ts were
unattainable, even in a lower degree, by any female hand. Did I not
tell you so once before? or oftener than once? And must not these
verses of Landor's be printed somewhere--in the _Examiner_? and again
in the _Athenaeum_? if in the _Examiner_, certainly again in the
_Athenaeum_--it would be a matter of course. Oh those verses: how they
have pleased me! It was an act worthy of him--and of _you_.

George has been properly 'indoctrinated,' and, we must hope, will do
credit to my instructions. Just now ... just as I was writing ... he
came in to say good-morning and good-night (he goes to chambers
earlier than I receive visitors generally), and to ask with a smile,
if I had 'a message for my friend' ... _that_ was you ... and so he
was indoctrinated. He is good and true, honest and kind, but a little
over-grave and reasonable, as I and my sisters complain continually.
The great Law lime-kiln dries human souls all to one colour--and he is
an industrious reader among law books and knows a good deal about
them, I have heard from persons who can judge; but with a sacrifice of
impulsiveness and liberty of spirit, which _I_ should regret for him
if he sate on the Woolsack even. Oh--that law! how I do detest it! I
hate it and think ill of it--I tell George so sometimes--and he is
good-natured and only thinks to himself (a little audibly now and
then) that I am a woman and talking nonsense. But the morals of it,
and the philosophy of it! And the manners of it! in which the whole
host of barristers looks down on the attorneys and the rest of the
world!--how long are these things to last!

Theodosia Garrow, I have seen face to face once or twice. She is very
clever--very accomplished--with talents and tastes of various kinds--a
musician and linguist, in most modern languages I believe--and a
writer of fluent graceful melodious verses, ... you cannot say any
more. At least _I_ cannot--and though I have not seen this last poem
in the 'Book of Beauty,' I have no more trust ready for it than for
its predecessors, of which Mr. Landor said as much. It is the personal
feeling which speaks in him, I fancy--simply the personal
feeling--and, _that_ being the case, it does not spoil the
discriminating appreciation on the other page of this letter. I might
have the modesty to admit besides that I may be wrong and he, right,
all through. But ... 'more intense than Sappho'!--more intense than
intensity itself!--to think of _that_!--Als