at it was more than a
year before he recovered. His first letter, written with the left hand
and the greater part of it unintelligible, is to Bessie. He is the
little boy who was pulling daisies for her in Magdalen Gardens, and
telling of their golden centres.

In 1848 Mr. Wintle died at Culham. Mrs. Gilbert was staying with him,
and the Bishop with some of his daughters started at once for Oxford
when he heard how serious the case had become. Mr. Wintle had expressed
a special desire to see Bessie, but he was almost unconscious when she
arrived. He was told that "Little Blossom" had come. "Where is she?" he
asked, and with a last effort stretched out his hand towards her.

The pleasant home was henceforth closed to them, all silent and empty.

The great-uncle also passed away in 1855, and though many friends
remained, yet from this time Oxford recedes, and is no longer a second
home.

At this period Martin Tupper resided at Brighton; and Bessie, who seems
to have sent him a copy of "The Sea Gull," received from him a letter
which she valued, and a copy of "A Hymn and a Chant for the Harvest Home
of 1847, by the author of _Proverbial Philosophy_." He wrote as follows:

FURZE HILL, BRIGHTON, _23d August 1848_.

MY DEAR MISS BESSIE--An autograph of such affecting interest as
that with which you have this morning so kindly favoured me, gives
me the privilege of a letter of thanks in reply. And thank you I do
very cordially; especially for having so soon and so amiably
fulfilled your intention of honouring my verses with your melodious
tones. When they are quite ready, I shall look forward with much
interest to a manuscript copy; and I am not sure but that, some day
or other, I shall run over and pay my respects at the palace, very
much with the self-interested object of hearing you do justice to
your own music. I am sure you will not refuse me this, especially
as here we have no piano; not but that I will go _toute suite_ to
ask Miss Wagner or the Frauelein to give me an idea of your "Sea
Gull," so as not to be altogether ignorant of the "sweet sounds"
which you have married to Mary Howitt's "immortal verse." I have
nothing here to offer you in return for your musical authorship,
unless you might be pleased to accept "from the author" the
enclosed. Pray make my best respects acceptable to your father a