[Postmark: April 6, 1846]
Monday Morning.
I shall receive a note from you presently, I trust — but
this had better go now — for I expect a friend, and must
attend to him as he wants to go walking — so, dearest — .
dearest, take my — last work I ever shall send you, if God
please !
A word about a passage or two, — I had forgotten to say
before — gadge is a real name (in Johnson, too) for a torturing iron — it is part of the horror of such things that they
should be mysteriously named, — indefinitely, — ‘ The Duke
of Exeter’s Daughter ‘ for instance . . Ugh ! — Besides, am
I not a rhymester ?’ Well, who knows but one may want to
use such a word in a couplet with ‘ badge ‘ — which, if one
reject the old and obsolete fadge is rhymeless ?
Then Chiappino remarks that men of genius usually do
the reverse . . of beginning by dethroning &c. and so arriving with utmost reluctancy at the acknowledgment of a
natural and unalterable inequality of Mankind — instead of
that they begin at once he says, by recognizing it in their
adulation &c. &c. — I have supplied the words ‘ atonce and
taken out ‘ virtually which was unnecessary ; so that the
parallel possibly reads clearlier. I know there are other
things to say — but at this moment my memory is at fault.
Can you tell me Mrs Jameson’s address ?
My sea-friend’s opinion is altogether unfavourable to the
notion of an invalid’s trusting himself alone in a merchant
vessel — he says — ‘.it will certainly be the gentleman’s death.’
So very small a degree of comfort can be secured amid all
the inevitable horrors of dirt, roughness, &c. The expenses
are trifling in any case, on that very account. Any number
of the Shipping Gazette (I think) will give a list of all
vessels about to sail, with choice of ports — or on the walls
of the Exchange one may see their names placarded, with
reference to the Agent — or he will, himself, (my friend Chas.
Walton) do his utmost with a shipowner, we both know, and
save some expense, perhaps. I made him remark the difference
between my carelessness of accommodations and an
invalid’s proper attention beforehand — but he persisted in
saying nothing can be done, nothing effectual. My time is
out — but I must bless you my ever dearest Ba — and kiss
you —
Ever your own.