ps.

Some of the introductory remarks on French literature I propose to
strike out, as a little too essayical for this purpose, and likely to
throw out a large portion of the large audience at starting, as
suggesting some very different kind of article. My daring pen shall have
imbued its murderous heart with ink before you see the proof.

With kind regards,
Ever affectionately.

[Sidenote: Mr. John Forster.]

GAD'S HILL PLACE, HIGHAM BY ROCHESTER, KENT,
_Thursday, Oct. 4th, 1860._

MY DEAR FORSTER,

It would be a great pleasure to me to come to you, an immense pleasure,
and to sniff the sea I love (from the shore); but I fear I must come
down one morning and come back at night. I will tell you why.

Last week, I got to work on a new story. I called a council of war at
the office on Tuesday. It was perfectly clear that the one thing to be
done was, for me to strike in. I have therefore decided to begin a
story, the length of the "Tale of Two Cities," on the 1st of
December--begin publishing, that is. I must make the most I can out of
the book. When I come down, I will bring you the first two or three
weekly parts. The name is, "GREAT EXPECTATIONS." I think a good name?

Now the preparations to get ahead, combined with the absolute necessity
of my giving a good deal of time to the Christmas number, will tie me to
the grindstone pretty tightly. It will be just as much as I can hope to
do. Therefore, what I had hoped would be a few days at Eastbourne
diminish to a few hours.

I took the Admiral down to Portsmouth. Every maritime person in the town
knew him. He seemed to know every boy on board the _Britannia_, and was
a tremendous favourite evidently. It was very characteristic of him that
they good-naturedly helped him, he being so very small, into his hammock
at night. But he couldn't rest in it on these terms, and got out again
to learn the right way of getting in independently. Official report
stated that "after a few spills, he succeeded perfectly, and went to
sleep." He is perfectly happy on board, takes tea with the captain,
leads choruses on Saturday nights, and has an immense marine for a
servant.

I saw Edmund Yates at the office, and he told me that during all his
mother's wanderings of mind, which were almost incessant at last, she
never once went bac