a present on which I shall set a peculiar and
particular value.

Enclosed is the MS. of the introduction.[76] The printers have cut it
across and mended it again, because I always expect them to be quick,
and so they distribute my "copy" among several hands, and apparently
not very clean ones in this instance.

Odd as the poor butcher's feeling appears, I think I can understand it.
Much as he would not have liked his boy's grave to be without a
tombstone, had he died ashore and had a grave, so he can't bear him to
drift to the depths of the ocean unrecorded.

My love to Procter.

Ever affectionately yours.

[Sidenote: Mr. W. B. Rye.[77]]

GAD'S HILL PLACE, HIGHAM BY ROCHESTER, KENT,
_Friday, 3rd November, 1865._

DEAR SIR,

I beg you to accept my cordial thanks for your curious "Visits to
Rochester." As I peeped about its old cor