ngagements, and come to my little
Falstaff House here, sensible of the necessity of country training all
through the summer. Smith would have proposed any appointment to see you
on the subject, but he has been dreadfully ill with tic. Whenever I read
in London, I will gladly put a night aside for your purpose, and we will
plot to connect your name with it, and give it some speciality. But this
could not be before Christmas time, as I should not be able to read
sooner, for in the hot weather it would be useless. Let me hear from you
about this when you have considered it. It would greatly diminish the
expenses, remember.

Ever affectionately and faithfully.

[Sidenote: The Lord John Russell.]

GAD'S HILL PLACE, HIGHAM BY ROCHESTER, KENT,
_Sunday, June 17th, 1860._

MY DEAR LORD JOHN RUSSELL,

I cannot thank you enough for your kind note and its most welcome
enclosure. My sailor-boy comes home from Portsmouth to-morrow, and will
be overjoyed. His masters have been as anxious for getting his
nomination as though it were some distinction for themselves.

Ever your faithful and obliged.

[Sidenote: The Earl of Carlisle.]

GAD'S HILL PLACE, HIGHAM BY ROCHESTER, KENT,
_Wednesday, Aug. 8th, 1860._

MY DEAR LORD CARLISLE,

Coming back here after an absence of three days in town, I find your
kind and cordial letter lying on my table. I heartily thank you for it,
and highly esteem it. I understand that the article on the spirits to
which you refer was written by ---- (he played an Irish porter in one
scene of Bulwer's comedy at Devonshire House). Between ourselves, I
think it must be taken with a few grains of salt, imperial measure. The
experiences referred to "came off" at ----, where the spirit of ----
(among an extensive and miscellaneous bodiless circle) _dines_
sometimes! Mr. ----, the high priest of the mysteries, I have some
considerable reason--derived from two honourable men--for mistrusting.
And that some of the disciples are very easy of belief I know.

This is Falstaff's own Gad's Hill, and I live on the top of it. All goes
well with me, thank God! I should be thoroughly delighted to see you
again, and to show you where the robbery was done. My eldest daughter
keeps my house, and it is one I was extraordin