claims, on the ground that the public
engagements I could make for the season were very few and were all made;
and that I cannot bear hot rooms when I am at work. I have smoothed this
as you would have me smooth it.

With your longing for fresh air I can thoroughly sympathise. May you get
it soon, and may you enjoy it, and profit by it half as much as I wish!

Ever faithfully yours.

[Sidenote: Mr. W. P. Frith, R.A.]

5, HYDE PARK PLACE, W., _Saturday, April 16th, 1870._

MY DEAR FRITH,

I shall be happy to go on Wednesday evening, if convenient.

You please me with what you say of my new illustrator, of whom I have
great hopes.

Faithfully yours ever.

[Sidenote: Mr. William Charles Kent.]

_Monday Morning, April 25th, 1870._

MY DEAR KENT,

I received your book[35] with the greatest pleasure, and heartily thank
you for it. It is a volume of a highly prepossessing appearance, and a
most friendly look. I felt as if I should have taken to it at sight;
even (a very large even) though I had known nothing of its contents, or
of its author!

For the last week I have been most perseveringly and ding-dong-doggedly
at work, making headway but slowly. The spring always has a restless
influence over me; and I weary, at any season, of this London dining-out
beyond expression; and I yearn for the country again. This is my excuse
for not having written to you sooner. Besides which, I had a baseless
conviction that I should see you at the office last Thursday. Not having
done so, I fear you must be worse, or no better? If you _can_ let me
have a report of yourself, pray do.

[Sidenote: Mrs. Frederick Pollock.]

5, HYDE PARK PLACE, W., _Monday, May 2nd, 1870._

MY DEAR MRS. POLLOCK,

Pray tell the illustrious Philip van Artevelde, that I will deal with
the nefarious case in question if I can. I am a little doubtful of the
practicability of doing so, and frisking outside the bounds of the law
of libel. I have that high opinion of the law of England generally,
which one is likely to derive from the impression that it puts all the
honest men under the diabolical hoofs of all the scoundrels. It makes me
cautious of doing right; an admirable instance of its wisdom!

I was very sorry to have gone astray from you that Sunday; but as the
earlier di