successful than reprints. _So_ I have written "Lob
Lie-by-the-Fire, or the Luck of Lingborough," and you will recognize
your _Cockie_ in it! I have taken no end of pains with it, and it has
been a matter of seven or eight hours a day lately. I mean the last
few days. Rather too much. It knocked me off my sleep, and reduced "my
poor back" to the consistency of pith. But I am picking up, partly by
such gross material aid as _bottled stout_ affords! and any amount of
fresh air blowing in full draughts over my bed at night!!

2. I _have_ been at work for you, but I get so horribly dissatisfied
with my things. No; I must do some real steady _work_ at it. One can't
jump with a little "nice feeling" and plenty of theories into what can
give any lasting pleasure to oneself or any one else. I will send you
shortly (I hope) a copy of one of Sir Hope Grant's Chinnerys, and
perhaps a wee thing of Ecclesfield. The worst of drawing is, it wants
mind as well as hands. One can't go at it _jaded_ from head work, as
one could "sew a long white seam" or any mechanical thing!...

When D---- was with me, we went to a _fete_ in the North Camp Gardens,
and I was talking to Lady Grant about the Chinnerys, and the "happy
thought" struck her to introduce me to a Mr. Walkinshaw. They live
somewhere in this country, and Mrs. Walkinshaw came up afterwards to
ask if she might call on me, as they have a Chinnery collection
(gathered in China), and Mr. Walkinshaw would show them to me!... I
mean to collect all possible information on the subject, and either to
write myself, or _prime you_ to write an article on him some day!

TO C.T. GATTY.

_X Lines._ August 20, 1873.

DEAR OLD BOY,

... I enjoyed your letter very much, and am so glad you keep "office
hours." It is very good of you not to be angry with my good advice!
"Experientia does it," as Mr. 'Aughton would say.... _I_ break down
about once in three months like clockwork--from sheer overwork. I
certainly am never happy idle; but I have too often to sit in sackcloth
in the depths of my heart--whilst everybody is beseeching me to be
"idle"--from a consciousness that, not from doing nothing, but by doing
B when I should have done A, and C when I should have done B, a kind of
indolence at the critical moment, I have _wasted_ my strength and time,
not MERELY overworked myself. Also that on _many_ things--drawing,
languages, etc.--I have spent in my life a great deal of labour with
little