id 2s._ or _2s. 6d._ and he thinks there is here more
than that he hopes he will answer and tell me what price the
LOT is and how many plants I may take for _2s._ or _2s. 6d._
by return of post or by Cox which will be better Ecclesfield June
1866."

I wouldn't part with the original of the above under a considerable
sum of money! It always refreshes my brain to go back to it--and I
laugh as often as one laughs, and re-laughs at Pickwick!--the way the
pronouns become entangled and after making an imperfectly distinctive
stand at "_he said_," jump desperately to the pith of the matter in
"what price the LOT is." All difficulties of punctuation
being disposed of by the process of omitting stops entirely--like old
Hebrew--written without points!

(What an autograph for collectors if ever you're the "King Cole" of
Liverpool!)

* * * * *

... I have been staying with M.M. I wish I could impart my mental
gleanings. I made several experiments on her intellect. I tried to
_pin her_ again and again--but QUITE without success--or (on
_her_ part) sense of failure. I tried to remember what she had said
afterwards--and I could not succeed. I couldn't carry a single
sentence.

Generally speaking I gather that--

"The Kelts are destroying themselves--the Teuton Element MUST
prevail--one feels--genius--the thing--Herr Beringer--Dr. Zerffi--but
whatever one may FEEL--so it is! Every other nation COMMENCED where we
LEAVE OFF. WE BEGAN with the DRAMA and left off with the
Epic--Milton's--what-is-it? But there you have Hamlet--where do you find
a character like Hamlet?--NOWHERE! That's the beauty of it. The young
lady's maid never reads anything--but Macbeth. ANNE I _can_ trust with
Faust. I read Lessing myself--and the Greek Testament (not the
Epistles--don't let me exaggerate)--with a bit of dry toast and a cup of
tea without a saucer or anything. I never sit down till the Easter
holidays--before breakfast--I ought to feel--what is it--PROUD. Dr.
Zerffi says he'll show A.B.'s papers at any University against the
first-class men--and they won't understand a word of them. What were
those girls when they came? There's the Duchess of Somerset's 15th coz
twice removed. _Its all blood._ My father drove four-in-hand down this
very hill in the old _coaching_ days (!!!)--and there's not another
school in England where the young ladies read Bopp before breakfast. But
the Vedas are a mine of--you know what--_S